In recognition of Fathers day, I wanted to address the different roles a father may take in all stages of a wedding. Dads play a huge role in our lives and a wedding is a great way to showcase how much you appreciate that.
Wedding Planning
One of the most common traditional roles of the Father of the Bride is that he handles paying for the wedding. However, traditions change and evolve and most contemporary weddings are paid for by the couple or a combination of both families. In either case, it is up to the father to help create and enforce a budget.
The father of the bride is usually in charge of several other aspects of wedding planning. Scouting venue/reception locations, handling the transportation and arranging hotel accommodations for out of town guests are all great duties to give to Dad when planning the wedding. Choosing the Father/Daughter dance song is another great way to include your father in the planning process. It is typically the role of the FOB to give a toast at the reception welcoming the groom into the family.
The Ceremony
The day of the wedding the FOB’s main goal is to keep the bride happy and relaxed. Dad should handle any travel arrangments for getting guests to the ceremony. It is also the role of FOB to take the bride to the venue. It would be helpful to have parking accommodations planned in advanced with the venue to avoid going off schedule.
The most recognizable role of the FOB is that of walking the bride down the aisle. In the case of step-dads or grandfathers who have played the role of dad, some brides opt to have several people walk her down the aisle, or have them greet her at the end to give her away in tandem. FOB should relay any advice or well wishes to the bride while they are waiting to walk. In some ceremonies the father may sit with the family, some may choose to stand near the bride and others may choose to stand on the grooms side.
Some brides choose to do a “First Look” moment with their fathers. This can be scheduled with your photographer to stage a private moment between the two of you that can be captured on film forever. These photos are normally quite emotional and it is a nice quiet time for father and daughter to speak before the nights festivities.
The Reception
You’ve now walked down the aisle, everything has gone as planned, it is now time to celebrate! There are several key points in the reception that the FOB participates in. Dad may choose to introduce the bride and groom into the reception, and greet guests as they arrive. When the reception starts, it is traditional for the FOB to make a small toast to the newlyweds.
Traditionally it is scheduled into the reception that the father and daughter share a dance together. The song you choose should be meaningful, tasteful and something that you chose together. The father of the bride throughout the night should help tie any loose ends with vendors, be responsible for any gratuity and see that guests are enjoying themselves. Overall having fun, enjoying the company of the newlyweds and enjoying the event you helped plan is the most important thing a father should take away from the reception.
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Xoxo,
Kelsi
**Kelsi is an MYD Beauty Resident Stylist in our Raleigh, NC studio. She is available for hair cuts, hair color, hair extensions, airbrush makeup, beauty lessons, special FX makeup, waxing, hair styling lessons, hair blowouts, as well as temporary lash applications by appointment. To schedule a session with Kelsi (or any of our MYD Beauty Team experts) please contact us HERE and leave a note requesting her in your comments! Kelsi, as is all our MYD Beauty Team, is available for travel to destinations outside our Raleigh, NC studio for special events and weddings worldwide.**
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