Couples are allowed to decide what kind of atmosphere they want for their wedding day. Not every event is designed for kids, and some may want guests to relax about childcare duties and just have fun. That’s their choice, and it sounds reasonable. But what if your sister tells you that your children are not invited, but the family dogs are going to both the reception and the ceremony?

And it doesn’t end there. The family dogs are given the roles of the flower girl and the ring bearer, roles which are usually taken by kids from the family. So I understand why this brother is upset. When he was told that his children were not included, he understood the rule and accepted it. But then he discovered that his other brother’s dogs were invited and asked to participate, so the child-free rule started to feel less like a general wedding preference and a little more personal. 

A lot of people consider their dogs family, and including them in their wedding is cute and meaningful. We’re not discussing that. The problem is the contrast with the children. The bride’s actual niece and nephew were excluded from the event while three dogs were given the wedding roles the kids would usually take. 

Then the worst happened. His sister made a few inappropriate comments at the rehearsal dinner. She called the dogs family, said the brother’s dogs were family too, and that all the most important people would be at the wedding… While making eye contact with him. So whether it was intentional or not, it felt like a message for this brother. 

So the brother attended the ceremony but skipped the reception as a consequence of feeling hurt after his sister basically said his children were less important than family pets. And if your sister insults your kids, celebrating anything with her, in this case, the reception, probably felt impossible.