As it is slowly becoming the ‘norm’ to step away from tradition on your special day, it’s now popular to have your mum give you away, rather than your dad. The bond between mother and daughter is like no other, by why has this decision risen in popularity? Here’s why more mums are giving their daughter’s away, and most importantly, how to do it right if this is part of your plan too.
Why Are More Mums Giving Their Daughter’s Away?
Traditionally, the act of ‘giving your daughter away’ belonged to a man, as it started during the time that women were seen as the ‘property’ of the men in their lives (thankfully, those days are long gone for most). And while that is no longer the case, it seems some women are deciding to take the power back and would simply prefer to have their mother give them away. Ultimately, it depends on what works best for the bride, and if having your mother by your side as you walk down the aisle is what you want, then do it! What’s stopping you?
How To Do ‘It’ Right
Dress For the Occasion: Giving your daughter away on her special day is a big thing! So, it’s your time to dress to impress. Do your research and look through some Mother of the Bride wedding blogs to gain some inspiration for the wedding, there’s thousands of different kinds of outfits to choose from nowadays and this is your time to shine too. And you know what they say, the brighter the better!
Practice Your Walk Beforehand: We know better than anyone else how daunting the thought of walking down the aisle can be. What if you walk too fast? What if you trip? What if you walk too slow (none of this will matter on the big day, so don’t panic too much)? So, if you are feeling a bit anxious about the walk, practice beforehand! That way, when it comes to the special day, you know what you’re doing and can focus on enjoying yourself and living in the moment, rather than worrying about which foot to put first!
Have Your Responses Prepared: Now this step does depend on the couple at hand and the question they would like to be asked as part of their ceremony. But the officiant will usually ask ‘who brings this woman to be married to this man/woman’? At this point, your response should be ‘I do’, of which you will then place your daughter’s hand into the officiant’s, who will then place her hand in to her partner’s. Of course, this is a tradition that some couples choose not to keep, so this won’t apply to everyone. But, if it does, it’s always good to be prepared so you aren’t caught off guard!
No matter what the tradition may be, we’ve moved away from the days where ‘giving your daughter away’ was essentially a way of signing away your ‘property’ to another. And if you want your mother to take this role instead, then so be it. If questioned why, the answer is simple, why not?
Photo by Hermes Rivera on Unsplash. This is a collaborative post.