Wedding Registry to Consider: Williams Sonoma

Mother of the Bride, has your daughter considered setting up a wedding registry at Williams SonomaSince it’s not one of the standard registries that most brides think of, setting up a registry at this amazing cooking (and more!) store might not have occurred to your darling bride-to-be.

Williams Sonoma offers top-of-the-line quality products that any newly married couple would be lucky to own. Since many of the items fall outside the price range most newlyweds’ own purchases, what better way for your sweet girl and her beloved to begin to acquire these wonderful kitchen and home products than by receiving them as wedding gifts?

Like with most other registries, your daughter can create a Williams Sonoma registry online, but if she’d prefer, they also offer free in-store or virtual registry consultations. Even if she doesn’t feel like she needs a consultation, she might like to visit a store to see their products first hand. It always helps to see and handle items in order to choose what we like best, doesn’t it?

MOB, suggest the Williams Sonoma registry to your daughter and offer to visit a store with her. And then do your best not to want to buy everything in sight for yourself!

*You might also like to read Bridal Shower Idea: A Cooking Class!

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

*My photo

Wedding Cake Topper Idea: Willow Tree Figurine

Mother of the Bride, have wedding cakes taken center stage in your wedding planning conversations with your daughter yet? When they do, not only will you be talking design, flavors, colors, frosting types, and cake stands, you’ll also be batting around ideas for cake toppers. 

One simple and elegant cake topper option is to use a Willow Tree couple figurine. A Willow Tree couple topper will add beauty, romance, and the promise of commitment not only to the cake but to the festivities in general. It will also become a lasting memento and precious possession for the newlyweds.

Willow Tree actually offers three figurines that are designed specifically as cake toppers. If your bride and groom are interested, they will be able to choose from the Promise Cake Topper, the Together Cake Topper, and the Around You Cake Topper. Each one holds such meaning and beauty.

MOB, why not share this post with your daughter and her beloved and see if it captures their hearts. You could even buy the cake topper of their choice and give it to them as one of their shower or wedding gifts. A win-win for everyone!

*You might also like to read Wedding-Themed Shower Gifts, Wedding Cake Topper Idea: The Tiffany Blue Box, and Wedding Cake Topper Idea: Entwined Hearts.

*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 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.)

*Flicker photo by henry alva, Creative Commons License

Bride and Groom Who Have It All: Suggest Gift to Charity

Mother of the Bride, when it comes time for your daughter and her intended to think about wedding gift options, remember that different couples will have different needs and desires. Some couples will want to register for gifts at a variety of outlets while others will select only one. Some couples are setting up housekeeping for the first time while others have already acquired many belongings.

If your sweet couple falls into the category of those who already have it all, maybe they would like to suggest that their guests give to a charity in honor of their marriage. In lieu of stating where they are registered on the wedding invitation or enclosed card, they could have a message similar to this one:

Brian and Robin have already acquired much of what they need for housekeeping. It would bring them great joy if you would give a gift in their honor to the charity of your choice and then share news of it with them in a card.

Is this something that might appeal to your daughter and soon-to-be son, MOB? If so, share the idea with them and see what happens. What a difference it could make for many!

*You might also like to read Wedding Registry Roundup and Mother of the Bride—Info Source for Gift-Givers.

*The next issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter with a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, comes out tomorrow. It’s not too late to receive it (though you won’t be eligible for the giveaway until the next issue.) 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 in pastel, Creative Commons License

A Prayer for the Newlyweds

4813708804_b236e8f1a1_zMother of the Bride, here is a prayer you can tuck away for the days and months following the Big Day—a prayer for your sweet newlywed couple. Prayer is one priceless yet simple way you can continue to gift your darling daughter and her new husband after they are married. Hope this prayer gives voice to the beat of your heart!

A Gift of Prayer for the Newlyweds

Thank you, Lord, for joining the lives
of this couple so dear to me,
this man, this woman, so deeply in love
pledging themselves to total union.
Lord, give them wisdom to model their love
after your very own,
may love and forgiveness flow without limit,
may kindness be their guide.
Bless them, Lord, beyond their dreams
grant them memories that make them smile,
give them vision to make a difference
to serve loved ones and strangers alike.
Gift them, Father, with many years
living life side by side,
growing even more deeply in love—
this man, this woman, united.

Give the gift of prayer, MOB. It’s a gift that will make a difference.

*You might also like to read Mothers of the Bride Need Prayer.

*I thought Valentine’s Day was the perfect day to share this encore post from 2015. Hope you enjoyed!

Copyright © Cheryl Barker

*If you read this piece publicly or print it out, please give attribution by saying it’s by Cheryl Barker, author of Mother of the Bride. Thanks!

*The new issue of Life Notes, my quarterly inspirational newsletter which includes a giveaway in every regularly scheduled issue, came out the first of the month. It’s not too late to receive it. Sign-up is free and to the right!

*Flickr photo by Villa Amor in Sayulita, Creative Commons License

Wedding Registry Roundup

jwf_5416Mother of the Bride, is it time for your daughter to decide where she and her groom-to-be should register for wedding gifts? This can take a little more time and thought that they might originally think so why not encourage them to do this sooner rather than later? If they put it off and end up pressed for time, something that should be fun could turn into a giant headache and even cause some unhappiness between them.

I’ve featured several wedding registries here on my blog over the past couple of years so today here’s a roundup post to help you find them all more easily. The registries I’ve featured are ones that are a little less common so I’ll list links to the more standard registries websites and then will list links to the posts I’ve written for the others.

Have fun sharing the links with your daughter, MOB. She might discover a registry she hadn’t thought of yet!

Bed, Bath, and Beyond 

Target

Walmart 

Dillard’s 

Macy’s 

A Fair Trade Wedding Registry: Ten Thousand Villages 

A Wedding Registry to Consider: Williams Sonoma! 

A Wedding Registry to Consider: Pottery Barn!

A Wedding Registry to Consider: Best Buy! 

A Wedding Registry to Consider: Crate and Barrel 

A Wedding Registry to Consider: Sur La Table! 

*You might also like to read Mother of the Bride—Info Source for Gift-Givers.

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

*Photo by Flowers Photography