Wedding Keepsake Photo Including the Invitation

Mother of the Bride, here’s a keepsake photo that’s easy to forget on wedding day: one that features the invitation. The photographer will take shots of the programs, the tent cards for the reception tables, and place cards for the bride and groom, but if a copy of the wedding invitation is not on hand on the big day, chances are you’ll miss getting a professional photo of it.

In the photo above, I love how the wedding invitation is featured along with the bride’s rings and shoes. What a beautiful shot capturing these precious elements of a once-in-a-lifetime day!

MOB, don’t let the invitation get overlooked. Take a moment right now to add it to the list of shots you’d like the photographer to take. You and your sweet couple will be glad you did!

*You might also like to read Turning the Ordinary into Keepsakes, Add Sparkle to the Bridal Garter, and Craft It: Bridal Keepsake 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 with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early November. Sign-up is FREE. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by shannylynneCreative Commons License

Wedding Day Portrait: Father of the Bride

-5074Mother of the Bride, if getting the Father of the Bride to pose for a picture seems as impossible to do as catching a unicorn, wedding day is the answer to your prayers. Don’t miss your chance. Who knows when such an opportunity will roll around again!

What better time to capture a great photo of the former main man in your little girl’s life? After all, he’s all dressed up with nowhere to go while he waits to walk your daughter down the aisle. The Father of the Bride above just happens to be my husband on the day of our younger daughter’s wedding. I’m so glad the photographer thought to take this photo. It’s one of the best ones we have of Don.

So MOB, just ask your photographer to pull the FOB aside at some point before the ceremony and do an impromptu portrait session. A good photographer can snap three or four great shots before the FOB decides he’s had enough. Quick and painless—and you’ll end up with a dynamite photo!

*You might also like to read Wedding Day Photo Idea: The Groom and Minister.

*Photo by Flowers Photography

Turn Wedding Day Rain Into a Positive

Mother of the Bride, since spring weddings will soon be upon us, the chance of rain on wedding day becomes a real possibility. If the unthinkable happens on your sweet girl’s big day, MOB, what can you do to somehow turn it into a good memory?

One way to turn wedding day rain into a positive is to capitalize on some fun photo opportunities. As with snow during winter weddings, ask your photographer to get creative and snap some great photos featuring the rain in some way. If rain is in the forecast, you might want to contact him or her earlier in the week and share any ideas you may have. But I’m sure an experienced photographer will already have several ideas up his photo-snapping sleeve.

One idea – why not buy umbrellas in one of the colors of the wedding (like in the photos above and below) and then feature the bridal couple cozied up under one while the attendants pair up under others. Keep the tags on the umbrellas until the day of the wedding just in case the rain doesn’t materialize. If it doesn’t rain, simply return the umbrellas and get your money back. If it does rain, you’ll be prepared. And a good MOB is always prepared, right?

Next time you talk to your daughter, MOB, go ahead and brainstorm other ideas for some great rainy wedding day photos. Maybe one of the bridal couple laughing as they seek shelter under an awning or in a doorway? Or the bridal bouquet covered in raindrops?

Whatever you come up with, share your ideas with your photographer—and turn the rain into some fun wedding day memories!6244880589_cea42a37ff_z*You might also like to read Wedding Day Tip: A List for the Photographer.

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

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early May. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photos by Corey AnnCreative Commons License

Fun Wedding Day Photo of the Groom and Groomsmen

Mother of the Bride, how about this fun photo idea for the groom and his groomsmen? Suggest this shot to your soon-to-be son-in-law and I guarantee it will be a hit. Every guy wants to be celebrated like this at some point in their lives. Why not on his wedding day?!

Just ask the photographer to have the groomsmen lift the groom to their shoulders like the victorious hero he is. After all, he did it! He proposed, he made it through the wedding preparations, and he actually said “I do.” He got married!

This will be the groom’s chance to shine, MOB. Let the boys have their fun and capture it with a photo!

*You might also like to read Wedding Photo Ideas Roundup That Star the Groom.

*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 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! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Ryan Smith Photography, Creative Commons License

Wedding Day Cake-Cutting Tip

Mother of the Bride, here’s an important cake-cutting tip for wedding day: After the bride and groom have cut the traditional first slice of cake, make sure that both the main cake and the groom’s cake are then cut and made available to the guests at the same time.

It’s a fact of wedding life that almost every wedding guest in the world looks forward to indulging in a piece of cake at the party. If someone wants a piece of the groom’s cake, don’t keep them waiting while the wedding cake is sliced for those who want a piece of the star-of-the-show cake. At most weddings, the guests have already been in waiting mode for the cake-cutting, so the last thing we want to do is keep them waiting longer than necessary.

Make arrangements ahead of time with your caterer for simultaneous cake-cutting. I didn’t realize I should have done this until we ran into a problem at one of our daughters’ weddings.

The on-site caterer for that wedding was busy cutting the main cake herself and had not assigned any of the servers to cut the groom’s cake. When I asked her to have someone start cutting the groom’s cake, she responded in a negative way. As a result, both cakes weren’t available to our guests until later. I’m sure some guests even had to leave before the groom’s cake was cut. On top of that, it was an unhappy wedding day experience for me as I was rebuffed by someone we were paying to serve us.

So learn from my bad experience, MOB, and arrange for simultaneous cake-cutting ahead of time. Your guests will be happy—and you will be happy as everyone joyfully savors the cake of their choice on your daughter’s big day. Now, “let them eat cake!”

*Note: If you and your friends and family are handling the catering by yourselves, be sure to assign helpers to cut both cakes at the same time.

*You might also like to read Three Tips for Working with Your Wedding DJWedding Day Tip: A List for the Photographer, and Day Before Wedding Tip: Preview Flowers.

*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 with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come out in early August. 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.) *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Lars PlougmannCreative Commons License