Advice for the Mother Of The Bride

Every bride is different, your daughter may want you to literally organise EVERYTHING (particularly brides working long hours or those living far away from the wedding venue), some will want to organise everything themselves but for most brides there is a middle ground.

As a wedding planner my job is not to take over; my job is to work with you to create the wedding your daughter wants.  I would like share some tips for the Mother of the Bride when it comes to wedding planning to help with those tricky questions – where is the line between assisting your daughter and taking over? How do you get involved but not interfere?

1.  Buy a beautiful wedding planning folder to keep all clippings, swatches and receipts. Every wedding fair or exhibition leaves you with a pile of pamphlets and business cards to consider and compare.

2.  If you are computer literate start a spreadsheet to keep track of the budget both approx. and actual, guest list, supplier payments and contact details. By just taking over the payments or reminders of payments, you will help immensely.

3.  Go through the timeline with your daughter and assign tasks, what can you do on her behalf? Perhaps you can manage the invitations, RSVP’s and seeing to all guest needs like transport and accommodation? There are so many details to think about!

4.  Every month catch up with who she has booked, keep in touch. Be there to help take over any tasks that are worrying her. As the wedding date draws nearer so your help will be become invaluable.

5.  Include your future son in law in the planning – it is his wedding too. Perhaps he has strong opinions on venue or food or music or colours that must be considered.  Nothing worse than a groom miserable in pink!

6.  Consider a wedding planner to help relieve the pressure and manage the details, especially on the wedding day when the bridal party, including the mother of the bride, should be able to relax and enjoy the day – not rush around after last minute details.

All weddings are wonderful occasions, but when it’s your daughter getting married the emotions and the excitement set in and you want to help your daughter, but at the same time you want her to enjoy the planning.

If you are a Mother of the Bride and think you need help planning your daughter’s wedding contact me to discuss how I can help you.

Photography: Jasmine Jade