It’s your daughter’s big day, but it’s also a pretty special one for you too. Your girl is heading down the aisle and you’ve probably been counting down to this very second for a long time! But before you’ve practically taken over the caterers and decided on roses over peonies, take a look at our mini guide on how to be the best Mother of the Bride!    

Do give an honest opinion when you go wedding dress shopping with your daughter, but be supportive of her choices. You might have a vision of what you think she’d look best in, and if that fits her style too, great! But once she gets started be prepared for new fabrics, necklines, silhouettes, and designs that she might love even more. Make a few suggestions but remember, if she’s happy that’s all that matters! 

Don’t offer to take on more wedding tasks than you can handle or than your daughter would like! If your schedule is already overloaded, stretching yourself too thin will likely just stress you, and your daughter, out even more! And while you may be ready to go full speed ahead with wedding planning, your daughter might want to tackle more of this on her own, so leave it to her to decide!

Do ask the bride for input on your attire for the main event! She might have a color scheme in mind or a preference of short versus long. Some girls love for their moms to be in a champagne or ivory tone as well, and others definitely want to shine bright in white all alone. Make a fun day out of going to look for potential dresses together.  

Don’t forget other family members that might be excited to help contribute to special wedding events, like the bridal shower. If your daughter is close to her soon-to-be mother-in-law or sister-in-law, see if they’d want to take charge of gift bags, or dessert prep. Even the very best host can use some help now and then!  

Do make sure you enjoy every minute of the incredible celebration and weekend of festivities! Amazing moments like this don’t happen often, so savor every moment with your daughter that day, from buttoning up her dress, guiding her down the aisle, and laughing and dancing all night long. The day will go by quick, but those memories will be here to stay.