Your wedding day is a time of heightened emotions, especially for the parents of the bride and groom. Some weddings may involve multiple sets of parents, or may honor parents who have passed away. If you’re fortunate enough to have your mother present at the wedding, try to include her in the proceedings in a special way. Explore some options for celebrating your big day with your mother, whether you’re the bride or the groom.
Include Her in the Planning
Inviting your mother to come along for your dress fitting, tux shopping, or cake tasting is a wonderful way to let her be involved. Ask her to help you look at flowers, select cocktails, tour the venue, or shop for decorations. You’ll get valuable bonding time, and she’ll feel important and needed.
Put Her in Charge of Something
Some mothers of the bride or groom tend to push their preferences and try to steer the whole wedding planning process. If you sense this happening, take some time to gently let your mother know which elements of the wedding planning you’ll be handling personally. You could assign her a specific aspect of the wedding and give her more control over that part of the day. Clear communication is vital to avoiding any conflict in the weeks preceding the wedding.
Give a Nod to the Past
Have you seen a video of your parents’ wedding? Draw a couple of unique details, items, or decor elements from it and find a way to include those details in your own wedding. Your mother will recognize your tribute to her special day, and she’ll be thrilled.
Honor Family Traditions
Perhaps your family has a unique heritage or a strong religious background. As you plan your ceremony and reception, see if you can include traditions or cultural elements that are dear to your mother’s, and your, heart. Some couples create a “Family Tree” of photos to display at the reception, as a way to honor previous generations.
DIY Together
Are you preparing some of the decor, wedding favors, or accessories yourself? Ask your mother to help you. You’ll gain an extra pair of hands for the task, and the two of you can enjoy some time together before your marriage.
Use Her Talents
Does your mom excel at a particular hobby? Perhaps she has skills with embroidery, jewelry-making, art, hand-lettering, cooking, or something else. Ask her to make some unique accessories or special pieces for your wedding. Chances are, she’ll be thrilled to use her talents on your behalf. Of course, you may need to limit the quantity of the items or extent of the project so she doesn’t get overwhelmed and overworked.
Walk Down the Aisle with Her
If you’re in the mood for upsetting the paternalistic tradition, ask both your parents to walk you down the aisle. Perhaps your father isn’t in the picture— all the more reason to honor your mom by taking that significant walk arm-in-arm with her. However, if you’d still like to devote that aisle walk solely to your dad, perhaps you could reserve the first post-ceremony photo for you and your mom.
If you have grandmothers, great-grandmothers, or other female relatives who are special to you, you can adapt these ideas for them as well. Your wedding is primarily about you and your special someone; but it’s also about all the generations of women who have had a hand in raising and nurturing the two of you. For more ways to include special family members in the ceremony or reception, consult with your event team at Nanina’s in the Park. We’ll be glad to help you show your appreciation to your mother in a memorable way.
