Mother of the Bride Duties: A Guide | Pearl by David's Blog (2024)

12 important duties the Mother of the bride can play at the wedding!

Mother, grandmother, sister, aunt, friend…the bride isn’t the only woman who plays an important role in the wedding. Mother and all of those important mother figurers provide us a shoulder to lean on especially in the wedding planning process. As a bride, the mother or mother figure can be such an integral part in the planning and celebrating of her special day. Mother of the bride duties can vary but we’ve rounded up 12 special ways a mom can play an important role in the wedding planning process and the big day.

1. Participate In Dress Shopping – Dress shopping is a big moment in the wedding planning process so asking your mom or mother figure to come along is very special. Having a close circle of people with you as you dress shop can help you decide on which dress to say yes to.

2. Walk You Down The Aisle – While the tradition may be for the bride’s father to walk her down the aisle, it has become extremely popular for a bride to have both her mother and father walk her down or just the mother.

3. Give a speech at the reception – The conventional thinking was that the mother and father of the bride were the “host” of the wedding reception because tradition was they would pay for the event. In today’s world we know many weddings don’t rely solely on the parents of the bride paying for the wedding but it is still a honor to ask the mother along with the father to welcome the guests with a toast.

4. Host and/or attend the bridal shower – While the bridal party is responsible for hosting the bridal shower it seems more MOB’s are being an active member in the planning process and in some cases are even hosting the event.

5. Help craft the guest list – One the first major tasks a couple needs to take on is creating the guest list. Asking the MOB for help with outlining who should be invited and assigning her the task of collecting all of the contact information for the guests is a fantastic way to get the MOB in the planning process and take some stress off the bride.

6. Participate in venue search – Of course the couple will want to see all the venues they are considering but before a visit to the venue can happen many times the bride will need help researching venues, enquiring if they are available and coordinating a venue tour. This is a perfect job of the MOB who might not be as busy as the bride-to-be.

7. Coordinate the MOB and MOG wedding day attire – Once the bride has selected her wedding dress and the bridal party has a clear idea on what attire they will be wearing it is time for the MOB and MOG to select their outfits. Many times the MOB and MOG will work together and share ideas around outfits so that they don’t dress in something too similar.

8. Advise on the seating chart – Seating charts can be tricky and figuring out how to blend together two families and countless friends and relatives can be a lot. Asking for assistance and tackling the seating chart is a great way to get the MOB involved.

9. Stand in the post ceremony receiving line – There is a growing trend to bring back the receiving line at weddings. The receiving line is where the couple and bridal party greet the guests post ceremony. Asking the MOB to be a central part of that line is a lovely way to honor her important role in the day.

10. Borrow her jewelry, veil or something else special as your “something borrowed” – Many times the bride will look for a meaningful way to incorporate something “borrowed” from the MOB or another mother figure. Think about asking to borrow jewelry, her veil or something else you can have with you as you walk down the aisle.

11. Host the farewell brunch the day after the wedding – Many couples will host a farewell brunch the day after the wedding as a way to say goodbye to their guests who traveled for the wedding. Most of the time this event will take place at the hotel where the majority of the guests are staying. There is no set rule who should host this wedding event but it is a nice event for the MOB to take on and coordinate.

12. Be the vendor contact on wedding day – The bride should only be focused on enjoying her wedding day but it is encouraged to give all the wedding vendors a point of contact on the big day if they have questions. Assign the MOB this role can help take pressure off the bride!

Let’s Hear From Real Brides!

To help brides and the special women in their lives understand a mom’s role in a wedding, we asked some David’s Bridal brides to tell us more about their leading ladies and how they’ve contributed to their weddings. Scroll down to be inspired by these amazing women and their contributions to these weddings.

Tell us about the beautiful woman you’re pictured with.

Photographed is my Great-Aunt Paulette. I come from a big family, with a hosts of amazing aunts – Paulette is by far my favorite! When I lost my Mom my senior year of high school, Paulette welcomed me with opened and loving arms to live with her for as long as I needed. To know her is to love her- She truly is the rock of our family.

Do you have a favorite memory with her from wedding planning and/or your wedding day?

I have so many great memories from our wedding day! My Aunt Paulette has a fear a flying. In fact, she has never been on a air plane before, until the week of our wedding! She put her fear aside to attend our most special day! Because my Aunt Paulette means so much to me, I asked her to walk me down the aisle. It’s a memory I will cherish forever!

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from her?

When life doesn’t go as planned, keep trying. What’s meant to be will happen, on Gods timing.

Tell us about the beautiful woman you’re pictured with.

This is mom, my rock and my best friend!

How does she inspire you?

My mom inspires me to live authentically. Her favorite parenting line is “actions speak louder than words” and for me that always meant to show up and be present. My words mean nothing if my actions don’t match.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from her?

The best advice my mom has ever given me is to remain true to myself.

Tell us about the beautiful woman you’re pictured with

My mom is one of the most amazing women I know! She’s got a servant’s heart and is always looking for ways to help those around her. Her beautiful smile lights up any room!

Do you have a favorite memory with her from wedding planning and/or your wedding day?

Going into anything when wedding planning, my mom always asked me first, “what do you want? I will fight for it.” My mom was determined that no one would push me into making a decision about the wedding just to please them.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from her?
The best piece of advice I’ve ever received from my mom is honestly to just try my best and then let it go! From college to my first job to becoming a wife, my mom always encouraged me to appreciate the little victories and let my worries go with the knowledge that I am giving my all.

Tell us about the beautiful woman you’re pictured with

My mother is my best friend and always my shoulder to lean on. She has a beautiful soul and I admire her so much.

How does she inspire you?

My mom inspires me to be patient and graceful. She continuously shows others peace and love throughout her day.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from her?
The best advice my mother has given me is to be true to yourself and to take the path in life that will make you truly happy.

Tell us about the beautiful woman you’re pictured with

My beautiful mom is a firecracker who loves with her whole being, serves without hesitation, brightens any room she walks in, and will make every person she talks to feel loved, seen, and known.

Do you have a favorite memory with her from wedding planning and/or your wedding day?

On the morning of my wedding I woke up in my childhood bedroom. My mom came into my room with the most intentional and sweet gifts in her hands. As I opened the gifts and read her sweet card we cried and prayed together. This moment was so intimate and magnified the bond we have as mother and daughter. I would not be who I am, or the wife I am today without her wisdom, love, care, and guidance.

What’s the best piece of advice you’ve received from her?

She has modeled so well how to be vulnerable and how to communicate feelings. In our family we share the depths of our hearts which has made us all very close. The way she lived her life and modeled this to us was the best life advice given. To put the advice into words I learned to bring our darkness to light, because once the light exposes darkness we can then begin the beautiful process of healing.

If we’ve learned anything from these brides, it’s that mother of the bride duties can vary in the physical ways she contributes to the day, but there’s no doubt that her most important job is to be a guiding light showing her support and love for the bride.

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