From the bridal shower to the rehearsal dinner, Moms play an integral role in the planning of their child’s wedding. Both the Mother-of-the-Bride and the Mother-of-the-Groom have traditional duties to perform, and it is important to make sure everyone knows their expected responsibilities so that the day goes off with as little stress as possible.

Traditionally the bride’s family pays for the wedding, but many are moving away from that custom. Still, if the parents of the bride are paying for the day, the mother-of-the-bride may have more say as to the details of the day. Regardless, she is most often the go-to contact for vendors, from photographers to caterers to florists. Let Mom field the phone calls, make the smaller decisions and answer the easy questions – not to mention consolidate the larger issues – so that the couple is not inundated with calls.

Sentimental Tip – Give Mom a beautiful journal with creative ideas and inspirational quotes or personal notes; not only will she be organized, but she will have a keepsake.

The mother of the bride also traditionally collects and curates any family traditions or rituals that may be important to incorporate. She is expected to take advice from the bride as to color and style of dress, and once chosen, she should coordinate with the groom’s mother, so the style of the day is cohesive. Speaking of the mother of the groom, she has a few traditional roles as well. Once the engagement is announced, it is customary for the groom’s parent to call the bride’s parents to arrange a dinner to get to know each other, as well as to discuss the wedding. On the eve of the wedding, it is also generally left to the Mother of the Groom to hostess a party, although the details are completely up to them. Given that the wedding day is filled with formal traditions and toasts, this wedding eve dinner is a great opportunity for fun, lighthearted tributes and for many of the couple’s friends and family to have a say.

Once you have met with Gordon Boswell’s and chosen your florals, Mom can be the main point of contact, to help choose the bouquets, boutonnieres, and corsages; as well as to help design the centerpieces, aisle arrangements, and flowers on the cake. We look forward to meeting you – and your Mother – to help plan your very own special wedding day.

From choosing your dress to cutting the cake, weddings are are full of tradition. Whether the custom originated in superstition, romance or in some cases, survival – many modern day couples still find it hard to “break tradition”. Interestingly, the reasons behind some of our most cherished engagement and wedding customs are sometimes stranger than fiction.

In contemporary culture, the trend is to conceive of more and more creative proposals; however the job of asking a bride-to-be for her hand in marriage wasn’t always placed on the groom. Instead, he would dispatch a member of his family to ask his intended bride and her family if they would agree to a marriage. Along the way, significant things could occur – if they crossed paths with a monk, a blind man or a pregnant woman, the marriage was thought to be cursed and destined to fail – and they would turn around and go home. However, if on the road they encountered a goat, pigeon or wolf, the marriage was considered to be blessed.

The choice of your wedding date was significant as well. It was considered to be bad luck to be married on your birthday, or on a Friday or Saturday. Oddly enough, Wednesday was considered the most favorable day to tie the knot. Speaking of tying the knot, that phrase comes from an ancient Babylonian ceremony. A thread was taken from the groom’s garment, and another from the bride’s – the two threads were tied together to symbolize the union. The phrase has successfully lasted through centuries.

Of course, flowers have always been an integral part of most important ceremonies, whether for their meaning or simply for décor. At Gordon Boswell Flowers, we have helped countless Fort Worth couples design the florals for the wedding of their dreams – bridal bouquets, altar flowers, venue décor and floral centerpieces, we create them all with diligence, creativity and skill. Call us today, and start your own wedding traditions.