The Bride's Mother

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The mother of the bride holds a very special place with the bride on her wedding day. Her mere presence lends the bride an air of confidence that mom is nearby just as she has always been. The sense of security coming from the certainty of a love from her mom will stay forever with a young woman raised with guidance, love and even friendship.

The seeds planted by moms reach down several generations. Girls learn how to be first women, then moms from their own mothers giving mothers the enormous obligation of doing the right thing by their daughters. Giving of their time and energy to teach their daughters and show them by example the way to becoming good and secure women is the most most important job a mom can have. Stories of strong, loving, capable women guide daughters, granddaughters and even great granddaughters through the years.

Never, ever underestimate the power a mother in a the life of a woman. Mom does not have to be model beautiful, famous or enormously wealthy. The simple acts of listening to a venting daughter, providing emotional shelter in difficult times or sitting quietly nearby may leave in her daughter an unshakable sense of security.

The mother/daughter relationship is as complex as it is beautiful. Daughters take it as criticism, mothers see it as I've been there, I know. They're both right. Looking back years later, daughter will see their mom as only wanting to make life easier for her and mom will realize the need to let her daughter experience life by making her own mistakes. Getting to that point, however, may have been a most interesting journey.

Every day is the time for expressions of gratitude from bride to mom and mom to bride, but never more so than on wedding days. Pride in the beauty of her daughter and the choices she has made to bring her to this day come full circle. The bride may have chosen a different road to this day, but it was her road to choose. The mother of the bride who is secure in her own skin will respect the choices her daughter has made. A confident daughter will see her mom for exactly who she is, a woman who loves her children and can be counted in any situation. Mother and daughter sharing this day with each other in their own way can be all the thanks each one of them needs.

Mother of the Bride

Anne Dunne is an online author and marketer.
Visit her site at http://www.Mothers-Everything.com for sites on topics of interest to mothers, young and old, and women, single or attached.

The Important Roles of the Mother of the Bride

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Not too long ago, the mother of the bride did most of the planning for her daughter's wedding. This ranged from helping her choose her dress to helping her choose her bridesmaids to making the actual preparations for the wedding ceremony and the reception. The mother of the bride was in a unique position to do so - after all she had been a bride herself not too long ago and was aware of the traditions and customs. Often, the daughter's wedding was also when the mother got to do some of the things that she would have loved to have at her own wedding but couldn't - because her mother was managing things!

Of course, things have changed a lot since then. Nowadays, brides are no longer naïve creatures unaware of the workings of the world. Most have careers and have lived by themselves for many years. They are thus highly likely to have very definite ideas about what to have and what not to have at their weddings. Apart from this, there are also professional wedding planners who have taken on the task of planning and organizing the wedding from the mother of the bride.

However, despite this, the mother of the bride still has a very important role to play at her daughter's wedding though the exact level of involvement depends on the bride and her mother. On occasions when the wedding is being held at the home of the bride's parents or in their hometown, it is but natural that the involvement of the mother of the bride will be much more than it would be if the wedding was being held somewhere else.

The most important role that the mother of the bride plays is that of the primary support of the bride. Weddings nowadays can be very stressful, physically, emotionally and mentally. It is not rare for brides to feel overwhelmed by it all. It is up to the mother of the bride to always be there for her daughter when her daughter needs her, with a sympathetic ear and a strong shoulder to lean on. The mother of the bride should ideally be ready with a warm smile and some practical advice whenever things go a bit out of control, having been through the whole crazy process herself.

The mother and father of the bride should ideally also handle the guest list for their side of the family starting with deciding on who all will be attending and going on to sending out the invitations, checking up on RSVPs and, if required, making arrangements for the travel and accommodation of out-of-state guests. The mother of the bride also acts as the hostess at the reception making sure that all the guests are welcomed and taken care of.

In addition to this, the mother of the bride may also have to help out the bride with a range of activities such as picking out the dress and looking for wedding locations. In general, it is a good idea for the mother of the bride to have a chat with her daughter well before the wedding to find out what all her daughter expects her to do as this will help both of them plan things better. It is best to let the bride decide such matters. If she feels that she needs a lot of her mother's help, her mother should accommodate her needs as far as possible.

On the other hand, should the bride feel that she can manage without too much of her mother's help, her mother should not feel bad about it and should gracefully accede to her wishes. Of course, either way, she must also make it clear that she stands ready to help her daughter, anytime her daughter needs it.

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