There are about 6,200 weddings every day in the United States.
While most people have been to at least one of these weddings before, they can become a lot more complicated when you’re related to the wedding couple, especially if you’re the mother of the bride.
Being the mother of the bride comes with its own set of wedding day duties.
Not sure what those are?
Keep reading to learn the most important things you need to be ready for when the wedding rolls around.
1. Take Care of the Guests and the Family
Traditionally, it is the mother and father of the bride who hosts the wedding. Because of this, it is your job as the mother of the bride to greet guests as they arrive, point them to their seats, and make sure they’re all-around taken care of.
In some cases, you may need to act as the liaison between your daughter and other guests or family members. Remember, this is the brides day. If there are certain people she doesn’t want around her before or during the wedding, don’t let them into the bridal sweet or keep them away from the bride and groom during the reception.
You should also be the one who takes care of the bridal party.
If they’re sipping on champagne before the wedding, make sure they have some food to eat too so they don’t get tipsy. Double check they have everything they need for their dresses. Ensure they’re ready for the ceremony before they walk down the aisle.
Of course, this doesn’t mean you should take on all the responsibilities. You don’t want to get stressed out and ruin your daughter’s— and your— big day.
Just make sure everything is taken care of so the bride doesn’t have to worry about it.
2. Be Organized and Handle Last Minute Details
Again, you should try to take as much weight off the bride’s shoulders on the wedding day as possible. She’ll already be busy and nervous as it is.
If there are any last minute details that need to be resolved, do your best to handle them yourself.
This might include calling the caterer and other vendors to make sure they’ll arrive on time. Though the mother of the bride isn’t responsible for the wedding bands, it’s a good idea to know where the rings are at all times and who has them.
The best way to stay on top of last-minute details is to get organized before the wedding.
Talk to the bride as far in advance as you can about getting contact information for vendors. Make sure you know where the venue is, what you need to bring, what the venue will provide, and the schedule of the day.
This will ensure the wedding runs smoothly.
3. Be the Voice of Reason and Emotional Support
Things are going to go wrong during the wedding. The caterer might bring the wrong food. The DJ might show up late. The florist might not bring enough flowers.
Since you’re the mother of the bride, you’ll be made aware of these issues before most other people.
But don’t let yourself panic.
Don’t get upset.
Instead, stay calm and fix the problems if you can. If you can’t, simply adjust the wedding plan, schedule, etc. Your daughter might get upset about the issues, but don’t let yourself get upset about it with her.
Remind her how unimportant these details are. The important part of the day is the marriage between her and her partner. Help her focus on the good things and the excitement of getting married.
The most important part of your mother of the bride duties is to just be there for your daughter.
4. Put Together a Bridal Emergency Kit
While some things will inevitably go wrong during the wedding, you should be ready to fix as many of those issues as you can. And one of the best ways to be prepared is to pack a bridal emergency kit.
This should include things like safety pins, sewing needs with thread, fabric scissors, pads/tampons, Advil, and any other necessary medication to fit nerves, stress, and nausea.
You should also have several wipes on hand to clean up any spills, especially if any food or drinks get on the wedding dress. Make sure you have a disposable razor in case the bride or one of her bridesmaids forget to shave.
Cold, damp towels are another good way to help calm down the bride if she’s feeling nervous before the wedding. You can hold it against the back of her neck or carefully blot her face—without smearing the makeup!
Bring anything you think you might need in case of an emergency. Even if you don’t end up using what you bring, it’s always better to be safe than sorry.
5. Help the Bride into Her Wedding Dress
Helping your daughter into her wedding dress will be one of the specialist moments of the entire wedding.
You dressed her when she was a baby, and now you’re dressing her one last time before giving her away. It’s a beautiful time for you to share with your daughter before she walks down the aisle. And it’s okay to get a little emotional.
Don’t let yourself get caught up with so many other wedding details that you rush through—or entirely miss—this process. You’ll regret it later.
Take your time with your daughter, and let her know how much you love her.
Being Ready for Mother of the Bride Wedding Day Duties
Although you’ll have a lot of responsibilities on the day of the wedding, don’t let yourself get too distracted with them. Allow yourself to relax, celebrate your daughter, and enjoy being the mother of the bride.
Are you still trying to figure out what to wear for the wedding?
Click here to take a look at some of our mother of the bride dress tips.
