Autumn's Embrace: The Wedding Season (WRITING IN PROGRESS)

Chapter 14: Pressure from the In-Laws

The sun was beginning to dip below the horizon, casting a soft orange glow over the kitchen as Lily sat at the table, her phone buzzing with a steady stream of messages. It had started with a simple question from her mom about the wedding colors and quickly snowballed into an avalanche of suggestions, advice, and unsolicited opinions from family members. Lily stared at the latest message, a long text from her aunt, suggesting she reconsider the seating arrangement to avoid "unnecessary awkwardness" between distant cousins who hadn't spoken in years.

She sighed, setting the phone down and rubbing her temples. What had started as excitement over sharing the wedding details with her loved ones had quickly turned into an overwhelming flood of advice that she hadn't asked for. It seemed like everyone had an opinion on everything—the cake, the flowers, the guest list—and all of it clashed with the vision she and Elliot had worked so hard to create.

Elliot walked into the kitchen, a lighthearted grin on his face as he stretched his arms overhead. "What's up?" he asked, pausing when he saw the frustration etched across Lily's face. "Everything okay?"

Lily let out a long sigh, waving her phone in the air. "It's just... I love my family, but they won't stop offering advice on the wedding plans. I've gotten texts all day about what we should change—seating arrangements, cake flavors, even the way we're doing the ceremony. I know they mean well, but it's exhausting."

Elliot frowned, leaning against the counter as he crossed his arms. "I get it. My mom called me earlier to ask if we're sure we don't want to have a live band instead of a DJ. I told her we'd already made the decision, but she wouldn't let it go. Kept saying that a band would add more 'elegance' to the evening."

Lily groaned, burying her face in her hands. "It's like no one's listening to what we actually want. We've already made so many decisions, and now it feels like everyone is second-guessing us."

Elliot moved to sit beside her, gently resting a hand on her back. "Yeah, I know what you mean. But I think they're just excited. They want to help, even if their idea of helping is offering a lot of opinions we didn't ask for."

Lily lifted her head, her eyes filled with frustration. "But that's the thing. It's our wedding, not theirs. I feel like we're constantly having to explain ourselves or justify our choices. We shouldn't have to do that."

Elliot nodded, his expression sympathetic. "You're right. We shouldn't. But you know how families can be—they get excited, and suddenly they think they're planning the wedding too."

Lily laughed softly, though the sound was more exasperated than amused. "If we took all of their advice, our wedding would be a complete mess of conflicting ideas. My mom wants more traditional elements, your mom wants a live band, and my aunt apparently thinks the seating chart is the most important part of the day."

Elliot grinned, trying to lighten the mood. "Hey, at least no one's suggested we switch up the menu... yet."

Lily's phone buzzed again, and she glanced down at the screen, her stomach sinking as she saw yet another message—this time from her cousin, offering "helpful" suggestions for alternative flower arrangements.

"Spoke too soon," Lily muttered, setting the phone aside with a sigh. "This is starting to get ridiculous."

Elliot sat back, thinking for a moment before speaking. "Maybe we need to set some boundaries. Let everyone know that we appreciate their input, but we've got it covered. It's our wedding, and we want to stick to what we've already decided."

Lily bit her lip, considering his suggestion. "I know you're right. But I also don't want to hurt anyone's feelings. They're just trying to help, and I don't want them to feel like we're shutting them out."