DEAR ABBY: I have been engaged since late last year. My fiance and I are planning our wedding for next summer. We decided to have a long engagement because we want to save and pay for the wedding ourselves.
The problem: My sister wants to have a family portrait taken with her husband and children, my mother and me. Our father is deceased. I politely asked if my fiance could be included in the picture, but my sister argues that he is not part of the family until he says "I do."
Our mother loves my fiance and considers him a son because of all the help he offers around the house, but she refuses to get in the middle of our discussion. My fiance and I do not live together; we are going to remain with our parents until we get married. I know that legally he is not part of the family, but emotionally he is. What do you think? -- PICTURE PERFECT
DEAR PICTURE PERFECT: Your sister has a point. A family portrait should include family members only. Although your fiance is accepted by your mother, many things can happen between now and the wedding date. Your sister may not want to risk being stuck with a "photographic memory" all of you would rather forget.