Praying for Members of a Wedding Party

Mother of the Bride, it’s so easy to be consumed with all the details of planning a wedding you might overlook one of the most important ways you can provide support—prayer. Chances are you have felt the need for prayer yourself so it’s safe to assume most everyone else involved has felt the need as well.

My article “Praying for Members of a Wedding Party” will give you specific ways you can pray for each member of your daughter’s wedding party. The article is now appearing on the War Cry website (national magazine for The Salvation Army) so just follow the link below to find it.

I pray that it will be a great blessing to you and many others. Why not share it with the rest of those playing a role in your daughter’s big day? And don’t be shy about sharing it with others who would love to provide you and yours with the gift of prayer.

Now enjoy and be blessed, MOB: Praying for Members of a Wedding Party

*You might also like to read A Mother of the Bride’s Thanksgiving Prayer, A Prayer for Weary Mothers of the Bride, Pre-Ceremony Wedding Day Prayer Idea: The Mother of the Bride Prays for the Bride, and Mothers of the Bride Need Prayer.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.) p.s. If you sign up after Oct. 30th, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways but not in this current giveaway.

*Flickr photo by Corey Ann, Creative Commons License

Fun Gift Idea: Tote Bags For the Bridal Party

Mother of the Bride, if you’re looking for a fun gift to help your daughter celebrate her journey as a bride, how about one of those cute tote bags designed especially for brides?

You could give it to her right after her engagement so she can use it throughout the months leading up to the big day. Or you might want to save it for her bridal shower so it will be something special for her to pack all the essentials and extras she needs on the big day itself. Bottom line, though, she will appreciate it whenever you decide to give it!

You or the bride might even like to purchase the tote bags that are available for bridesmaids as well. They would make a fun gift for the bride to give each one when she asks them to be a part of her big day. Or they would add a special touch to a bridesmaids luncheon or some other gathering especially for the bride and her maids. Again, they will be welcomed at any point.

And yes, they even have tote bags designed especially for you, MOB! You might want to treat yourself to one early on in the wedding planning process—or who knows, someone you know may gift you with one! Wouldn’t that be fun?

Here are a few links to check out if you’re interested in this fun idea:

David’s Bridal

Zazzle

Amazon

Etsy

Target 

Totally Promotional 

Hope this helps. And have fun with it, MOB!

You might also like to read A Fun Gift from the Bride to Her Maids: Nail Polish!, Ten Thousand Villages Gifts for the BridesmaidsChristmas Gifts for the Bride, Fun Gift Idea From Bride to Groom: Snazzy Socks!, and Wedding-Themed Shower Gifts.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early February. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Starbucks and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Public Domain Photo

Wedding Shoes for the Party: Sneakers!

Mother of the Bride, heels look gorgeous for the wedding ceremony, but when it’s time to party, why not break out the sneakers! Just look at the bridal party above. Cute and comfy, too. Those girls look ready for some serious dancing, don’t they?

To make it extra fun—and snazzy-looking as well—the sneakers could all be in a matching style and color. The example above shows the bride sporting one of the wedding colors and all the bridesmaids in a coordinating color, and that looks super cute for photos and also continues to set the bride apart from everyone else.

MOB, why not give your daughter this suggestion for her maids? After all, when it’s time for everyone to let their hair down and party, they might as well let their feet get down in comfy territory, too!

*You might also like to read Comfy Shoes—Add This to Your Wedding Day List and Winter Wedding Favor: Dancing Socks!

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

 *The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*I hope you found this slightly revised post from May 2014 helpful to you today, MOB!

*Flickr photo by soundman1024, Creative Commons License

Wedding Photo: Bridesmaids Blow the Groom a Kiss

Mother of the Bride, add this “blowing a kiss to the groom” wedding shot to your list for the photographer pronto! It will be one of the cutest photos of the day. Photographic magic is bound to happen when your daughter’s bridesmaids are asked to show the groom a little love.

As soon as the bridesmaids are asked to blow the groom a kiss, he will start smiling and blushing—or turn into a Romeo on the spot and eat up the attention like a glowing Adonis. Either way, the results will be wedding-photo gold.

So, MOB, share this idea with your daughter and/or the photographer. He can set it up like the shot above of our son-in-law Jake, or he can get creative and change it up any number of ways. As long as there’s kissing involved, it will be fun, right?

*You might also like to read Wedding Day Tip: A List for the Photographer.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride and also my Wedding Inspiration cards, check out my Books/My Work page.

*The current issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out earlier this month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE and to the right! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Photo by Flowers Photography

A Prayer for the Bridesmaids’ Luncheon

Mother of the Bride, if you’re looking for something special to do for your daughter’s bridesmaids, some MOBs host a luncheon for the bride and her maids. Hosting an intimate gathering like this will give you an opportunity to show your gratitude for the role each young woman plays in your daughter’s life, and it can also provide a way to reach out to the mother of the groom by including her and the groom’s sisters as well. And, of course, you’ll want to include the bride’s sisters if they’re not already serving as bridesmaids.

In the midst of this festive girly-girl event, why not take time to voice a prayer for the bride and her sweet maids? As you do, you’ll be creating one more special memory for all involved and you’ll also help deepen the bond everyone feels as you head into the wedding weekend and beyond.

Feel free to use the following prayer (also see note below) or perhaps let the thoughts expressed spark a prayer of your own. May your sweet overture, MOB, be a blessing to all!

“Lord, thank you for bringing each of us here today to share in [the bride’s name]’s joy and excitement over soon becoming Mrs. [groom’s name]. We are thrilled to be part of this special time in her life.

As mother of the bride, I want to especially thank you today for each of the precious young women serving as [the bride’s] bridesmaids. I thank you for the special relationship each one of them has with her and for the love they are showing her by joining in her joy. As [the bride’s] mom, it makes me so happy to see all these girls shower my girl with such sweet love and attention.

So now I ask you to bless them, Father, for the sacrifices they’ve made to be part of her [the bride’s] big day. Please bless them with continued safety in travels and with good health for all the festivities to come. Provide, dear Lord, for their every need. And as they bless our family, please bless them in special ways and grant us all wonderful memories to carry in our hearts forever.

Now please bless our time of fellowship, Father, and continue to prepare [the bride] for the life she’ll share with [the groom]. We love you and thank you from the bottom of our hearts.

Hope this is a help and a blessing to you, dear Mother of the Bride!

NOTE: If you happen to print the prayer out and distribute it for any reason, please give author attribution as Cheryl Barker, author of Mother of the Bride.

*You might also like to read Bridesmaids Luncheon: Treating the Girls, Polka Dot Nails for the BridemaidsTen Thousand Villages Gifts for Bridesmaids, and Special Bridesmaids Gifts from Along Came A Box.

*For info about my book Mother of the Bride check out my Books/My Work page.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out this week. One lucky subscriber (subscribed by noon Oct. 30) will receive $15 gift card to Barnes & Noble and a signed copy of my book to use personally, give as a gift, or donate to a library. Sign-up is free and to the right. Giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue! (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find it.)

*Flickr photo by jwinfred, Creative Commons License