Which Type of Mother-of-the-Bride is Your Mom?

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In most families, when the daughter announces her engagement, her mother is thrilled for her. Once the wedding planning begins, you will quickly realize that as your mother becomes the mother of the bride, her personality may change a bit. The key to keeping relations smooth during the wedding planning process is to identify which type of mother of the bride your mom has become, and to work with her as best you can.

Now some brides are very lucky. Their normally sweet and supportive moms remain exactly that way throughout the whole wedding process. This is the mother who will shed tears of joy when she helps you find the perfect bridal gown. She will agree to wear whatever color you ask her to. She will prop you up on the days when you are feeling low, and help to bring you back to earth when that is what you need. Every bride should have this mother!

If you have a mother who tends to be a tad high maintenance, you should expect this tendency to be amplified during the wedding. She will be the one going for facials and massages in preparation for the big day. The high-maintenance mom will stress over the perfection of every detail - as it pertains to her. Her dress and wedding jewelry may even cost as much as the bride's! If this is your mom, the best thing to do is let her do her thing, and you do yours. There is little point in trying to calm her down.

Some brides have overbearing mothers. These moms usually have their hearts in the right place: they want their daughters to have the most perfect wedding day ever. However, the overbearing mother of the bride may have a tendency to forget whose vision of perfection they are trying to achieve. If the bride doesn't speak up for herself, she can end up walking down the aisle in the dress that her mother picked, carrying her mom's favorite flowers, and listening to her mother's preferred version of "The Wedding March". Let's just hope that the bride at least got a say in who the groom would be!

Then there is the diva mom. This is the mom who competes with the bride, because she can't stand to have the spotlight be one someone else. The diva mom is the one who shows up to the ceremony in a skintight leopard dress dripping with diamond wedding jewelry. She may stand just a little too close to the handsome young ushers, who are trying not to choke on her cloud of perfume. If you identify diva tendencies in your mother, it is important to nip them in the bud. No bride should be overshadowed by her mother on the day of her own wedding.

Some moms are much less involved in the wedding planning process than the ones discussed above. They are perfectly happy to leave everything up to the bride. In fact, they may be too happy to stay out of the bride's way; this is the uninvolved or disinterested mother. The fact is that not every woman is into weddings or other girly things. If this is your mom, it may be hurtful that she doesn't seem to care about your wedding, but take heart in the fact that it is the wedding that doesn't interest her - not you.

Whatever your mother is like on a day to day basis, you can expect that to be amplified by the wedding planning process. Unlike brides, who can actually morph into a completely different person during the process, their mothers usually keep the same personality, it is just taken up a notch. So if your mother is your best friend, she will be an even better one during the wedding planning, and if your mom often drives you crazy, well - at least know that things will settle down after you get through the wedding!

Let us know if you need assistance in any area of planning your wedding.Take advantage of Bridget's experience helping clients select jewelry and accessories. Wedding jewelry is the perfect finishing touch for both the bride and her mother.

Mother-Of-The-Bride Speeches Made Simple - Seven Steps to a Winning Wedding Speech

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Your daughter is getting married. Congratulations! What a joyful and challenging time. You're likely experiencing some very mixed emotions. Those emotions can be difficult to handle when it comes time to stand before the guests to toast the couple...especially if you're unprepared.

Here's a structure for mother-of-the-bride speeches that will help you craft an honoring message and make the process more enjoyable for you.

1. First, thank anyone who has made a contribution to the wedding or traveled a long way to attend.


2. Next, tell your daughter how special she is and how happy you are for her.


3. Welcome the groom into your family and let him know how happy you are that he and your daughter will be married. This is a good time to credit the groom's parents for having and raising their son.


4. Tell a couple of humorous anecdotes about your daughter, something that reveals her peccadilloes without being overly embarrassing. You'll get more mileage from stories of specific events that show your daughter's qualities, rather than general compliments or platitudes.


5. This is a good time to share the wisdom of your experience. Most people will take your advice more readily when you keep it positive, and describe what has worked for you rather than telling others what they should do.


6. Tie it back to the bride and groom and what you have seen in them that leads you to believe this will be a great union.


7. Toast the couple. You can distinguish yourself by coming up with a quote with some character.

Brevity and sincerity is generally the winning combination for mother of the bride speeches. You don't have to try to hard for humor. It will come out as guests recognize the couple in the specifics of the stories you tell.

Here's the final pointer, and it's all for you. There's absolutely no reason these days not to deliver a great speech with very little prep time or stress. There's a kit available that helps you create mother of the bride speeches [out] in no time at all. It's really inexpensive (and if you follow the link above, you can get a discount) and covers everything from speeches, to toasts and quotes, to wedding etiquette. If you're giving speech at your daughter's wedding, this is the most important step you can take to honor her, lower your own stress, and let yourself enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Do yourself a favor, and check your wedding speech [out] off your list right now.

I hope your wedding is really wonderful! If you want to make it fun, memorable, and low stress.

Here's the final pointer, and it's all for you. There's absolutely no reason these days not to deliver a great speech with very little prep time or stress. There's a kit available that helps you create mother of the bride speeches in no time at all. It's really inexpensive (and if you follow the link above, you can get a discount) and covers everything from speeches, to toasts and quotes, to wedding etiquette. If you're giving speech at your daughter's wedding, this is the most important step you can take to honor her, lower your own stress, and let yourself enjoy this once-in-a-lifetime occasion. Do yourself a favor, and check your wedding speech off your list right now.

visit WeddingSpeechesSource.com/mother-of-the-bride-speech/

Exploring Mother-of-the-Bride Responsibilities

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Parents play an important role when it comes to the planning and execution of a wedding and for some brides, a little too much. Over the years, the mother-of-the-bride held very different responsibilities from the duties of today, as more and more couples are becoming independent from their parents. Depending on the economic and living situation of the married-couple-to-be, a mother-of-the-bride could face extreme involvement or have very few things to worry about.

Financial Obligations?

Tradition has significantly changed, where the cost of the wedding and reception is no longer attached to the parents of the bride. Throughout time, the modern bride has reached a level of financial security where she no longer needs the help of her parents to pay for a wedding. The cost of a wedding may also be split between the engaged couple or both sets of parents.

Support

As mother-of-the-bride, she should provide her daughter with unlimited mental and emotional support. Weddings are quite stressful and many unexpected problems could arise, whether the caterer is being difficult or the dressmaker has made a blunder on the bridesmaids' dresses. This is also a common time where arguments arise at the most random times because the upcoming event often breeds tension (for even the most put-together and organized weddings). A mother-of-the-bride should make this moment in time memorable and may have to often remind her daughter how special this time in her life is.

Post Engagement

When preparations are in the beginning stages, it is important to set up a meeting between the engaged couple and the groom's family. This is the time to get acquainted with the rest of the family (if it already hasn't happened), as well as discuss the particulars, such as future plans and who is paying for what. A tentative budget should be set up. Some mother-of-the-brides will host and finance an engagement party for the engaged couple.

Before the Wedding

Choosing suitable attire for the wedding day should be completed and sometimes even coordinated with the mother of the groom. Custom usually states that the mother-of-the-bride should select her dress first, and that the groom's mother should choose a different, yet complimentary style and color. The mother-of-the-bride may contact the local newspaper and place a formal engagement announcement. When the time comes for her daughter to select a bridal gown and accessories, the mother often accompanies her on this special day.

She may also assist in the selection of the bridesmaids' dresses; help establish a guest list; select and order invitations; and choose thank-you cards. Once the invitations arrive, she might help with the addressing and sending out. When the RSVPs start to arrive, the mother-of-the-bride may keep track of acceptances and refusals. The seating plan may also fall under the responsibilities of the mother-of-the-bride. When it comes to the bridal shower, she may host and pay for bridal shower.

Ceremony Preparations

The mother-of-the-bride should dress early so she may offer help to the bride and her bridesmaids. This is especially helpful if any last minute emergencies should arise. Her daughter may start to show signs of anxiousness, nervousness and doubts. Her mother should offer moral support and calm her fears, while helping to get her dressed for the walk down the aisle. In her purse, the mother-of-the-bride should carry tissues, makeup, dental flow, hairpins, and any other knick-knack accessories that a bride may need at the last minute.

Since the excitement of a wedding day may have the bride's mind elsewhere, the mother-of-the-bride should think ahead of time and gather keepsakes she may forget to save after the exchange of vows. This may include bringing home candles, flowers, and extra programs.

Reception

Sometimes, a mother-of-the-bride will act as a host when the reception kicks off. She is also usually the last to leave. As the guests begin to shuffle home, she may collect the gifts, deal with leftovers and other random items, as well as salvage the cake topper.

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The Most Flattering Mother-Of-The-Bride Dresses

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1. The mock two-piece dress with A-line skirt.

This is the most flattering form of the mother of the bride dress. The dress has a bodice which attaches to the skirt, giving the illusion that you are wearing two-pieces but you are not. The skirt is a flattering "A" and covers any lumps and bumps and wide hips beautifully. The bodice usually has an overlay that will hide the stomach area. These two features of the mock-two-piece dress should be the top choice for a mother of the bride outfit.

2. The dress with a jacket - jacket can be long or short.

Jackets are not only great for a colder day but it hides unflattering arms that are not quite toned. The sides of the jacket also camouflages wider hips and waistlines and the result is a sleeker look, while making the mother of the bride gown look more formal and dressy. Plus size mothers will benefit from a longer and boxy design to hide hips, while thinner one will want to try the shorter bolero styles that are more fitted and youthful.

3. The cocktail or knee-length dress.

The cocktail dress is great as it is a no fuss look for the garden or informal wedding. No need to worry about dragging that dress and ruining it lifting the hemline up while you take that walk across the hallway or soiled path. Better yet, the cocktail dress has another life to another great party where a special occasion dress is needed.

4. The "black dress."

This is a no brainer and no longer taboo. Which color is so universally appealing and flattering at the same time? It camouflages the parts no one wants you to see while slenderizing you till whoever looks back at you in the mirror is really you, but better. Black goes with everything, be it the turquoise jewelry, the orange shoes, or even the tablecloth.

5. The pantsuit with palazzo pants.

Pantsuits are the rave now. Mother of the brides are no longer tied to a pretty and charming dressy dress. Pantsuits are now so allowed at weddings, like they are allowed at a job. A three-piece ensemble of a jacket, blouse, and loose fitting pants, reflects class, style and uniqueness at the same time. The mother of the bride can perform her numerous duties without worrying about how her dress falls and whether it could possibly drag on the floor.

6. The halter neck gown.

Say no more. The youngish mother with the beautiful shoulders and toned arms can now show them off with a halter neck mother's gown. If the neck is not too plunging and the back not too low and bare, I say why not wear a halter neck gown? No other outfit makes a mother feel young, attractive and desirable like wearing this style.

Author: Author: Audrey Cheong is the owner of an online bridal store specializing in mother of the bride dresses and other formal evening dresses in petite, missy, and plus sizes. Please visit her website http://www.audreysmotherofthebride.com for great selections and reasonable prices.