How to Include the Mother of the Groom

The groom's Mother often gets left out of things because she is lumped together with the guys’ activities — none of which are typically that exciting. Make an extra effort to include the mother of the groom in important wedding-related activities.
1. Take her with you to shop for wedding dresses
*The more the merrier when you are trying the find the right dress. While it is customary to take your mom and a few, or all, of the bridesmaids, chances are your groom’s mother would love to tag along. Even if you don’t think that is something she would be interested in, you might be surprised. At least give her the chance to come and, if she declines, she will likely still feel included just to have had the invite. If she does decide to go, make sure to value her opinion and let her gush over you. After all, she is a mother, too — your second one to be exact.
2. Let your friends know you’d like your soon-to-be mother-in-law to be a part of your bridal shower.
*Those who are throwing you a bridal shower may not realize you want your mother-in-law to be included unless you let them know. She should be given the same chance to invite friends that your mother was given as well as the option to bring food or contribute to the shower in any way she wishes. It is important to remember that, just because her child is the male in this situation, doesn’t mean she should be treated any differently then the bride’s mother.
3. Invite her to the bachelorette party.
*OK, so maybe not the whole bachelorette party, but if you plan on inviting your mom to the dinner portion of the evening, include the groom’s mom in that part. Again, may not decide to participate, but a lot of times just getting an invite is all she may need to feel included.
4. Call to get her opinion about wedding-related items.
*Since your groom may have an opinion about certain wedding items, call his mom to get input from that side of the family. You don’t want to take the chance of missing some special tradition on the groom’s side of the family just because he forgot or didn’t even know about it. Calling his mom every now and again to ask her about certain wedding decisions will ensure that his family is well represented.
5. Ask her to get ready with you and the rest of the women the day of the wedding.
*It is fun for all the women to get dressed together at the church just before the wedding. Since the families have to be there early for pictures anyway, see if your mother-in-law would like to get ready with you and your girls. This is not only a special bonding experience, but it could prove to be much more convenient for your groom’s mother.