A wedding is always a special event for all family members involved, but for the bride’s grandmother it can be a particularly poignant moment to see the granddaughter she has watched grow up walk down the aisle. Although grandmothers aren’t necessarily part of the ceremony itself other than as a guest, there are a few traditions they can take part in.
Something old and something borrowed
Many grandmothers offer their granddaughter a gift or token to fulfill the “something old” or “something borrowed” traditions. It may be a piece of jewelry from their own wedding, or even clothing. With vintage style very much in fashion, there’s a trend for brides to wear their grandmothers’ wedding gowns or veils on their big day, not only because they look beautiful but also to demonstrate that their grandmother is an important part of their big day.
Grandmother’s words of wisdom
The advice our from grandmothers is to be cherished, since they have far more life experience and knowledge of the world than us, and have no doubt been a shoulder to cry on or a friendly ear throughout our lives when we need some direction. It’s traditional for grandmothers to pass on some words of wisdom about love, life and relationships to their granddaughter before the big day. A brilliant time to do this is when the bride to be helps look for grandmother of the bride dresses in the lead up to the big day. This can be a fantastic bonding experience, and is a great opportunity for brides to express the gratitude to their grandmothers for the support they have offered throughout their lives.
Gifts to the bride and groom
Although most couples have a set wedding gift list for guests, the grandmother has a little more flexibility to choose a gift that she sees most fit for her special relationship with the bride. Grandparents traditionally provide gifts to help the newlyweds start their life together; this may be cash or a check to help them buy a house, or home ware to get them setup in their new place. A fantastic option is to pass down particularly special home ware, such as silverware sets or crockery, that has been within the family for many years. This is a gesture that symbolizes the way in which the new couple has become the family’s next generation, and is now responsible for special family heirlooms.
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