Welcome back to our second in the series of our Meet the Parents blog series where we will talk about Father of the Bride. Throughout this series, we are exploring the duties and responsibilities for each of our parents during your wedding celebration.
Hopefully, you have a good relationship with your mother, father, step-parent or other parental figure, and these posts will help you communicate the specifics of the role, so that everyone knows what’s expected of them and can prepare accordingly. After all, you want a stress free day for everyone involved.
We need to talk about money
Traditionally, the father of the bride was deemed the host of his daughter’s wedding. The expectation was that he footed the bill for the entire day, and put on a lavish spectacle to impress the groom’s family, his friends, neighbours and the whole town. Thankfully, those patriarchal notions are dying out, but your Dad may be unsure of what’s falling under his responsibility. Depending on his financial circumstances he may be feeling the pressure to bankroll the day. It’s wise to involve him early in conversations and plans for the celebration, and have open and honest conversations around what you are covering in terms of costs and where he can help.
The voice of reason
Your Dad, is more often than not, in a good place to offer advice and share his experience throughout the wedding planning process. On your wedding day, he will offer both practical and emotional support, or can simply be a listening ear. It’s likely that he’s been through it all before, and he will be excited for you, and will want everything to go well for you. No doubt, he will also have some Dad jokes to ease the nerves and break the ice.
The Give Away
Another long standing tradition is the idea that the father of the bride “gives away” his daughter to another man. Thankfully there is less emphasis on this and modern couples are truly doing their own thing when it comes to this key part of the day. Your papa will likely expect to be walking you down the aisle, and if this is something you want or don’t want to do, it’s best to address it early in the wedding plans. Some brides choose to have both parents walk them, or indeed just go solo. Either way, let him know sooner rather than later. On the day, you might be a little nervous and having your father by your side will likely calm the nerves. Top tip: Don’t forget to give him a kiss and thank him when you reach the top of the aisle – We’ve seen so many blushing brides do this in their excitement to see their other half waiting for them.
Second Look
If you’ve chosen to do a “first look” with your partner, your Dad could be in line for that second look, if he’s walking you down the aisle. We bet he will be speechless and emotional when he sees his baby girl in her wedding dress for the first time. Make sure you build time into your day to share a few quiet minutes with your first love. Thank him, and tell him how you are feeling, we know he will be so proud of you. It’s a moment that you will want your photographer and videographer to capture.
Planes trains and automobiles
Your Dad could be a good shout when it comes to practical things like the wedding cars and transport for guests. He’ll be happy to be involved and if he’s a driver, he may even want to drive some of the guests to and from the venue(s) himself. He’ll certainly be invaluable in the days leading up to the celebration, when things or people have to be collected or family members need a drop off. 
Keeping Mum
In addition to walking the bride down the aisle, the father of the bride usually escorts the mother of the bride to her seat at the ceremony. He will be there at the ceremony location to welcome guests and may help to show guests to their seats. When he’s completed his duty to walk the aisle, he will take his place seated behind the bridesmaids and with the mother of the bride, and or his partner.
Father of the Bride speech
Traditionally, the father of the bride speech comes first in the order of speeches. He will probably have lots he wants to say about you, and regale the guests with all the funny and cute things you did when you were growing up. If you’re worried about what he may say, let him know your preferences early on and then leave him to it. He will want to express his affection for you and and wish you and your partner all the best for the future in his toast.
Second Dance
Following the first dance of the newlyweds at the wedding reception, the father of the bride shares a dance with his daughter. You might want to choose a significant and sentimental song representing the bond between the two of you. Then he will dance with your mother, and finally with the mother of the groom. It may or may not be the part that he’s most comfortable with, so ensure he knows what’s expected, and reassure him that you will guide him on when he is needed for the dance. It’s a lovely opportunity to check in with him, and chat about the day.
Family traditions
A wedding brings two families together. As we’ve outlined, fathers play a crucial role in the lead up to and during the wedding ceremony. He may have some family traditions to add to the uniqueness of your day. Ask him about family weddings and if there is anything special that has happened for his family. He will also be responsible for his own relatives that are attending the wedding, especially any elderly family members that need some extra assistance.
Dad has been a part of your love story from the very beginning and he will continue to be there, cheering you on in your new chapter. He will always be there for you sharing his love and wisdom.
We hope you enjoyed the blogs with the vital role that a father and a mother of the bride can play during the wedding. If you share good relationship with them, you can involve them in taking care of your arrangements providing you with that extra helping hand to calm your nerves. But what about the Grooms? Well, we are done here yet! Our next piece in this series will talk about the Mother of the Groom so stay tuned as we will be back with another exciting blog in Meet the Parents series. If you are looking for more wedding inspiration, make sure to check our website.
