Wedding Slide Show: Gather Photos Early

Mother of the Bride, I have some short and sweet advice for you today—gather photos for the wedding slide show early in your wedding planning journey. This is something you don’t want to put off until crunch time.

Yes, you’ll want to include some of the happy couple’s engagement photos which won’t be ready until later on, but you can start going through old photo albums and/or files on your computer as soon as you know a wedding is on the horizon. Select your favorite photos from your sweet girl’s growing up years right on up through the days she started dating her knight in shining armor. And make sure the groom knows that he and his family should be selecting their photos too.

Give yourself a break, MOB, and do your part for the slide show before things start piling up on you. You’ll be so glad you did when you’re coming down the home stretch!

*You might also like to read Wedding Day Checklist: Containers for Leftover Cake, Wedding Day Need: Corsage and Boutonniere Pinner, and Day Before Wedding Tip: Preview Flowers.

*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 May. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $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. *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Photo by Analia Ferrario on Unsplash

Sugar Roses Still Gorgeous on Wedding Cakes

Mother of the Bride, if your bride-to-be wants roses as décor on her wedding cake, be sure she considers sugar roses as well as fresh ones.

Fresh roses adorn many wedding cakes today, but rest assured that handmade sugar roses can look just as gorgeous. Take a look at the examples above and below. Such exquisite detail!

The key lies in finding a cake baker/designer who excels in an impeccable finished product. Be sure to ask to see photos of her other cakes before making a decision about fresh vs. handmade sugar roses. It’s also a good idea to ask other MOBs and brides who have used her services how pleased they were with their own wedding cakes.

If your daughter doesn’t have a strong preference for one type of rose over the other, ask your baker/designer if sugar roses will be more or less expensive to do than fresh ones. You might as well take advantage of a possible opportunity to save a little money if the prices for each will be different, right?

Fresh or sugar—both can be beautiful. But above all, MOB, enjoy indulging in that fabulous cake on wedding day!

*You might also like to read Wedding Cake Idea: Beautiful Brooch Accents! and Wedding Cake Idea: The Drape Effect.

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*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 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 Whipped BakeshopCreative 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

Night Shoot Engagement Photos

Mother of the Bride, when your darling daughter and the love of her life start talking about engagement photos, they might want to consider a night shoot.

Lights always make for beautiful photos—whether city lights, candlelight, twinkling lights, stars, or sunset. Lights add a special touch of romance. And what better time for a touch of romance than for engagement photos?

If your happy couple would like to have some daytime shots as well, check with your photographer and see if he or she would be willing to split the photo session into two 30-minute sessions, one night shoot and one day shoot. You never know unless you ask, right? He may charge a small extra fee to split the session, but it probably wouldn’t be too much more.

So MOB, why not suggest an engagement shoot at night? If you do, I see fantastic photos—and a very pleased couple—in your future!

*You might also like to read Engagement Photo Idea: Frame That Moment!Engagement Photo Idea: Playground Fun, and Engagement Photo Idea: Bike Fun!

*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 photos by Christopher.F PhotographyCreative Commons License