Commonly the Mother of the Groom is unsure what role she plays in the wedding of her son. Traditionally, there are several responsibilities you, as the Mother of the Groom, can fulfill and become an important part of the preliminary wedding preparations.

* Your first responsibility is to contact the bride’s family and introduce yourself to them, if you don’t already know them. This doesn’t have to be formal. Just a happy phone call will suffice. A dinner invitation at your home or one at a nice restaurant will be a welcome gesture of friendship.

* If the bride’s parents live far away, making a dinner invitation impractical, some photos of the groom during parts of his life would be a nice gift to receive. Perhaps you could suggest that the bride’s mother exchange a few photos of her daughter’s life with you.

* Your guest list has to be sent to the Mother of the Bride as soon as possible. It has to be accurate and include the correct zip codes. If you have been given guidelines for the number of guests you can invite, be sure to abide by them.

* You are responsible for making reservations for your out-of-town guests. You can probably get suggestions for likely hotels or motels near the wedding site from the bride’s mother. As soon as you know who will be attending the wedding, you should make your reservations.

* The rehearsal dinner is your responsibility. It doesn’t have to be fancy and catered. A simple backyard buffet or barbecue will do the job. You need to invite everyone involved in the wedding ceremony, including their spouse or significant other. If children are taking part in the wedding, their parents need an invitation also.

* If you are going to attend the bridal shower, buy a gift and offer to assist the Mother of the Bride. If you cannot attend the shower, send your gift early enough to arrive for the party.

* If your son wants to blend some family or ethnic traditions into his wedding day, help him choose them.

* Since it is not considered good manners for the couple to solicit gifts, find out where they are registered and tell your family about it.

Weddings are joyous occasions for all involved. The planning can take
months to accomplish and make the wedding day a glorious event for all involved. As the Mother of the Groom, you will have a special place in both the ceremony and at the reception. Offer to assist the Mother of the Bride in anyway you can. Otherwise, enjoy the start of a new family and dream of your future grandchildren.