Thoughts From Sandy Hammer, Mother of the Bride!
As many of you know, our Sandy Hammer, co-founder, and CMO of Allseated, is going to be the Mother of the Bride this coming Monday! Her daughter, Ronit Hammer, is getting married August 17 and it’s been quite a rollercoaster ride to get to this date!
Sandy wanted to share her thoughts as the Mother of the Bride along with some of what it’s been like to plan during the COVID-19 Pandemic.
MOB — OMG!
I never understood what this truly meant until around now, finding myself four days out from my daughter’s wedding! Even though it’s been incredibly challenging with such an emotional roller coaster during the pandemic, one thing I know — I’m the MOTHER OF THE BRIDE — and loving every minute of it.
Yes, I happen to have an incredible, beautiful, loving daughter but don’t we all? The point is, being a MOB is the opportunity for you to feel so connected- involved – at the center of it all – BUT, you have to make sure to enjoy this time too.
I’ve gathered my thoughts to share some of the key points I’ve learned through the process.
Maybe most importantly, listen to everyone.
You don’t have to agree, that’s not the point, but it is extremely important for all parties involved to be heard. Give them time. If you have a busy life, open WhatsApp groups! A personal group with your daughter so she can say what she really wants. A group with the wedding couple so you can loop them in together. A group with the groom’s parents so you can keep an open discussion going including finances and things you wish to discuss before bringing the details to the attention of the couple. One too, with an EX – haha, but important! And then, a group with the wedding party for sharing fun moments, pictures, and final decisions that everyone involved should know. Although this might sound like a lot, it’s an easy way to communicate at any time of the day or night and makes everyone feel special and included.
During the unprecedented time of the pandemic, I have had even more WhatsApp groups because it has been much harder to see people in person, from family to the event professionals assisting during the planning process. I had a group with the planner, designer, and venue. I made intro groups to the vendors that needed to know each other and a vendor group – I did not have to be so involved in these groups but I could see what was going on…. which helped me see the big picture.
Incredible Responsibility.
Running a wedding during COVD-19 is an incredible responsibility and not to be taken lightly. Having elderly parents and family members that have health issues etc. must be kept in mind at all times during decision-making processes. However, it can be done and I just know, the wedding will be fabulous, full of moments I will remember forever.
I will have much more to share from the Mother of the Bride perspective, including more thoughts, details on the design (floorplans!), and setup ideas we created specifically for a wedding during the pandemic. And of course, pictures from the very special day!
