I am engaged to a great guy who comes from a great family, and are planning for a wedding which is two years away, but still coming up pretty quickly in my mind. I said HE comes from a great family, I on the other hand, do not. My parents went through a rocky divorce after a rockier marriage of 19 years. When I marry, their divorce will have taken place four years prior, but the past can never be in the past -- understandably. I am not fond of my dad, but feel horribly guilty even thinking about not inviting him. I know I will be inviting him to the wedding, which in itself isn't a problem...it's the problem he has with my mom that makes things complicated. My parents can't get along if their lives depended on it, not in a grocery store, not talking about my younger sibling, not for anything. My mom is very bitter after the divorce and hates my dad quite a bit. She will start problems, in my opinion, every opportunity she gets. She criticizes him constantly (to him and family) about his new life, which she is not involved in at all. My dad talks constant garbage about her to her and his family and also my younger sibling. I am sure that they will never get along at any time in their lives. They hate each other completely. Just because their daughter is getting married will not put them in a better mood around each other, and my mom confirms my fear. Because of them, and because of my discomfort with my dysfunctional family, I am not wanting my family and my fiance's family to be together longer than necessary. Not to mention I don't want my parents to be around each other longer than necessary. We want a wedding with the four members of his family and the three members of mine, and have them leave that night, after our morning ceremony, of course. To my fiance and I, even though that it what we want, it seems completely rude. After all, `it is only "right" to have a little "reception" after the wedding, like a dinner or something, to keep the guests from feeling alienated or unimportant. However, I am not into a reception or having the two families together, because it will undoubtedly be awkward for all of us, and rampage-inducing for my parents. I don't want to come off as a cold bride, but I want to avoid the drama for the sake of all of us! How do I present to everyone the idea of not having a reception? How can I make it up to both sides of the family for not having a reception or after-wedding dinner as they are traveling 9+ hours to see us get married?

I am truly at a loss, and I want what is best for everyone involved.

-A Stressed Bride-To-Be.