One thing I’ve realized throughout this process as being a MOH is that there are certain expectations that are assumed to be known but may not be. If you’re a bride, here are some things that other brides do regularly!
1) Wear a pretty little white dress at your rehearsal dinner! You ARE the bride, and you deserve to stand out amongst your bridal party and family.
2) Save your bows from your bridal shower! They say that you must keep the bows intact, or every bow you break is the number of children you’ll have 😉 Take those bows and create a bouquet with them to use at the rehearsal!
3) When you have a rehearsal dinner, surprise your groom with a groom’s cake. Groom’s cakes are typically shaped like something the groom loves. The example below is from the Hooks wedding, and Dustin is a firefighter. Amber surprised him with a rolled up hose and hat shaped cake!
4) When you have a reception, it’s proper to invite your bridal party as well as your family.
5) There are speeches at the reception. Generally the father of the bride, the couple, and sometimes the father of the groom.
6) On the wedding day, the bride and the groom generally gift something personal and cute to their respective bridal parties. Ideas for grooms: personalized flasks, personalized jerseys, personalized pocket knives, etc. Basically personalized anything. For brides, I’ve seen jewelry worn that day, personalized tumblers with a mimosa bar, personalized robes to wear together as they get dolled up, etc.
7) That whole something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue? It’s still a thing! Girls are getting a bit creative with this as well. I’ve seen brides sew their initials into the inside of their dress in blue thread, they will wear blue heels, they’ll attach their something old (such as a broach from their grandmother) to their bouquet, or even borrow their mother’s wedding ring for the ceremony. I do suggest telling your photographer the day of so they know to photograph those things!
Some things that many are starting to do are father/daughter first looks after she is dolled up, the bride and groom sending a letter/gift to the other, first looks with each other, first touch, etc.
8) Thank you cards! This should be a given. You should give a thank you card to anyone that sent you a gift at the bridal shower and/or wedding.
Well, there ya have it! Got any more suggestions? Leave them in the comments! I’d love to hear 🙂
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