*Sigh*.

Mothers.

We love them, we cherish them, we constantly ask them for much-needed advice, we laugh on one shoulder and cry on their other shoulder.

Most importantly though, we appreciate their help. They are the figures we turn to for guidance when we need it most.

So, naturally, when it comes to our weddings, of course we’d love our mothers to have a special input with the planning process.

But there’s always a time when the mother forces her special input with the ceremony, the cake, the favours, the bridesmaid dresses, the flowers, the invitations, the groomsmen’s shoes… yep, you read correctly – the groomsmen’s shoes.

Here are some ways to work around the slightly overbearing mum:

1. Fair Share of Cake

Delegate certain responsibilities to family members and friends to ensure that the heavy load is shared among all your loved ones. This way, your mother knows she is fairly receiving her end of the deal.

2. Her Strength is Your Bulls-Eye

Use your mum’s specialties to your advantage and let her take the reigns on that. For instance, if she’s skilled with flowers, give her the green light on consulting the right florist! It’s all about compromise, Fairies.

3. Put Your Money Where your Mouth is

This one’s some tough love for our Brides, but it’s important to note… If your mother is funding the wedding, she has some right to be making hefty decisions while planning. Be sure to level out the proportion of her monetary contributions to her involvement in decision-making. If you’re still unimpressed with what Mum is doing, it’s probably best to pay for your expenses and take the handle on Wedding preps.

4. Red Alert

Danger. Let’s be real here – our mothers can sometimes go behind our backs to try and tweak a few things that they think need extreme attention. So, make sure you have a chat with the DJ, the florist, and the wedding planner in the event that mum gets too hands-on for your liking.

5. Best Friend to the Rescue

Sometimes, it may seem disrespectful if you tell your mother to back off, even if you find the nicest way to lay down the law. If your mum is taking one too many duties under her wing, your gal pal can hopefully moderate what she expects is her responsibility. Your best friend can intervene ever so subtly, to keep mother dearest in check while lifting the burden off your shoulders.

Remember that mothers always have their daughter’s best interest at heart, so don’t go too hard on your old lady!