Your daughter is getting married and you want to help her plan the big day. “Father of the bride” is a role to be proud of, and it’s one that comes with many responsibilities. As her dad, you’re instrumental in her wedding, and you will feature largely in her memories of the event, so you need to take your role seriously and be prepared to chip in.
Despite what a lot of people believe, there’s more to your role as a dad than merely handing over your credit card and walking your daughter down the aisle. Here’s how you can help your daughter plan her nuptials and prepare for the big day.
Help Financially
These days, there is less expectation on parents to help pay for their child’s wedding, but you still might want to support the couple financially. Talk to your spouse about whether you can afford to chip in and work out how much so that you’re ready for the conversation when it arises. The newly engaged couple might be planning to pay for the festivities themselves, and it is their wedding after all. So don’t panic if you can’t contribute financially – there are plenty of other ways you can help.
Help Practically
Weddings are a lot of work, and too much stress in the planning stages can ruin the big day for a bride. Whether or not you’re helping financially with the wedding, you should also provide practical help wherever it’s needed to relieve some of the strain. Offer to help the couple look for venues, and don’t worry too much about the cost; UK Wedding Savings can provide budget-friendly venues wherever you are.
Help Emotionally
Between talking to vendors, planning the wedding party and dealing with guests, wedding planning can be incredibly stressful. Getting married is also an emotional time. Your daughter is bound to shed a few tears at some point – whether out of frustration, disappointment or just plain overwhelm – so be there to offer a shoulder to cry on when it all gets too much. Your role as a father doesn’t stop just because your daughter is getting married. Remember, no matter how old your daughter gets, she still needs to know that her dad is on her side, so be there to pick up the pieces when things get tough.
Help By Listening
Listen to what your daughter wants from her wedding, and find out what your role should be. She will probably want you to say a few words on her big day and walk you down the aisle, but she may not. Try to set your personal feelings aside and let her make the decisions. Resist the temptation to influence her and just listen to what she wants without getting offended if you don’t share the same vision. It’s her wedding day after all, so it’s important she remembers it as a special time free from any sort of conflict.
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