There can be a large divide between what the Mother of the Bride and what the Bride wants!
Brides today have a lot more options than their mothers had and because of the internet and celebrity gossip mags, they usually have quite a lot of ideas about what they would like. There is sometimes a very large divide between what the Mother of the Bride wants and what the Bride wants!
So, in your role as Mother of the Bride, you need to be there to support your daughter in any way you can, even if you don’t always agree with her choices. Make sure your daughter knows who you are compelled to invite to the wedding and it is okay to let her know how you envisage the wedding day but then leave it at that.
If you have not met the Groom’s parents, arrange to get together with them as soon as possible to discuss the wedding budget, the location for the wedding and to get an idea of the number of relatives they would like to invite.
The Bride will welcome your help on the selection of the venue and the dress and in return you can ask for her help in finding your own outfit.
The other areas where the Bride might need your help are:
• Wording for the invitations
• Addressing the invitations
• Keeping track of the RSVPs
• Informing guests about the gift list
• The seating plan
On the Wedding Day
On the day of the wedding, if you have thought things through, you will have arranged to have an On The Day Co-Ordinator so all you will need to do is get your hair and make-up done and then you can be the hostess with the mostest! If you don’t have that luxury, you may need to help with bride and bridesmaids to get into their outfits. If the getting ready is at your house, you may also need to be making numerous cups of tea, snacks and pouring glasses of champagne. (That On The Day Co-Ordinator is looking like a real bargain now, I bet!)
The Mother of the Bride usually travels with the bridesmaids to the ceremony and will then be shown to her seat for the ceremony by the chief usher.
Role of Mother of the Groom
There really is very little for the Mother of the Groom to do. Unless you have a very close relationship with your daughter-in-law-to-be, the most you will probably need to do is to provide a list of the guests you would like to invite and make sure your outfit won’t clash with the wedding theme or the Mother of the bride.
Wedding Wonders provides a comprehensive, professional, friendly and confidential service to suit all your wedding planning requirements. Established in 2003, proprietor Debbie regularly features as an expert source in bridal magazines, on the radio and on television. Member of the Association of Bridal Consultants and tutor for the Institute of Professional Wedding Planners.
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