Wedding Centerpiece: A Watering Can!

Mother of the Bride, if you and your beautiful bride-to-be daughter are looking ahead to a spring or summer (or even fall) wedding and she hasn’t decided on centerpieces for the guest tables yet,  I have an idea that just might catch her decorating fancy.

A watering can centerpiece, like the one shown above, is super cute and could be appropriate for several wedding styles or themes. This unique centerpiece featuring a watering can, flowers, and kerchief (or bandana, depending on your terminology) would be the perfect addition to weddings featuring rustic/country, cowboy/western, or picnic and other casual outdoor themes. As shown above in reds and blues, it could even be a great choice for a Fourth of July wedding.

This adorable centerpiece could be done in a variety of colors, too. Kerchief/bandanas can be found in tons of colors so if you and your daughter can find them in one of her wedding colors, MOB, just start from there and work up. If you can’t find watering cans in one of your daughter’s colors, just go with a standard metallic finish and then tie your colors in with flowers in the wedding colors.

Why not show this creative and fun idea to your darling girl, MOB? Your centerpiece search might just be over!

*You might also like to read Centerpiece Idea: Mirror MagicCenterpiece Idea: Flower Ring and CandleWedding Cake Trend: Multiple Mini Cakes, and Wedding Centerpiece: Cupcake Bouquets!

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

*Flickr photo by katinalynnCreative Commons License

Providing Photo Booth Fun for Wedding Guests

Mother of the Bride, if your darling daughter and her soon-to-be husband are looking to step up the fun element for their wedding guests, how about providing a photo booth at the reception?

Not only would a photo booth provide a diversion while the guests are waiting on the bride and groom to arrive at the reception, but it would offer a fun entertainment addition to the dining and dancing going on later during the party as well. Plus, what a fun memento for your guests to take home as a reminder of the joy of the big event, right?

Having a photo booth on hand would also give your professional photographer another place to capture some great shots of everyone—the wedding party as well as the guests. With the casual and zany atmosphere a photo booth creates, candid shots are sure to abound.

So MOB, why not offer some photo booth fun on the big day? And in the midst of all your responsibilities at the party, don’t forget to jump in and experience some photo fun yourself!

*You might also like to read Wedding Reception Game for the Bride and Groom and Wedding Cake Pops Equal Fun!

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

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, came out this morning, but it’s not too late to receive it. Sign up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me. p.s. If you sign up after noon July 28th, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways but not in this current giveaway.

*Flickr photo by davidmmcneilCreative Commons License

Bride and Groom Wedding Reception Game

Mother of the Bride, if your happy couple is looking for some extra fun to incorporate into their wedding reception, here’s a suggestion—The Shoe Game! This wedding reception game for the bride and groom is so much fun and so simple to do for those who want to add to the traditional line-up of first dances, cake-cutting, and tossing of the bouquet and garter.

Just have the bride and groom sit back to back, kick off their shoes and give one of their shoes to the other while keeping one for themselves, and prepare to answer “Who is” type-questions posed by one of the wedding party or even the DJ. The newlyweds answer by raising the appropriate shoe. (The photo above features our nephew Cody and his bride Kaitlynn.)

Laughter and banter abound as the bride and groom unveil their answers to questions like who is the most fun at a party, who is the most attached to their phone, and who is most likely to toss their clothes on the floor. The possibilities for questions are endless, and everyone loves the fun of getting the insider scoop and seeing whether or not the newlyweds agree. The extra bonus is a great photo like the one above!

So MOB, find out if your newlyweds to be would be up for The Shoe Game and then put a bug in the maid of honor’s ear. It will be fun for all!

*You might also like to read Fun Pre-Ceremony Idea for the Bride and GroomBridal Shower Idea: A Cooking Class! and Three Tips for Working with Your Wedding DJ.

*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 today. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Photo by Stephtphotography.

Wedding Cake Pops—Pretty and Fun Too!

Mother of the Bride, if your daughter would like to add a dash of fun to her wedding reception, why not include wedding cake pops in the celebration? The very thought of cake pops puts smiles on faces and declarations of “Yum!” on lips. After all, everyone loves a cake pop, right?

Wedding cake pops can also serve several different purposes. You can wrap them in cellophane and tie a bow around them (personalized with the bride’s and groom’s names, of course) and offer them as favors. Or you can display them on trays or towers on a dessert table or they might even serve as the groom’s cake. And if the groom wants to add his own twist to it, instead of the bride and groom designs, he could select something in his area of interest—like golf ball cake pops or baseball cake pops, etc.

So, MOB, try pointing your girl toward some wedding cake pop fun. Believe me, everyone will be glad you did!

*You might also like to read Groom’s Cake Idea: Favorite Team Cake Pops, Fall Wedding Idea: Caramel Apple Favors!, and Edible Favors—Yes, Please!

*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 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 niner bakesCreative Commons License

Wedding Photography: Candid Shots of the Guests

Wedding photography is not complete, Mother of the Bride, without some great candid shots of the guests. All brides, grooms, and their families want to remember who joined their wedding day celebration. Asking the photographer to capture photos of the guests as they naturally interact with one another is the perfect way to do it.

The photo above is a super sweet shot of Rob and Kaden, our neice’s husband and son (now a recent high school graduate!), and the one below shows a loving moment between our nephew Aaron and his wife Monica. It’s one of my favorite candid shots from our daughter Kristin’s wedding. As Monica places her hand on the back of Aaron’s neck, he reaches out to touch her as well, wrapping his hand around the back of her leg. I love how the photographer spotted this moment of mutual love expressed and immortalized it for us.

So, MOB, in addition to all the standard photos the photographer will be taking, ask him or her to capture lots of candid shots of your guests as well. Hugs, laughter, surprise, and special moments of all kinds will abound that day. Try to make them a permanent part of your daughter’s wedding day story.

*You might also like to read Wedding Day: Sweet Family Moments in Store and Wedding Day Tip: A List For the Photographer .

*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.)

*Photos by Chris Humphrey Photographer