Bridal Portrait: A Stairway Shot

February 4, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, bridal portrait photos will definitely be among some of the most beautiful photos ever taken of your daughter. A little planning before the photo session will reap a great reward so start a list of possible shots you’d love to see the photographer capture of your sweet girl.

Be sure to add a stairway shot to your list. Of course, capturing this shot will depend on the location of the photo shoot, but if there is a stairway anywhere on the premises or nearby, ask the photographer to take a few shots there. If you or the bride definitely want stairs included, keep that in mind as you select your location. Many historic buildings and homes have beautiful staircases that will translate into gorgeous photos.

Stairway shots can be so elegant and classy, whether looking down on the bride (as in the photo above of my daughter Kelli) or taken from behind the bride with her gown and train beautifully displayed on the stairs. Your photographer and your daughter may have some other great ideas for stairway shots as well.

So go prepared with ideas, MOB, and make the most of this once-in-a-lifetime bridal portrait session. Be sure to take some tissues with you, though. There may be a few tears as you behold your beautiful daughter in all her wedding day finery!

*You might also like to read Wedding Photography: Bridal Portrait Roundup.

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

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out yesterday. 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 Will Flowers

Filed Under: advice, beauty, bride, creation/creative/creator, keepsake, memories, Mother of the Bride, photo fun, preparation, variety, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , ,

Wedding Planning: Two Cake-Knife and Server Sets

January 21, 2025 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, add this to your “to-do” list: Find two cake-knife and server sets. That’s right, you’ll need nice sets for both the main cake table and the groom’s cake table. It’s easy to forget about needing a set for the groom’s cake so put it on your list now and save yourself from a last minute cake-serving crisis. Heaven knows you want to avoid as many last minute glitches as possible, right?

I would suggest borrowing both sets or perhaps buying one beautiful set as a shower gift and then borrowing the other set. The one you buy as a gift could be used for the main cake table, and the other set for the groom’s cake.

Asking the groom’s mother if she has a set that could be used for the groom’s cake is an excellent way to help her feel included. If she doesn’t have a set herself, she might be able to borrow a set. If you’re trying to borrow both sets, you can ask other family members and friends or even check with your caterer to see if she has a set available for your use. You could also check with your church.

So MOB, line up your cake-cutting utensils now—and then prepare to enjoy the yumminess of both cakes on wedding day!

*You might also like to read Cake-Cutting Wedding Day Tip, Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow!, Make the Mother of the Groom Part of the Team, and Mothers of the Bride Pay It Forward.

*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.

*Photo by Chris Humphrey

Filed Under: advice, bride, cake, dessert, groom, keepsake, Mother of the Bride, mother of the groom, pair, preparation, table, Uncategorized, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

A Gem of a Wedding Photo: Hideaway Moment

October 1, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, are you on the lookout for wedding photo ideas you can share with the bride and groom? If not, it’s not too late. Today is a great day to get started because I’ve got a gem of an idea to share with you.

The hideaway shot above captures a stolen intimate moment between the newlyweds. Not only will it become a photo they will treasure their entire lives—and I love it in black and white—it will provide them with a precious private moment on the wedding day itself.

Ask the photographer to be on the lookout for a spot similar to the scene above—a place where the groom can pull the bride off to the side for a moment and whisper sweet nothings in her ear or steal a kiss while guests mingle unaware in the background. The stars of the show will be so happy to sneak in some private time like this that they will quickly forget the photographer’s presence and truly delight in the moment. (The photographer might want to clue the groom in after he finds the perfect spot!)

So MOB, give your love birds an early gift and suggest the Hideaway Moment shot for them to request from their photographer before wedding day. They will love the idea—and they’ll love you for suggesting it. Another win-win for the Mother of the Bride!

*You might also like to read Wedding Day Tip: A List for the Photographer, Wedding Photo Idea: Black and White Bubble Shot, Wedding Photo Idea: Groom Admires His Bride, and Wedding Photo Idea: The Corner Shot.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter, comes out in early November. Sign up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Tela Chhe, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, bride, groom, joy, keepsake, love, memories, Mother of the Bride, opportunity, photo fun, preparation, treasure, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , , ,

The Eskimo Kiss Engagement Photo

August 20, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, are you collecting engagement photo ideas for the soon-to-be Mr. and Mrs. in your life? If not, start your list today. There are some awesome ideas out there. I have a few here on my site (will list a few below) and I also have an Engagement Photos Pinterest board you might want to check out.

Today I have a super cute idea for you—an Eskimo kiss shot! Such a nose-to-nose shot could either look very romantic with the eyes closed (as pictured above) or playful and fun with eyes open and the couple laughing or scrunching noses. The photographer could take both kinds of shots. They’ll probably both be keepers, right?

So save this idea, MOB. Your daughter and her intended will have a ball playing Eskimos—and you’ll all end up with another great engagement photo!

*You might also like to read Engagement Photo Idea: Show Off the Ring, Engagement Photos: Consider a Night Shoot, Engagement Photo Idea: Playground Fun, Engagement Photo Idea: Frame That Moment!, and Engagement Photo Idea: Bike Fun!

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

*Flickr photo by Tela Chhe, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, celebrate, fun, groom, joy, keepsake, laughter, love, memories, Mother of the Bride, photo fun, preparation, treasure, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Wedding Day Photo: Black and White Bubble Shot

April 16, 2024 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, I’ve got a great wedding day photo idea for you today. I hope you and the happy couple are keeping a list of must-have shots to share with your photographer. If so, you might want to add this to your list pronto.

If your daughter and her groom have decided to use bubbles during their send-off from the church or reception site, why not ask the photographer to use a black and white photo finish.

As you can see in the photo above, this shot done in black and white really causes the bubbles to stand out. I love how it almost makes them look like snow falling. I also love how the couple is kissing in the shot above. The perfect touch, right? If you ask your sweet couple to do the same, I’m sure they’ll be happy to oblige!

Show this photo to your daughter and her beloved, MOB, and see what they think. If they haven’t decided on what to use during the send-off, they may decide to go with bubbles just to get a shot like this!

*You might also like to read Engagement Photo Idea: Show Off the Ring, Bridal Portraits: Include Some Artsy Shots, and Engagement Photo Idea: Playground 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 with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, will come 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. *Sign-up is FREE! *Temporary problem with Life Notes sign-up. To sign up, just contact me.

*Flickr photo by Corey Ann, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: bride, celebrate, fun, groom, joy, keepsake, memories, Mother of the Bride, photo fun, preparation, tradition, wedding Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , , ,
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