Roles of the Mother and Father of the Bride
One of the most special parts of the day will undoubtedly be the part of the ceremony where the father must give his daughter away. This meaningful gesture symbolizes the fathers blessing on the marriage and in particular his acceptance of the groom. This article will discuss the duties that the father of the bride may need to do leading up to the wedding and on the day.
The father of the bride should:
- Attend the wedding rehearsal
- Attend any pre-wedding parties
- Prepare a speech for the ceremony
- Takes care of final payments of caterers, musicians etc.
- Escort the bride from the house to the ceremony
- Arrive last with the bride
- Walk with the bride up the aisle, walking on her right hand side
- Give the bride away
- Stand until after the vows and then join the brides mother
- Light the wedding ceremony candle with the Mother and Father of the Groom
- Sigh the registry with the brides mother then escort her down the aisle
- Leave for reception after the bride and groom
- Stand second in line at the reception and greet the guests
- Toast the newlywed couple and make a speech
- Mingle with guests and do introductions
The mother of the bride is often as enthusiastic and excited as the daughter about the upcoming wedding. She will often want to involve her self in almost every aspect of the wedding after she too will want to ensure that your wedding day really is the best day of your life. However most couples nowadays are opting to plan the wedding themselves but out of courtesy it is important to at the very least keep the mothers up to date with the progress of plans. In addition to this there are several duties that the may be performed by the brides mother if required.
The mother of the bride should:
- Assist her daughter in the arrangements where possible and in choosing the wedding gown and accessories, bridesmaids attire, flower girls and pageboys, wedding reception entertainment, florists, and transport.
- Keep the parents of the groom informed of wedding planning progress
- Consult with the Mother of the Groom about the color of her wedding outfit
- Compile a guest list with the bride and receives replies from wedding invitations
- Attend wedding rehearsals
- Attend pre-wedding parties
- Help the bride with her dress and veil on the day
- Light the wedding ceremony candle with the Mother and Father of the Groom
- Carry emergency kit in case anything is needed by the bridal or grooms party on the day
- Sign register and walk down aisle with the father of the bride
- Leave for reception after the bride and groom
- Stand second in line at the reception and greet the guests
- Act as hostess at the reception, mingling with guests and introducing people
- Help the bride to change out of her wedding dress and take care of it if the bride leaves straight from the reception for the honeymoon
Your wedding day will be one of the proudest and special moments for you and your parents. There are many duties that can be done by the parents to incorporate them into your wedding day and make them feel special and needed and thank them for all they have done.
