Wedding ideas for the bride-to-be, mother of the bride, or mother of the groom

One of the best parts about being an author is connecting with others who have the same interests and passions. While promoting Prayers for the Mother of the Groom I have come to know two of the most interesting women with hearts for brides and their families. Better yet, their books are superb.

I actually bought Prayers for New Brides: Putting on God’s Armor After the Wedding Dress to give to my daughter-in-law, started leafing through it, and now can’t put it down. I’ll have to order another one for her. Although I have been married 30+ years, the prayers and reminders in this book are surprisingly on target even for “experienced” brides. The balance of anecdotes, powerful Scripture references, personalized prayers, and action points is perfect. I look forward to more from Jennifer O. White as she continues to arm wives for the battles they face.

Every mother of the bride needs an experienced friend to come alongside with savvy advice and encouragement for each step of the engagement process. That’s what author Cheryl Barker does in Mother of the Bride: Refreshment and Wisdom for the Mother of the Bride.

The bulk of the book explores various concerns of the bride’s mother, such as adjusting to a new normal, maintaining a healthy life balance, and nurturing her relationship with Christ. Each chapter includes an entertaining and sometimes very vulnerable narrative, classic quotations, original inspirational gems, ideas for self-care, conversation prompts, and a “bonus” planning tip. The end of each chapter features a page for journaling, with such tear-inducing and therapeutic questions as The memories closest to my heart of my little girl and her daddy are… and I want to be a mother-in-law who…

The final pages of the book are dedicated to detailed vendor worksheets and make a handy place to organize notes about venue, catering, photography, and other services. Both beautifully written and formatted, this embossed hard cover title with a pretty teal ribbon bookmark is sure to be a special keepsake for you or a mother of the bride you know.

Prayers for the Mother of the Groom is the book I created because I could not find anything like it when my sons were engaged. My hope is that these 60 simple prayers will draw you back to the essentials as your beloved son becomes a married man.

Topics include:

• Spirituality – thanksgiving, grief, presence of the Holy Spirit
• Relationships – your marriage, your son’s new family, dealing with difficult people
• Planning – wise decision-making, follow-through, emergency contingencies
• Individuals – intercession for the bride and groom, officiant, attendants
• Execution – prayers for good health, ample funds, your grace-defined demeanor

It was designed as a countdown to the last two months leading up to the wedding, but the mother of the groom may go through it multiple times depending on the length of the engagement. Each of the sixty selections included feature an introductory paragraph or two about some aspect of the wedding or the changing family dynamic, along with an in-depth prayer addressing the topic of the day. The prayers spring from the truths and insights gleaned from the Word of God and from experience as both a mother of the groom and a mother of the bride.

My favorite review so far is from my rather stoic, non-exclamation point sort of dad, who reads every word I write whether it pertains to his life or not: “I just got through reviewing your new book.  I am impressed! The writing is excellent. The content is thorough beyond reason. Your introduction to each chapter is compassionate and does a great job of including non-traditional weddings.”

So check out these resources for your wedding or that of a friend or family member, and stay focused on the eternal as your prepare for the celebration.