Though a wedding should focus on the bride and groom, those closet to the happy couple often desire to be a part of not only the wedding day but also the planning and preparation for that day. Often, it is only the close friends and family of the bride who assist with these preparations as the bride typically makes most of the decisions. However, some members of the groom’s family may also be anxious to take part in pre-wedding events, and the most important person not to overlook is his mother.
A bride who is close to her soon-to-be mother-in-law will most likely have no problem inviting her to look at flower arrangements or requesting that she assist with the reception seating chart. On the other hand, a bride who is more distant from her fiance’s mother may never even think to include her in such planning and inadvertently hurt her feelings.
The groom’s mother does not need to be involved in all aspects of the wedding preparations. In fact, many details should be reserved for the bride and her own mother and bridesmaids or even for the bride and groom alone. However, the mother-in-law should be involved with as little or much as the bride is comfortable. Inviting the groom’s mother to assist with the addressing and stuffing of invitations is a great way to include her while possibly also introducing her to friends or members of the bride’s family who may also be helping with this task. And if the bride is exceptionally close to her mother-in-law, there is certainly no problem with inviting her to go along on the wedding dress shopping trip. The key is to be sure that everyone is comfortable with those involved in any wedding preparation event and that no one feels excluded.