Wedding Etiquette: 10 Things You Should Do as Parents of the Couple

Wedding Etiquette: 10 Things You Should Do as Parents of the Couple

Spring brings with it the year’s prime wedding season, as brides not just in June but across the next six months take advantage of warm weather and abundant sunshine to plan ceremonies they and their betrotheds will remember and celebrate for the rest of their lives. Suffice it to say, hundreds of details and decision go into making that wedding day vision a reality.

The happy couple’s parents have a role to play in that process but what shape that takes depends greatly on factors ranging from economic necessity to the type of ceremony the couple prefers. As a parent, you want to do all you can to help; that said, you must be very careful not to overstep your bounds. With love in the air and weddings in preparation this spring, here are a few dos and don’ts for the parents of the bride and groom.

Talk It Over: As a parent, you are a generation older than the couple and as such might have outdated notions of what a 21st century wedding should look like. It is imperative to sit down early in the process and frankly discuss the matter with the engaged couple. Remember that weddings are a show of independence and are in no way a reflection of your parenting skills. Be careful not to meddle.

No Unsolicited Advice: Weddings are nostalgic occasions for parents, an opportunity to reflect fondly on their own nuptials of years past. But as parents, it’s important to keep in mind this is ultimately the couple’s day, not yours. Make it clear that you want to be a resource for the couple but keep your advice to yourself until they ask for your input.

Meet the In-Laws: Marriages extend your family ties so reach out to your child’s partner’s parents after their engagement to relish in the excitement. Traditionally, the groom’s mother reaches out to the bride’s mother but nowadays the order doesn’t matter. The important thing is to get in touch in the spirit of friendship and family.

Elbow Grease: The DIY wedding trend is on the rise because it allows for maximum creativity at minimum cost. The downside, however, is that it requires family members to pitch in more than usual. Be proactive by volunteering to tackle the most difficult tasks at hand. Also enlist the help of able-bodied family members and friends; you’ll be surprised how willingly they are to help out.

Circulate: Wedding receptions simply do not enable the couple to spend as much time with their guests as they’d like. The solution is for the parents to work the room and make guests feel welcome through conversation. Sincere wedding-reception small talk is better than no talk at all.Practice Makes Perfect: Not everyone is a gifted spontaneous speaker so if you want to make an impactful reception speech, write it down and rehearse it. Not only does this show love and support for the couple but it will empower you to speak clearly and effectively from the heart.

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At Harmony Communities, we feel strongly that each resident has a sense of home. That they come home from work and feel pride in their environment and in their place in the greater community. That families are comfortable raising children in our neighborhoods, and that couples and singles know that they belong to something bigger than their four walls. In other words, we seek to create harmony within each community, making our communities not just passable, but peaceful, safe, functional, and beautiful.