Mother of the Groom Duties

Wedding Planning | Traditional Mother of the Groom Duties

As Mother’s Day draws nearer, we’re thinking of all the special women we get to work with on a daily basis. While we often collaborate closely with the bride and her mom, there’s another key player to consider: the Mother of the Groom (MOG)! While she may not take on quite as a big a role as the MOB, she’s a very important consideration in the wedding planning process – and a very important part of the bride’s new family!

How can you include the Mother of the Groom in your wedding planning? We’ve got you covered. Take a look at our list of the traditional duties of the MOG:

• Help introduce family members who have not yet met
• Assist with collecting guest addresses for the groom’s family
• Consult the bride and her mother about the preferred MOG attire for the wedding day
• Consult the bride about groom’s attire and assist in finding it if needed
• Call any guests on the groom’s side of the family who have not yet RSVP-ed
• Offer to run any errands that might assist the bride. Examples include:
  • Pick up the dress
  • Pick up invitations from the printer
  • Handle registry exchanges
• Plan and host the rehearsal dinner
• Pin the boutonniere on the groom—while not mandatory, this can be a sweet photo opportunity! Sometimes it’s easier for the planner to take lead here; we have plenty of experience pinning boutonnieres and can help make sure it’s affixed properly. Ask your MOG about this, and offer her the opportunity to pin the boutonniere if she’d like.
• Dance with the groom on the wedding day. Consider letting her pick the song! It’s a relatively small decision that means a lot to the MOG and her son.

That being said, weddings are becoming more and more personalized… you certainly aren’t required to adhere to traditional duties if they don’t suit your style. Let this list be a conversation starter for you and the MOG; find out what her expectations are, and create a game plan that works for both of you.

In addition, you might consider inviting her to these milestone moments (while not traditionally required, these are nice gestures of inclusion if you choose to incorporate them):

• Dress Fitting
• Bridal Showers
• Cake Tasting
• MOG Dress Shopping (if she wants help finding the perfect dress, offer to accompany her and assist her in finding a flattering gown that suits her own style)

You may also wish to ask her about any personal details she would like to incorporate into the ceremony. Ask if she’d like to contribute “something borrowed” to your bridal ensemble, or inquire about family photos to display at the reception. Your interest in including her will go a long way in solidifying a good impression with your future mother-in-law!

As we’ve mentioned before, our best advice of all is to prioritize relationship over any planning details! You and the MOG are about to become family for a lifetime. Let your relationship be the primary focus throughout engagement: What can you do to include her in the process? How can you get to know each other better? Focus on the relationship over any minute details… it’s a big help to start your marriage off on the right foot, and you’ll have more fun along the way!

Happy Mother’s Day from the Team at A Stylish Soiree! As a wedding planner in DFW, we are lucky to work with such amazing moms and daughters. From new moms to empty nesters and everyone in between, we wish you the happiest day celebrating with the ones you love.