Okay, friends, I need your help. I'm working on a chapter focused on the people you relate to as you're planning a wedding (i.e. family, friends, bridal party, etc.). I am hoping to discuss how a couple can honor Christ in these various relationships, but need some insight from those who have already planned or are currently planning a wedding.

It seems the relationship that receives the most focus, and can cause the most stress, is that between the bride and her mother. I think several different factors contribute to this, and each case is different. For some the differences in taste and style are subtle, but enough to cause conflict. For others the differences go all the way to the heart--disapproval of the wedding or of the groom.

So I have two questions for you, if you don't mind answering. Feel free to use a pseudonym if you need to (I don't want to cause any further drama). The goal is to help those coming after you to have a peaceful experience as mothers and daughters serve one another in humility.

Questions:

1. What was the chief cause of conflict in your wedding planning? (assuming there was conflict--if not, that is awesome...and extremely rare)

2. In retrospect, what would you do differently or what do you wish your mother/daughter could have understood?

Thanks so much for taking the time, and please pass this on if you don't mind. I would love for this blog to be a forum to help those currently going through this process, and also I know I can learn so much from the wisdom of others as I write this book.