Planning a wedding with too many opinions can make it downright difficult. And of course, those opinions often come from the most important people in your life – mom and dad. One of the best ways to keep the familial fighting to a minimum, maintain your sanity and get things done is to give mom and dad specific jobs. They’ll feel needed, loved and respected, and you’ll tackle your to do list much quicker! Here are some ways to incorporate both your families into the wedding planning process.
Rehearsal Dinner & Brunch: Give your parents or in-laws the task of coordinating the rehearsal dinner or post brunch. These events welcome and thank guests for traveling, so your parents are be the perfect hosts for this job. Generally, the rehearsal dinner & brunch locations are smaller – at a restaurant or hotel – and decor/details are minimal. Whim’s DIY?floral package is a great way to have your mother and mother-in-law work together on rehearsal or brunch centerpieces and get to know each other before the wedding. They’ll remain focused on their event and you can focus on planning details for the big day.
Dress Shopping: What better way to bond than to shop?!! Take moms shopping for their dresses for the wedding. They may not know what type of dress to get,and even if they do, your opinion greatly matters to them. Plus, the shopping experience is a fun and special way to show how much you care.
Guest List:?The guest list can be a bit tricky when it comes to parental involvement.?This is your big day, but it?s also a huge day for your parents. Set guidelines ahead of time as to how many guests you are inviting overall and designate a?specific?amount of people whom your parents can invite. Ask them to give you their guest list early on so you can take it into consideration, but remember to be clear if you have specific ideas in mind: an intimate affair, close family and friends only, or no third cousins twice removed. Let them know you want to ensure they enjoy the wedding, but ultimately it is your fianc? and your final choice.
Songs for Parent Dances: Trust us, you could spend hours rifling through song lists for the perfect mother-son or father-daughter dance. But chances are, your parents have been thinking about it since the day you were born. Save yourself the thirty years, and ask your parents to each pick out a special song. It will truly be meaningful.
Something Borrowed: A timeless tradition, Mom might have the perfect something old, new, borrowed or blue just sitting in her closet. Ask her to share a treasure or tradition that you can use for good luck on the big day.
Share the Experience: When it comes to weddings, people love to share memories and stories. Ask your parents to tell you about their Wedding day. Spend an evening reminiscing over old photos (your bridesmaid wore THAT?!!) and traditions. And if you’re so inclined, ask them to frame and bring a few family/wedding photos to display at the reception.
How did you incorporate your parents into the wedding planning process?
