When the wedding planning begins, there are two women who may want in on the action, and may want in a bit too much … the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom. Utilize them but make sure they know what their roles consist of.
The MOG may misstep her boundaries when it comes to the MOB’s responsibilities and the MOB may be overstepping the bride. It’s a hard pill to swallow, it can get stressful and it can even ruin great moments throughout the engagement, for both the bride and the groom. But our goal is to help you make sure that everyone knows what they should be doing and that way everyone can enjoy every minute and every part of the wedding festivities.
Instead of having them battle it out, give each leading lady specific tasks and let them enjoy the process of planning right alongside of you. Let’s take a peek at the real to-do’s you can leave up to the mother of the bride and the mother of the groom!
Mother of the Bride
1. Be by your daughter’s side: Even if the bride has a great relationship with her mother-in-law to be, it’ll never be like that of her own mom. From the venue scouting to wedding dress shopping, the MOB needs to be there every step of the way … that the bride asks for.
2. Attire choices: The MOB helps the bride decide not only on the wedding gown, but the entire bridal party’s get-up. Moms don’t lie, so make sure you take her advice. Also, the MOB should help pick out the wedding night peignoir!
3. Serve as a contact: You may need to be one of the main contacts for wedding vendors. If the bride is busy or overwhelmed, it’s okay for mom to take the lead and help with direction.
4. Help with the traditions: Whether it’s a cultural or “something blue” tradition, the MOB is the one that takes on the teacher role.
Mother of the Groom
1. Plan the rehearsal dinner: Traditionally, the groom’s family plans and pays for the rehearsal dinner, which means that the MOG will take most of the decision making on her plate.
2. Check the dress code: Ask the bride what she’d like for you to wear in terms of color or style. You don’t want to be in the same thing that the MOB is wearing, and it’s polite and appreciated if you make sure there is no clashing!
3. Honeymoon help: Another tradition is that the groom’s parents help pay for the couple’s honeymoon. In this day and age, the newlyweds are spending their own money on this big trip, but if able, it’s nice to at least ask or contribute to a little bit especially if the bride’s parents paid for most of the wedding celebration.
Both MOB & MOG
1. Help with the guest list: Both mom’s will need to get in on creating their side of the list. Get everyone’s addresses and correct spelling of their names down!
2. Bridal shower plans: According to tradition, the moms aren’t supposed to be the main host of the party. But we say that’s rubbish! Moms want to lavish their daughter and daughter-in-law to be, so let them!
