Engagement Photo Session Idea: Bike Fun!

In love and having fun together on a bike—what a great engagement photo idea! Mother of the Bride, if the soon-to-be-married couple in your life loves fun and adventure, suggest a shot like the one above for their engagement photo session. Or maybe the bride could turn around and they could take off on a ride!

With Prince Charming pedaling and your daughter on the handlebars, a variety of shots are sure to unfold. This one with the kiss is priceless. Can’t you just imagine some of the other shots that could transpire? What fun!

MOB, just tell your son-in-law to-be to be extra careful and keep them both safe. No injuries allowed before the wedding!

*You might also like to read Frame That Moment and 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, comes out in early May. One lucky subscriber (new or current) will receive a $15 gift card to Amazon 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 Christopher.F Photography, Creative Commons License

Cute Idea—Bride’s Shoes to Match Her Bouquet

Mother of the Bride, here’s a great idea for the bride’s attire that will not only look stunning and fun on the big day but will provide a super cute photo op as well.

If your daughter has decided she wants a colorful bridal bouquet, why not suggest that she match her bridal shoes to one of the colors in the bouquet? Just think of the color possibilities and the sweet sizzle colorful shoes will create when they peek out from time to time. Or when the bride boldly flashes them just for fun—and for the cute photos that will be captured!

And yes, it’s okay to make wedding decisions based on the dynamite photos that may result. After all, you’ll have the photos forever. Might as well make them shine, right?

So, MOB, see if your daughter would like to color it up on her wedding day. If so, matching the shoes to the bouquet is a spectacular way to do it. Can’t you just see it now? Fun stuff, huh?

*You might also like to read Wedding Shoes Trend: Color Is In!, Rustic Wedding Bridal Shoes: Boots—What Else?Bridal Shoes: The Cute Factor, and Wedding Shoes: Sneakers for the Party!

*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, will come out in early May. 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 Lanty on Unsplash

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

Deciding On a Wedding Guest Book: Ideas to Get You Started

Mother of the Bride, have your daughter and her beloved decided on what kind of guest book they’d like the wedding guests to sign yet? Years ago (when we got married!), there weren’t a lot of options where guest books were concerned, but today the guest book decision isn’t as straightforward as it once was.

Yes, MOB, the choices for wedding guest books have broadened considerably. Why not brainstorm some possible approaches with your bride-to-be?

Here are some ideas to get you started:

  1. The traditional guest-book-only sign-in. This is the small book (maybe 5×7) used exclusively on wedding day to sign guests in as they arrive for the ceremony or reception.
  2. The traditional wedding record/memory book. This book is larger (approx. 9×12) and includes pages for everything from the couple’s first date to where they honeymoon. Several sign-in pages for the wedding are included as well as pages for showers, gifts, etc. (My daughters both used this method. In fact, I gave them their special record books as Christmas gifts when they were planning their weddings.)
  3. A photo guest book designed by the couple through a site like Shutterfly. This type of guest book adds a real personal touch since it features the couple’s engagement photos.
  4. A large framed photo or piece of art with guests signing the mat that surrounds it. This option allows the couple to daily enjoy the memories of their big day and the people who joined them for it.
  5. A guest book quilt, hanging and ready for guests to sign. What a keepsake treasure this would be!
  6. A photo booth wedding guest book. It provides not only a super fun visual record of those attending the wedding, but also gives the guests a chance to include a personal message.
  7. A guest tree.  Each guest signs a leaf on the tree, and when the wedding is over, the bride and groom have a keepsake record ready to hang on the wall, a continual reminder of all who joined them for their special day.

Possibilities abound with a little creative thought. Some help from Pinterest can come in handy, too, right? If you’d like to see a few more options, check out my Weddings—This and That board on Pinterest. Have fun brainstorming with your girl, MOB!

*You might also like to read Photo Booth Idea for Wedding Guest Book and Guest Book Idea: A Guest Tree.

*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 Amazon 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.)

*Photo by Flowers Photography

Wedding Chalkboard Signs: Versatile and Affordable

Mother of the Bride, are you and your darling daughter up to your elbows in decorating ideas yet? If not, I’m sure you soon will be—and if so, I’ve got an idea for you today that can be easily added at any stage of planning.

Chalkboard signs are nothing new in the world of wedding décor, but they are still an adorable option for almost any wedding. Not only can they offer information to guests but they can also be used to help set the mood for the wedding or reception. 

Just think about how versatile chalkboard signs can be. They can feature loving messages like the photo above or provide direction for the guests as in the photo below. Or you might want to feature some of these ideas: a welcome sign in the entry area, special instruction for the guest book, an unplugged wedding sign, a timeline for the festivities, a cute sign for the ring bearer, the couple’s relationship timeline, directions to a photo booth, an Instagram hashtag to use for photos, or a thank-you sign at the gift table. And these are just a few ideas to get you started!

Other good reasons to use chalkboard signs is that most are very affordable—plus they can be repurposed after the wedding is over.True, some of the larger or more decorative ones can be more expensive, but many are very easy on the budget. Take a look at some of these places where you can purchase them to get an idea of prices:

Etsy

Save on Crafts 

Amazon 

Michael’s 

Hope these ideas help, MOB. Now go have fun sign-planning with your girl!

*You might also like to read Just Married Sign and Photo Idea and Flower Girl and Ring Bearer Serve as Sign-Bearer.

*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.)

Top photo by Sooz . on Unsplash; bottom photo by Scott Webb on Unsplash