does the page boys and best man wear the same as the groom or should they be in something different to make the groom stand out

On August 9th, my wife we lucky enough to get hitched. It was a beautiful ceremony and we were surrounded by close friends and loved ones. Our Maid of Honour, Sindhu Senthilnathan, honoured us with an incredible Indo/Arab dance routine that had the crowed cheering and the boys leering…

The mother of the groom has a fine line when it comes to the planning and executing of the wedding.  There are some very important things that she should do, but her role is largely dictated by the role that her son and her soon to be daughter in law encourage her to play. 

Here are some of her responsibilities according to etiquette.

-    The most important role is to congratulate.  The mother of the groom should call the bride’s parents and congratulate and introduce herself to them. 

Announcing how happy she is for the couple, she may want to invite them to dinner at her home or out to a special dinner.  A formal get together or an informal one, it is important to get together with them.

-    The Guest List.  The mother of the groom should work with the bride and groom to determine what the right amount of guests should be.  Should there be a limit; the groom’s mother should insure that she meets this limit.  Providing a complete and accurate guest list quickly is essential.

-    The Dress.  The mother of the bride should select her gown first.  The mother of the groom should match hers in style and in color.  While it does not have to be exactly the same, it should coordinate.  It should not match the bride or the bridesmaids.

-    Out of Town Guests.  The mother of the groom should provide for out of town guests that are on the groom’s side.  Making accommodations and transportation available to them is her job.

-    The Rehearsal Dinner.  The mother of the groom is responsible for the hosting of the rehearsal dinner.  She should invite everyone that plays a role in the ceremony and should at least include his or her significant other.  Children may also be invited. As for the type of dinner that it is, this is up to her.  She can select an informal get together or a more elaborate dinner.

-    Introduce the family and friends on the groom’s side to the bride and her mother.  This is usually done in the reception line.

 

Does the Mother of the Groom have the right to choose a Brooklyn bridal gown for the bride? It is not always known that role the Mother of the Groom plays in her son’s wedding. Choosing the perfect for the bride may not be one of her responsibility but she can always offer assistance to the bride especially during the absence of the bride’s mother.

 

To increase the happiness and the feeling of fulfillment of the Mother of the Groom, some rules of decorum are said to be the responsibilities of the Mother of the Groom.

· The Mother of the Groom must start the ball rolling by initiating contact between her and the bride’s family. Introductions between families should be as simple as an informal invitation to dinner at their home or to a nice restaurant. This may be done with or without the presence of the bride and groom.

· If they live far away, a friendly letter with a picture of the family would suffice. A kind gesture would be to include a snapshot of her son as a child.

· It is also the Mother of the Groom’s duty to provide the guest lists the soonest possible time with the correct number of guests she was instructed to invite.

· It is the Mother of the Bride who shall be the first one to select what she will wear on the wedding then the Mother of the Groom may select her own gown. As much as possible, her chosen gown should compliment that of the bride’s mother in terms of color and style. She should avoid a dress that matches the dresses of the bridesmaids nor that of the bride’s mother rather compliment both.

· Accommodation reservations during the wedding for both her family and out-of-town guests of the groom’s family also fall in her list of duties.

· Rehearsal dinner hosting should be shouldered by the groom’s family.

· During the wedding ceremony, the Mother of the Groom is accompanied down the aisle usually by the groom while the Father of the Groom follows behind. The groom’s parents are seated on the first pew, right hand side.

· Also during the ceremony, the Mother of the Groom and the Mother of the Bride light the family candle on the altar before the entrance of the bridal party.

· At the reception party following the wedding ceremony, the Mother of the Groom stands in the receiving line to greet guests and introduces her relatives and friends to the bride’s family.

This may not be the general rule to be followed. But you can expect these duties or initiatives from the mother of the groom.

 

 

Congratulations! Your son has found the girl of his dreams, and soon you will be adding mother-in-law to your resume. But, the mother of the groom is often at a loss as to what exactly her role will be in the marriage of her son. While you may not be as busy as the mother of the bride, the few things that are required of you are just as important and will be extremely helpful to your son’s future bride.

1.)    If you do not know the bride’s parents, the first order of business is to formally introduce you and your husband to them. Whether that is by making a simple phone call to the bride’s mother or inviting the bride’s parents to an informal dinner either at a restaurant or at your home. If the bride’s family lives far away, a nice letter of introduction along with a picture of your family is a great way to reach out to the bride’s parents.
2.)    You should promptly provide the bride with an accurate guest list for your side of the family. Be sure to include addresses, as well as the names of everyone in each family that is to be invited. You could even go as far as to print the names and addresses up on a sheet of labels to assist her when she begins to address her invitations.
3.)    The bride’s mother should be the first one to select her dress, and then you should get in touch with her to make sure that you select one that is of a complimentary couple. The length of your gown should match the length of the bride’s mother’s gown. If she wears long, you should wear long. If she goes short, then so should you. The color of your dress should not match the bridesmaids’ dresses or the color of the mother of the bride’s dress, but it should definitely compliment both colors. You could even go as far as to invite the bride to go dress shopping with you. This could be a great bonding experience for you and it will help you choose a gown that the bride would like to see you in.
4.)    Hotel reservations for the groom’s out of town guests are the responsibility of the mother of the groom. You could coordinate hotels with the mother of bride, and maybe you will both get a better deal for each of your guests because you are reserving so many rooms.
5.)    It is the responsibility of the groom’s family to host and pay for the rehearsal dinner. This could be as simple as a backyard barbeque or a nice, formal sit-down dinner. Everyone who is in the ceremony is invited to the rehearsal dinner, and it is appropriate etiquette to invite the spouse or significant other of those participating, as well as the parents of the children that are in the wedding.
6.)    Your arrival prior to the wedding is dictated by when you and your family are scheduled for photographs. If you are taking family photographs before, you should arrive at least thirty minutes prior to when you are scheduled to be there, just in case the photographer is ready for you early. If you won’t be taking pictures until after, then you should arrive no later than an hour before the ceremony is set to begin.
7.)    You should participate in the ceremony however your son and his bride have requested you too, Whether that be to light the mother’s candles with the bride’s mother or to be escorted to your seat by your son as he prepares to take his place at the front.
8.)    Be prepared to participate in the receiving line as your guests are leaving the church or entering the reception.

As always you should be prepared to help your son and his fiancée with any wedding preparations they seek your help with. You should take every task you are given seriously and do your best to do it exactly how they’ve asked you to do. The best help you can give them is just to be supportive and to be a listening ear whenever they need you to be. If they need your advice or help they will ask for it, so try not to be overbearing or push your ideas and opinions on them. Remember this is their special day, and your job is to help it be as special as possible with or without your opinions.