Let Bridesmaids Bouquets Perform Double Duty

June 20, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, does getting twice the use out of the bridesmaids bouquets sound good to you? I thought it might. As long as you’re spending the money on beautiful bouquets for your daughter’s maids, you might as well let them perform double duty, right?

Bridesmaids bouquets can be easily repurposed as table décor at the reception. Simply give the bridesmaids instructions as to where they are to place their bouquets as soon as they arrive at the reception. Or have a designated person gather the bouquets (after any photos of the maids holding them) and then run ahead to the reception and place the bouquets for you.

At my daughters’ weddings, we used the bridesmaids bouquets on the groom’s cake table (as seen above) and also on the gift table. The bouquets came in particularly handy on the cake tables. No need to purchase any other kind of décor to accent the cake. Place a bouquet or two near the cake and dress up the table further with a framed photo or two of the happy couple and the cake table is good to go. (By the way, we used my girls’ bridal bouquets on the main cake tables.)

The wonderful thing about bridesmaids bouquets is that they can be used anywhere you need a touch of beauty. You could place them next to the guest book at the reception site or on a photo table if your sweet couple chooses to have one of those. They could even be used as centerpieces on some of the guest tables if you’re doing a variety rather than the same centerpiece on every table. And you may think of other spots where they’d work beautifully as well.

So MOB, why not make plans for the maids bouquets to do double duty? A win-win for sure!

*You might also like to read Quick Tip: Getting the Most Bang for Your MOB Buck, Savings Tip for Bridal and Bridesmaids Bouquets and Christmas Gifts for the Bride.

*Photo by Flowers Photography

Leave a Comment Filed Under: bride, bridesmaids, decorate, flowers, money, Mother of the Bride, preparation Tagged With: , , , ,

Wedding Registry to Consider: Blueprint Registry

June 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, have you or your daughter heard of Blueprint Registry yet? I just recently happened upon it so it may be new to you as well. And if so, this may be something your daughter and her beloved may be interested in.

Blueprint Registry is an online registry that allows a couple to add gifts from any retailer as well as import existing registries and also create a honeymoon fund/cash registry. It has a unique blueprint approach where couples shop/register by room and guests can then see how and where their gift might be used in the couple’s home.

I haven’t talked with anyone yet who has personally used it, but it’s getting rave reviews from industry leaders. And those endorsements are easily seen on the home page.

MOB, I encourage you to hop over to Blueprint Registry’s website and take a look. I’ll list some of the links to specific info so you can find what you need as easily as possible. Be sure to share this post with your daughter. Blueprint Registry could be just what she and her hubby-to-be are looking for!

Blueprint Registry homepage  

Info About Blueprint Registry

How the Registry Works 

Benefits of Using the Registry 

*You might also like to read Wedding Registry Roundup.

*My photo

Leave a Comment Filed Under: bride, Gift, giving, groom, Mother of the Bride, new thing, preparation, provision, shower, variety Tagged With: , , , , ,

15 Ways to Plant the Word of God in Our Lives

June 13, 2017 By Leave a Comment

As believers, we need the Word of God firmly planted in our lives.

Scripture teaches that God’s Word is a lamp to our feet and a light for our paths (Psalm 119:105) and that it is a vital part of our spiritual armor in the fight against our enemy Satan and his forces of evil (Ephesians 6:17.) The Word is God-breathed and is useful in many ways, equipping us for good works (2 Timothy 3:16.) It is living and active and judges the thoughts and attitudes of our hearts (Hebrews 4:12.) No doubt about it, we need to be rooted and established in the Word of God.

Weaving the Word of God into the fabric of our lives may seem like a daunting task—after all, it IS a big book—but when we take things a step at a time and use a variety of methods, it is indeed possible. And remember, God will bless our efforts as we seek to grow closer to him and honor him with our lives.

Here are 15 ways to plant God’s Word in our hearts and minds:

  1. Read a passage of scripture every day, asking God to bless the reading of his Word.
  2. Be part of a Bible study group/small group on an ongoing basis. Study the Word.
  3. As you read the Word, underline words, phrases, and entire verses that really speak to you.
  4. Memorize scripture using a systematic plan for memorizing and reviewing. Use whatever plan and method works for you in your current stage of life.
  5. Find a translation you enjoy reading that has study notes/footnotes included.
  6. Incorporate scripture into your prayers. It’s a powerful way to pray and also reinforces the scripture in your mind.
  7. Sing the Word—either songs you create as you worship or praise songs you already know.
  8. Read books, magazines, and online content that include scripture.
  9. Listen to teaching from the Word.
  10. Read passages from the Word multiple times, emphasizing different words each time.
  11. Share what you’re learning from the Word with others in ordinary conversations,  Bible study groups, and blogs. Share scripture via social media.
  12. Ask the Holy Spirit to bring the Word to mind as you need it.
  13. Use the Word to battle Satan when he attacks or whispers lies to you.
  14. Apply what you’re learning from the Word to your life. Live the principles and wisdom you’re discovering.
  15. Become a teacher of the Word yourself in a Sunday School class or Bible study or through a writing or speaking ministry.

I hope we’ve each found something helpful here today as we seek to firmly plant God’s Word in our hearts and minds. I know God will honor our efforts and use his Word powerfully in our lives. May we bring him glory, honor, and praise!

“They are not just idle words for you—they are your life.” Deuteronomy 32:47 NIV

*Which of these methods is most helpful to you in planting the Word in your life? What other ways come to mind?

*Flickr photo by Lel4nd, Creative Commons License

Leave a Comment Filed Under: advice, life, light, preparation, protection, strength, teach, wisdom, Word of God Tagged With: , , , ,

Wedding Planning Help Plus a Blogging Break

May 16, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, I’m not even planning a wedding and May is still so crazy busy for me that I’m going to take a blogging break the last half of this month. I’ll return with regular weekly posts on June 6th, but in the meantime I’ll leave with you some wedding planning help.

I hope you find these resources helpful over the next couple of weeks. Have fun looking through everything—and don’t forget to share the links (or all your favorite finds!) with your daughter!

Helpful Links for Wedding Planning

*If your daughter is in the beginning stages of gathering ideas and investigating her options, try Martha Stewart Weddings, Real Simple Weddings, and Brides.

*If your daughter wants a rustic wedding, check out Rustic Wedding Chic.

*If you want a unique and fun gift idea for the bride or bridesmaids, take a look at Along Came a Box. 

*If you’re ready to look for your MOB dress, check out my Mother of the Bride Dresses Pinterest board and also my post Where to Find Your Mother of the Bride Dress.

*Need wedding cake ideas or ideas for the groom’s cake? Try my Wedding Cakes Pinterest board and my Groom’s Cake board. 

*If you want to share a round-up of Bridal Registry options, see my Wedding Registry Roundup post. 

*If you’d like to see all nineteen of my wedding related Pinterest boards, check out my Pinterest profile page. 

This should keep you busy while I’m on blogging break, huh? Have fun!

The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out early this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Silvia Sala, Creative Commons License

Leave a Comment Filed Under: advice, bride, help, Mother of the Bride, preparation, search, variety Tagged With: , , , , , ,

Mother of the Bride: Spruce Up Your Smile!

May 9, 2017 By Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, your smile will be working overtime come Wedding Weekend. Between all the meeting and greeting and the continual photos being snapped and video being recorded, your pearly whites will come into play more than you can imagine.

Since your smile is probably the most important part of your wedding day attire and since it will be getting near constant use, why not splurge on yourself and spruce it up a bit before the big weekend arrives? Not only will you feel more confident as you interact with everyone, but your sweet smile will shine even brighter in some of the most important and treasured photos of your life.

You can choose from several alternatives to teeth whitening. You can go with anything from the inexpensive (but not as effective) whitening toothpastes all the way through to costly professional whitening or bleaching done by your dentist.

When I’ve wanted to brighten my smile, I’ve settled for a method between the two—whitening strips. Of course, they don’t give the dramatic results that professional whitening/bleaching can give, but I’ve been pleased with the improvement they do offer while still being affordable. And affordable is always a word a mother of the bride is happy to hear, right?

So, MOB, check out your options and decide which is best for you and your situation. You may not need this particular spruce-up at all. But if you do, don’t hesitate to splurge on yourself. You’re the Mother of the Bride. You’re worth it!

*Flickr photo by dandeluca, Creative Commons License

*Since the readership of this blog is ever-changing, I hope this encore post from August 2013 helps you today!

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out last week. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

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