Parents Roles at the Wedding

Throughout your wedding planning process, your parents have been helpful, annoying, frustrating, full of advice, financially contributing, emotional, a sounding board, a co-decision maker - they've either been very involved, minimally involved or not involved at all. And I am willing to bet that not once during the wedding planning was there ever a conversation about their role on the actual wedding day. Obviously, your father may be walking you down the aisle, your mother will help you into your dress, but realistically, aside from the 'traditional' parent roles {i.e. you may dance with your father and he'll make a toast} you probably haven't discussed much else.

On your wedding day, your parents are going to be going through an emotional process {even if they claim they aren't} and they have some official responsibilities throughout the day but for the majority of your wedding day, their role hovers between being a host and a guest. And that non-specified role may put your parents on edge. Its hard for them to just let go and enjoy being a guest and allow your vendors to do their jobs. They don't need to be the ultimate host or hostess on your wedding day. But, if you haven't talked about this prior to the wedding, they may not understand that you are fine with them not being the ultimate host that day.

Let them know that while there are official tasks they need to perform on your wedding day, for the most part they just need to be a guest and celebrate your wedding!