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The Bride & Groom's Parents

The Bride & Groom's Parents


Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio
Alison Hargreaves Updated:
8th of March 2023

Is your son or daughter engaged? Congratulations! You're probably really excited about the wedding and want to help as much as you can. This article looks at the roles of the parents at their children's weddings.

parents of wedding couple

Mother of the Bride

Traditionally the role of the Mother Of The Bride is to be the hostess of the wedding. Of course, this tradition came about because the parents of the bride would contribute a significant amount of money to the wedding budget. Where this is less common now, many mother's of the bride will assist in the key wedding planning elements. This could include, supporting the couple with wedmin tasks such as the guest list, invitations, chasing RSVPs and finding key suppliers. Organising the flowers and gift list are also traditionally down to the bride's Mother.

You will find that the mother of the bride's role will change according to the nature of the wedding and the involvement of the bride, groom and other family and friends.

On the big day, you will be needed by your daughter to be a soothing influence, calming any jitters and ensuring that she is ready on time. The mother of the bride will generally travel to the ceremony with the bridesmaids, while the bride's Father travels with the bride.

mother and daughter at wedding

Father of the Bride

Traditionally, the Father of the Bride would pay for the wedding (gulp!) but obviously times have changed and this is generally less of an importance. Your role is to smile, enjoy the day, and don't forget to pack your hankies! Mind you, with so much to do, your daughter, wife and even future son or daughter in-law, would appreciate your input and assistance!

You will generally be the last person to spend time alone with the bride on the way to the ceremony, so use this time to pacify any last minute tension and remind your daughter of how beautiful she looks and how proud you are of her.

Also on the day, you'll likely be the person to give your daughter away to her partner, walking her down the aisle on her left hand side, and passing her hands into that of her beloved. You will probably need to make the first speech at the Reception too, so ensure that you have fully prepared, and have not had too many glasses of champagne. From there your duties are fulfilled, so enjoy the rest of the day!

father walking daughter down aisle

Groom's Parents  

Traditionally, the Groom's parents don't get involved with the planning, other than advising their son on his decisions, as and when appropriate.  Pending on the closeness of the relationship you have with the family of your future son or daughter-in-law, do ask them if they would like some help of any sort with the planning of the wedding. If they do, then enjoy taking part in the planning, but if they are happy organising it themselves, don't take it personally, sit back, relax and then revel in the joys of a stress free big day!

We recommend that you discuss your outfits with your son's partner's family as it would be best to avoid the Mother of the Groom's outfit clashing with that of the Mother of the Bride! Why not take the opportunity to bond prior to the big day and shop for outfits together? With the amount on offer online, you need not leave the comfort of your own home. 

In modern times, the roles of the parents are not concrete. We hope you enjoy helping to plan your son or daughter's wedding. It is such an exciting time for you all!

parents of groom with bride and groom

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Alison Hargreaves Guides for Brides Bio

About the author


Alison Hargreaves

Alison has been advising brides, grooms and bridesmaids for more than 25 years. She has an unrivalled knowledge of the British wedding industry and frequently appears on podcasts and expert panels. She regularly attends international wedding conferences to keep the UK at the forefront of wedding planning trends.

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