Wedding Planning Help During My Blogging Break

November 19, 2019 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, I usually take blogging breaks around Thanksgiving and Christmas, but this year I’ve decided to take a longer break that encompasses the entire holiday season.

Not only will this help take the pressure off during an already busy time of year, but it will also allow me to give myself grace in the continued time I need to recover from some health problems I’ve had the past couple of months. Don’t worry, nothing too serious, but I’ve had to cut way back on the amount of time and mental energy I can give to writing projects.

I’m sure you’ll understand—after all, you’re in the midst of a life season (wedding planning!) that has probably required you to take breaks from some of your responsibilities, right? So thank you so much for understanding.

In the meantime, though, I hope you find the wedding planning helps below helpful as you snatch moments during the holiday season to take care of some of your more pressing wedding tasks. Until I see you again here in the new year, I pray God blesses your entire Thanksgiving and Christmas season with blessings beyond measure!

Four Resources Especially For You

  1. Look through the list of Favorite Posts on the sidebar and click the links to the ones that spark your interest. (If you’re on a mobile device, scroll to the bottom of the screen and click View Full Site to find the sidebar items.)
  2. Use the drop-down feature in the Archives to spot some posts that might be especially helpful to you at this stage in your Mother of the Bride journey. You’ll find the Archives on the sidebar too so use the directions above to find it if you’re on a mobile device.
  3. Check out my Pinterest page. Among other things, it features eighteen wedding-related boards!
  4. Read my book Mother of the Bride: Refreshment and Wisdom for the Mother of the Bride. Allow me to be your friend for the journey!

Most-Clicked-On Mother of the Bride Blog Posts:

Introducing the Mother of the Bride Blog! 

Where to Find Your Mother of the Bride Dress

A Prayer for the Bridesmaids’ Luncheon 

Wisdom and Encouragement for the Mother of the Bride 

Savings Tip for Bridal and Bridemaids Bouquets

Wedding Thoughts from Anne Lamott’s Plan B

Mothers of the Bride Need Prayer 

Groom’s Cake Idea: Law Books (or any other books!) 

Wedding Resource: Prayers for the Mother of the Bride

Gift Idea: Prayers for the Mother of the Groom

A Prayer for the Newlyweds

*You might also like to read Bridal Bouquet Roundup, Wedding Cake Roundup, Wedding Registry Roundup, and Wedding Photo Ideas Roundup That Star the Groom.

*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 Nov. 1st. 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.)

*Photo by Will Flowers

Filed Under: advice, blogs, bride, heal, help, holidays, Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Bride book, preparation, rest, simplify, variety Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , , ,

Time-Saving Wedding Planning Tip: Insider Info from Vendors

February 19, 2019 by 1 Comment

Mother of the Bride, selecting vendors for the various aspects of a wedding is a huge job. Whether the bride and groom make the decisions or it’s a joint effort including you, hours and hours of work can go into narrowing down the best choices.

Try this time-saving tip, MOB: Once you get one or two vendors secured, ask them for their recommendations in other areas. For example, if you’ve found the perfect florist, ask which caterer he would recommend or vice versa. The vendors in any given region work the same weddings at some point and become very familiar with each other’s work. They know who excels—and more importantly, who doesn’t. Ask them to give you their best recommendations.

Asking vendors for insider info can come in especially handy if you’re planning an out-of-town wedding. When you’re unfamiliar with the vendors you need to book and you feel like you’re starting from scratch, asking reliable vendors for their advice can save you tons of time. Both of our daughters had out-of-town weddings, and I wish I had learned this tip early-on.

One word of caution, though, MOB. Make sure the vendor you ask is not getting any kind of kick-back from the recommendations he makes. How do you do this? Come right out and ask. But instead of using the term kick-back, ask “Do you receive any commission from services you recommend?” You employ tact, MOB, but you also get the info you need!

*You might also like to read “Time Management: Give Yourself a Break, MOB”.

*I hope this slightly revised encore post from April 2014 helped you today!

*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 Feb. 1st. 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.)

*Flickr photo by abnormalbeauty, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, bride, challenge, help, Mother of the Bride, preparation, search, simplify, time Tagged With: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Time To Hole Up

January 22, 2019 by 3 Comments

Holed Up in Winter

Arctic weather isn’t the only reason I hole up when I can in January. After December’s demands and any traveling I do, I often need some catch-up time and a bit of a slower pace. I need to be at home.

Don’t get me wrong. I don’t lounge on the sofa eating bon-bons—though that sounds pretty good. No, I faithfully work on writing projects and take care of the stuff of life that has needed my attention. And I’ve got to admit it’s a welcome change after a season of increased demand.

Do any of you hole up when you get the chance too? I’ve found that whether we’re forced to stay put due to weather or we choose to sequester ourselves for some regrouping or restoration, we usually feel ready to break out after a time and experience life in the greater world again. We get rested, recharged, and . . .  a little stir crazy!

It’s not so different in our spiritual lives. There are times when we need to slow down and catch up a bit. Times when we need to hole up and be “at home” with the Lord. If we’ll take that time, I bet we’ll find ourselves feeling rested, recharged, and . . . yes, ready to break out. Ready to do the work God calls us to do with fresh energy.

So where are you right now? Feeling a little stir crazy or are you needing some time to hole up? Wherever you are, whatever you do, do it with the Lord. He faithfully offers a welcome change!

“he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.’” Mark 6:31 NIV

*Hope this slightly revised encore post from January 2010 blessed you today!

*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 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.)

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

*Flickr photo by Muffet, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: balance, change, home, life, refresh, rest, simplify, snow, time, winter, work, writing Tagged With: , , , , , , ,

Wedding Budget Tip: Prioritize and Trim

October 30, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, it’s easy to get overwhelmed when thinking of all the expenses coming at you while planning a wedding. The whole process can start to feel like a runaway train you can’t seem to slow down. Soon you can find yourself engulfed in emotions like panic and dread instead of excitement and joy.

Here’s a wedding budget tip that can help: Prioritize and then trim. Talk with the bride and groom and have them decide which elements of the wedding are most important to them and  which elements are the least important. And then plan your spending from there.

Devote the bulk of your budget to the things the couple cares the most about and plan for minimal amounts to be spent on the others, possibly even forgoing some things altogether. If your daughter and her beloved want an amazing venue, a live band, and top notch photography, maybe they would be willing to have an hors d’oeuvres buffet rather than a sit-down dinner and scale back on flowers and favors. They might even decide they don’t need ceremony programs at all. You get the idea.

MOB, take the pressure off a bit—prioritize and trim. The results will be unique to your own situation and will help put the brakes on that runaway train, giving wings to joy instead. Why not give it a try?

*You might also like to read Budget Agreement with the Father of the Bride, A Simple Wedding Expense Tip, Wedding Savings Tip: Borrow, Bridal Primping on a Budget, and Christmas Gifts for the Bride.

*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 this week. 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.) p.s. It is too late to get in on this issue’s giveaway, but if you subscribe, you will be included in all future Life Notes giveaways.

*Flickr photo by cafecredit, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, balance, bride, money, Mother of the Bride, organize, preparation, protection, simplify, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,

Mother of the Bride: 9 Easy Ways to Pamper Yourself

August 7, 2018 by Leave a Comment

Mother of the Bride, you deserve to pamper yourself every now and then on this marathon journey otherwise known as wedding planning.

Not only you deserve to do it, you need to do it. Just think—in addition to all the responsibilities of life you manage on a day to day basis, you’re now juggling wedding responsibilities as well. If you don’t take care of yourself during the journey, you may crumble before the big day gets here.

So to help keep you refreshed, recharged, and ready to help your daughter in every way possible, I give you 9 Easy Ways to Pamper Yourself. May they work their magic on you, dear MOB!

9 Easy Ways to Pamper Yourself

  1. Treat yourself to a couple of hours of relaxation in your favorite bookstore. Enjoy browsing the aisles or take a seat and do some reading while sipping on a delicious drink. Soak up the peace and solitude and then head out the door with a refreshed spirit—and maybe a new book or magazine!
  2. Spend a few minutes outside listening to the birds sing. Block out thoughts of to-do lists and various worries and focus completely on the calls and melodies of the feathered friends around you. Refresh with one of the most soothing and uplifting activities to be found. And it’s free!
  3. Treat yourself to an outing with a friend. Go to the movies or try the new ice cream place or restaurant you’ve been wanting to try. Enjoy your friend. Laugh. Forget the demands of life for a few hours and focus on having fun.
  4. Relax with the new craze of coloring. If you enjoyed coloring as a kid, I bet you’ll love it now too. And if you didn’t really care for it in your younger years, you could still give it a try. Let creativity fill your senses and watch stress get crowded out.
  5. Take time for a stroll down memory lane. Spend an afternoon or evening looking through family photos or reading back through baby books and journals. Bask in the warm feelings nostalgia brings. Let joy and contentment bring you fresh energy and perspective.
  6. Indulge in floral therapy by keeping fresh flowers in your home. If you’re not the green thumb type (I’m not) and don’t have flowers blooming plentifully in your yard, treat yourself to inexpensive flowers from a greenhouse, grocery, or discount store that sells fresh flowers. Farmer’s markets might be another option. Let the amazing and delicate wonder of flowers refresh your spirit.
  7. Take a drive or bike ride in the country and get away from it all. Enjoy the scenery and scents of country life. Stop along the way to walk and take photos. Capture the beauty of the open countryside—wildflowers, birds, the sky, farms, cattle, pastures, crops, ponds, and streams. Whatever catches your eye. Thank God for his marvels in creation and for refreshing your spirit.
  8. Be intentional about taking rest. Schedule it on the calendar if necessary. It may mean leaving Saturday mornings open so you can sleep in. Or you may need to say no to Sunday afternoon commitments so you can luxuriate in the all-important Sunday afternoon nap. For others, it may be blocking off time to relax with a good book or a round of golf. Whatever form it takes, provide yourself with respites of rest.
  9. Treat yourself to a copy of my book Mother of the Bride. Yes, this is a shameless plug, but darn it all, I think you’ll love it. I believe it will truly pamper, encourage, and refresh you—with everything from the beauty of the cover and interior design to the wisdom, help, and understanding voice shared throughout. Through my book, I want to be your friend for the journey. Let me pamper you!

Of course, MOB, other possibilities abound for personal pampering, but these are some ideas you may not have thought of yet. I hope you’ll try most—if not all—of them and let them provide you with the occasional respite you desperately desire. Remember, you need and deserve it!

 *You might also like to read Relax and Refresh with This Wedding Story, An MOB Prescription: Movie Fun!, and Mother of the Bride Relaxation Time—with Coloring!

*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 last week. 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.)

*Flickr photo by  “Strolic Furlan” – Davide Gabino, Creative Commons License

Filed Under: advice, balance, fun, help, life, Mother of the Bride, Mother of the Bride book, peace, protection, refresh, rest, simplify, stress, wisdom Tagged With: , , , , , , , ,
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