Mother Of The Bride By Cheryl Barker

Mother of the Bride

by Cheryl Barker

Publisher: BroadStreet Publishing

ISBN: 978-1424552368

As a mom of four it's no surprise that I hope to be a Mother of the Bride (MOB) at least 4 times. lol I've had the opportunity once so far and I know that all four will be very different experiences. That being said, when Cheryl reached out to me about her book, I was thrilled to have the opportunity to read her book! She sent me her book for review and I'm excited to be reviewing it!

Summary:

Mothers in today's world wear many hats and struggle to keep the stress in their lives at manageable levels. Add the delightful but demanding new hat of mother of the bride (MOB) to the roles they are already juggling, and you have a host of middle-aged moms pushed to their limits, in desperate need of an empathetic voice and moments of nourishing relaxation.While trying to maintain life as they knew it before their daughters' big announcements, MOBs are called upon to magically morph into wedding planners, help their daughters navigate the journey to the altar, and establish new and loving relationships with their prospective sons- in-law and their families. With all focus, financial and otherwise, dedicated to the brides and the weddings themselves, the needs of mothers of the bride are overlooked.Mother of the Bride will help MOBs step away from the hurried pace of daily life complicated by a demanding new role. It will offer them the refreshment found in discovering community as they take time for themselves time to be encouraged, to gain helpful insight and practical tips, and to enjoy the feminine beauty of a book designed just for them.Through essays featuring relevant quotes or Scriptures, personal stories, nuggets of wisdom, simple suggestions for personal pampering, journaling opportunities, communication aids, and practical tips for wedding planning, Mother of the Bride will nurture the all-important but too often neglected mother of the bride.

My Review:

First I want to say this is probably one of the most gorgeous books I've come across. The hardcover is embossed and the colors are very elegant. It also comes with a fabric bookmark attached inside.

My first thought is two-fold with Mother of the Bride. It would make a perfect book for a daughter to give their mom as they learn they're going to become a MOB or for a friend to give to a girl friend who has just learned they're going to be a mother of the bride! 

I think this was a good book for me to have read through since I've had the experience once. I'm able to get a good grasp on if and how this will be a benefit and encouragement to others. And I can say hands down that it is! Cheryl knows what it's like to be a mom not just the first time, but numerous times. She knows what it's like to plan a wedding near and far. She also recognizes that while it's different for each of us, there's a similarity that turns through the veins of all moms. And that's where she's able to encourage us through this journey.

I like at the end of each chapter, which are short and sweet by the way, Cheryl gives the MOB encouragement, a tip, suggestions for who to talk to, as well as a place to jot down your own thoughts from her prompt.

I know as mother of the bride, we encounter a lot of stress. I really appreciate in chapter four when Cheryl says, "When problems arise, Mother of the Bride - and they always do when planning a wedding - God will provide either solutions or the grace needed to handle the situations." She is so right on that!

A chapter I found amusing is about secrets! While weddings are exciting and we want to shout it from the rooftops, it turns out there are secrets we need to keep. Like when the young man who wants to marry your daughter comes to ask you for her hand in marriage. Been there, done that. Whew! Keeping my meeting with my future son-in-law was quite the feat! I had to be rather elaborate in my deception with my daughter and involved my son & his best friend in the scheme. hahahaha

My favorite aspect of this book overall is that while it's extremely practical, she reminds us how God fits into our planning! Cheryl reminds us to lean on Him, lean on the people around us, and to honestly just do the best we can with what we can. In a way, sometimes I felt like I was reading an etiquette book on how to properly be a mother of the bride, but not in a lofty way, but in a way that will bless your daughter, family, friends, and the Lord.

If you have recently become a MOB, first of all, congratulations! Secondly, I would encourage you to get your hands on this book asap! While Cheryl doles out good advice covering all kinds of topics, at the end of the book all kinds of worksheets for you to go through! There are questions to ask for the person you're interviewing as well as for people they use as references! Really, it's a gold mine for you!

Happy wedding planning! I hope and pray it's a smooth and blessed journey for your family.

About the Author:

CHERYL BARKER is a veteran mother of the bride and freelance writer. She s written for magazines, compilation books, and other publications as well as for Blue Mountain Arts greeting cards, gift books, and calendars. Her heart's desire is to refresh spirits and nourish souls. She and her husband live in Kansas and delight in spending time with their two adult daughters, sons-in-law, and precious grandchildren. Cheryl loves to take photos, enjoy friends, and indulge in daily doses of chocolate.