First Meeting with the Groom's Parents

When you are in love with someone, it is without a doubt going to be important to leave a good impression on the friends and family members of your partner, with the parent being one of the most important people that you are going to meet.

In this article, we are going to be discussing the first meeting with the groom’s parents, so you know what to expect and also how to handle it the best way possible.

1. Arrive Announced.

When meeting the parents of your groom it is important that you arrange a date and place that you are going to meet rather than arriving unannounced in order not to catch them off guard. Doing so may make them uncomfortable and even embarrassed, as they may not be prepared to host you.

Furthermore, it will leave a good impression on the parents of your future husband as it will show to them that you care about and that you value their time. It will also mean that they are actually available when you arrive, as you may get there and find that they may at work or preoccupied with something else.

2. Decide Who Is Paying.

Related to planning with the parents what is the best time to arrive, if you are going to a restaurant it is also good to discuss who is going to pay. You should recommend that you at least split the bill or that you pay for it, but if the parents are adamant about paying, then you should just let them rather than starting an argument about it.

The reason behind deciding who is going to pay beforehand is avoid awkward situations and also if you know beforehand that you are not going to be paying you can be mindful the amount of food that you are going to be ordering in order for the parents not to end up paying large amounts of money.

3. Remember Your Table Manners.

You may be the kindest and nicest person, but if you have terrible table manners, then this will instantly give you a bad image and can even enforce the stereotype that you are a dirty person who does not pay a lot of attention to their personal hygiene even if you actually do.

Some things that you should look out for when you are eating is chewing with your mouth closed, not talking until you have swallowed all of the food in your mouth and also using a napkin to wipe your mouth area if it has become dirty and also wiping it before you are going to take a sip from your cup in order not to leave dirty food marks on there when you take a drink.

4. Dress Appropriately.

It is best to leave dresses and clothing that is too revealing for other situations when you are one on one with your partner, as this type of clothing is not appropriate to wear around the parents of your groom. It is again something that may leave a bad impression on them that you are someone who cannot be taken seriously.

It is also good to wear clothing and shoes that are suitable for whatever you are going to be doing with the parents, for example, if you are going on a walk in the forest, then make sure to wear comfortable trainers and clothing that you don’t mind getting muddy.

Also, you should not try to impress people by wearing expensive clothing instead you should just be yourself.

5. Bring a Gift.

If this is the first time that you are going to be meeting parents then it is good to bring some kind of present, if you the groom has recommended something or spoke about the hobbies of his parents then you can buy them something more personalized.

For example, if you know that the mum likes to knit, then you can buy her some quality crochet patterns or fabric.

Alternatively, if you are not sure what they specifically like, then you can get them the generic type of gifts such as chocolates and wine but make sure that they are of good quality.

6. Keep Different Family Dynamics in Mind.

It is also important to keep in mind that not every family is the same, even if you and your groom are both from the same nationality and culture you still need to be aware when first meeting with the groom’s parents that they may have different expectations and family etiquette. Therefore, you should speak with your partner to iron things out before you attend.

These can be little things such as some families wearing their shoes at home while others do not and eating on the sofa rather than on the table as well as other things that some people may find offensive such as not personally saying goodbye to everyone. It really depends on each family, and it is best to inquire about it with your partner.

7. They May Not Like You.

It is also good to accept the possibility that the parents may not actually like you even if you have not done anything wrong, it may be for very petty reasons that do not really make any real sense. This is a reality that happens to a lot of people out there and there is nothing you can do about it apart from being mature and not being spiteful.

You should also keep in mind that their opinion of you can quickly change, so you should not take it to heart and at the end of the day; it is their loss if they act in such a way.

8. Show Interest in the People There.

Meeting the parents of your groom is not an interview where you are simply going to be sitting there and just answering questions that people throw at you.

Instead, you need to be making an effort and be asking questions as well but focus on just keeping it a natural conversation as you also do not want to be the one interviewing them.

9. Just Enjoy Yourself.

The most important thing that you need to do when first meeting with the groom’s parents is just to be yourself, as no one is perfect, and it may be better to portray yourself in other light. However, in the long term the truth will always come out, but this does not meet that you should be ignorant of the others around you.