Mother of the Bride

TOP 10 MOTHER OF THE BRIDE GIFT IDEAS

““The first time you see your grown-up little miss looking back at you from a sea of white chiffon or beaded satin glory, indeed your heart will skip a beat. You’ll find yourself blinking back tears. ””
— Cheryl Barker

In honor of your favorite lady. The one to know you before any other, and arguably so, will know you better than anyone ever could—your Mama. While it is impossible to fit a lifetime of love into a gift for one day, we thought we would help you narrow down a sentimental start.

Here is our Top 10 Mother of the Bride Gift List! We hope you see something that sparks a memory for your special Mom. We have linked every item, so it’ll be easy for you to shop! Just click the name of the item you love, and it will take you to the Etsy link—easy peasy!  

1.) WEDDING PURSE WITH PERSONALIZED PHOTO

Full Circle Motherhood: Emily and Teresa's Story

While the Oxford Dictionary very simply defines “motherhood” as “the state of being a mother,” we know that is the mere beginning of such a sacred word. How could anyone even begin to describe such a lifelong commitment. When asked about her own mother, Maya Angelou once said, “To describe my mother would be to write about a hurricane in its perfect power. Or the climbing, falling colors of a rainbow.” 

I really admire the way Oliver Wendell Holmes depicted adoration for his mother, “Youth fades; love droops; the leaves of friendship fall; a mother’s secret hope outlives them all.” A mother’s secret hope is a force more mighty than any natural disaster, yet gentle to the touch. Today we are sharing a story of full circle motherhood between soon-to-be mother and former Bustle bride, Emily, and her Mom, Teresa.

When we asked Teresa to describe her relationship with her daughter, Emily, in one word, she said, “intuitive.”

Intuition: the ability to understand something immediately, without the need for conscious reasoning. 

The effortless intuition between parent and child is an unspoken miracle. Often found in hand signals, a laugh, or a simple “look”, this communication system surpasses all others. The very enchantment that magic is made of, making morse code look like child’s play.

On Emily’s wedding day, what Teresa wanted most was that her daughter not worry about any tiny detail. She longed for her daughter to be present in every moment, without worrying over the mechanics of the next. Teresa lovingly said, “The look on Emily's face that entire day told me that mission had been accomplished.” There is no better satisfaction to a Mom than knowing that their child is completely happy and at ease. 

“I have to say that my absolute favorite moment was watching Emily’s first dance with her father.  Watching them in those few minutes was like watching a slideshow of their relationship from the time he held her as a baby to graduating from college and going out on her own.  It was such a picture perfect moment and of course...I cried.”
— Teresa Odom

Teresa expressed to us how most people, especially Mothers, have preconceived notions of what special days will be like in their children’s lives and sometimes those moments don’t always go how we planned them. One of the many beautiful aspects of motherhood is learning to embrace those things. There is strength and pure love in accepting change. Emily’s outdoor wedding ceremony quickly became an indoor event after a downpour pivoted their plans. Their wedding venue, Burns Bluff, moved in high-speed to make Emily’s wedding day as beautiful as possible and the entire wedding party danced the night away. 

“I liked how it was just me and and my Mom putting on my dress. Those are some of my favorite pictures from my wedding day. We’re in front of these big windows in the lodge, so it’s all bright and there’s one picture where her hands are on my waist and you can see how happy she is behind me, it’s my favorite.”
— Emily Odom Brown

When Emily found out she was pregnant, after telling her husband, the first person she called was her Mom. Teresa, like most Mothers, is the most trusted secret keeper. She kept this beautiful secret for a while before Emily told the rest of her family. 

“She knew for quite some time before anyone else in my family knew. She actually had to go visit my sister, who was having her second baby, and had to keep it a secret from everyone!”
— Emily Odom Brown

One of the things Emily admires so much about her Mom is the art of letting go of the need to control every situation concerning her children. Emily’s parents always gave her a safe space to land. She knew no matter what she was dealing with in life, her Mom would be there to help her pick up the pieces and learn along the way, without judgement.

“I just want my baby to do what she wants to do, and be her own person. No child is happy when they’re forced to do stuff they don’t want to or feel like they have to because their parent is the coach/director. Whatever she chooses will be fine with me as long as she’s being a good person, good teammate, and constantly trying her hardest.”
— Emily Odom Brown

Emily’s due date is May 17th, which coincidentally falls around the same time of year her Mom was due to have her. Motherhood is such a beautiful full circle experience and we are so thankful to Emily and Teresa for helping us share that love with you today. Happy Mother’s Day to every beautiful Mom. You are a wonder.

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Catherine Ryals: seamstress and designer.

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This lovely woman is Catherine and she is the most talented seamstress we have ever met.

Catherine has been sewing since age 6 when she began making clothes for her dolls. She has been perfecting her craft ever since and now has an adorable studio in Mountain Brook which is home to Catherine Ryals Couture. Not only is she is able to transform any gown with exactly the right alterations, she is also an incredible designer. She has created couture bridal and mother-of-the-bride gowns as well as frocks for numerous other affairs. Below are just a few of the wedding gowns from her original Stella Reese collection.

Love her already? Contact her at Catherine.Ryals@gmail.com to inquire about alterations or couture garments. Be sure to tell her Bustle sent you!