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Just wondering if you plan on giving presents to your parents around the time of the wedding or what are you planning on giving/gave them??

I was planning to buy my mothers outfit and fathers suit.

I will probably get them something small by way of prezzie as well. Was thinking like a little goodie bag with t-shirts saying 'mother of the bride' and such stuff for the day before / after the wedding. You can get joke type 'survival kits' for all the bridal party which I quite like too.

We're giving both sets of parents hotel vouchers. We've chosen hotels that have good packages so that they wont have to add anything but the price of a few drinks to the cost of the stay. Both sets of parents have been very generous and it will be nice for them to get away.

I like the idea of a weekend away for them. Although knowing my mother the voucher will still be sitting int eh press next year!! My cousing said that she gave her mother a Waterford crystal frame, that the present should be something that they will always have and be reminded of you and your big day??? I am not sure.

Saw those survival kits for father and mother of the bride, think i might put something together myself and give it to them on the morning of my wedding as a little joke.

Any other ideas???

I did up baskets for the bridal party, I got my mam a watch, champagne crystal glass with mob on it a tshirt with same and the survival kit. For the night b4 got her pjs and slippers, paying for her room for the 4 nights and hair and make up done. Dads I did the socks, cufflinks, Wallet and watch. His mam room, crystal frame watch and make up!!! Also doing bouquets for mams during speech, they have been so good.

We are getting 2 parent albums for them but just wondering if everyone else is doing the presentation of flowers on the day? Just wondering how it would go down if we didnt?

Girls can i ask your advise on this, i have a while to go but this was something that has been popping in and out my head. We both only have our Mother around and my mum is very good to us and has help out with the wedding where on the other had I am still waiting on an engagment card from OH's mum. I want to make a point of thanking my mum and presenting her with something at the wedding but i don't want to come across ignorant towards OH's mother but i really don't see why she should be thanked, any advice?

ClaireT1981 wrote:Girls can i ask your advise on this, i have a while to go but this was something that has been popping in and out my head. We both only have our Mother around and my mum is very good to us and has help out with the wedding where on the other had I am still waiting on an engagment card from OH's mum. I want to make a point of thanking my mum and presenting her with something at the wedding but i don't want to come across ignorant towards OH's mother but i really don't see why she should be thanked, any advice?

To be honest I think it would look very bad. It is not just a thank you for a engagement present or money and help towards the wedding. It is a thank you for being a parent and bringing you to this point where you are now starting out to make your own family. Even if your MIL gives you nothing she is still your OH's mother and reared him into the man you now love and are marrying.

I'm giving my mum flowers and maybe a necklace
And thinking of getting my dad a pocketwatch...

What do you think??

ClaireT I would acknowledge how amazing your mother has being privately but I would definitely not do anything publicly to one mother and not to another. My mam is amazing and has been a fantastic mother and always there for me but I don’t feel we need to do a public declaration of that because as long as she knows how much appreciate it, it doesn’t matter.

Awkward Annie, we ordered pocket watches from ebay for the best man, groomsman and father of the groom. They came yesterday and I am delighted with them! they are also engraved. They are cheap enough versions (about €20) so if you want a real fancy one they aren’t suitable but they look lovely so if you want the seller let me know.

We got my FMIL a compact mirror with “Mother of the Groom” on it (she is into sentimental things anyways). My mam has gotten a champagne glass with MOB and her name, paying for her make-up and few bits of cosmetics she likes. After the wedding we will be getting them little storybook wedding albums. Not presenting flowers or anything on the day.

Claire T I would give your mum something privately if it was me. Myself, well we're not doing flowers as my own mum has absolutely no interest whatsoever in them! My OH's mum is travelling from the UK and staying in a hotel so no point really. I must admit she hasn't been one bit interested in the wedding from day one, not asked a single question about my dress, what colour are the bridesmaids dresses, how things are going generally etc so I've really got zero interest in giving her anything anyway!

morningsun wrote:Awkward Annie, we ordered pocket watches from ebay for the best man, groomsman and father of the groom. They came yesterday and I am delighted with them! they are also engraved. They are cheap enough versions (about €20) so if you want a real fancy one they aren’t suitable but they look lovely so if you want the seller let me know.

We got my FMIL a compact mirror with “Mother of the Groom” on it (she is into sentimental things anyways). My mam has gotten a champagne glass with MOB and her name, paying for her make-up and few bits of cosmetics she likes. After the wedding we will be getting them little storybook wedding albums. Not presenting flowers or anything on the day.

We are presenting mothers bouquets on the day as they will both appreciate flowers.

I seen lovely pocketwatches on eBay with an Irish 1968 Penny on it. I think both dads would appreciate them as they would remember it.

We'll also be giving both sets of parents little storybook wedding albums...

I'm just worried that I'm not giving them enough..

rainbowgirl wrote:Claire T I would give your mum something privately if it was me. Myself, well we're not doing flowers as my own mum has absolutely no interest whatsoever in them! My OH's mum is travelling from the UK and staying in a hotel so no point really. I must admit she hasn't been one bit interested in the wedding from day one, not asked a single question about my dress, what colour are the bridesmaids dresses, how things are going generally etc so I've really got zero interest in giving her anything anyway!

Yeah i think i'm with you on that, my on mum is travelling from the UK has said she doesn't want flowers as she can't do anything with them so will have to come up with something for her as for my OH's mum she has no interest in us never mind the wedding. Don't want to get into it but is only out for what she can get herself so like that would really grudge thanking her with giving her a present......i know alot of you will think that sounds bad but i'm guessing you'd be blessed with good inlaws

I would be in a similar position to clairet as my mam has been absolutely amazing but fmil hasn't. however, she means the world to my h2b so we have decided that we would buy our mams presents each - comparing notes so that he doesnt get her something small and i get my mam something big! however, i hate the idea of the flowers as knowing our mams the flowers would just be forgotten about in the rush to the free wine! so we were thinking maybe a cheap-ish holiday for each of them with a friend so that they can have something to look forward to. there'll be no dads at the wedding for either of us so we can afford to go that extra mile for our mams! i think it's an individual choice as every b2b knows their mam their own way so some will love sentimental engraved items, some will love flowers and others will like personal things. i think as long as you get something that you know for certain that your parents will like, you'll be laughing. but at the end of the day, i think the best present that you can give them is your happiness on your big day - and of course thanking them in the speech!!

I actually disagree with the other posters re: mum/mil... I think both should get a present, sure, but if you're particularly close to her I don't see any issue at all with making s bit of a fuss over her publicly. Actually I think its really sweet. Do a "Bride's Speech" and maybe pull a (ready organised and seperated) flower from your bouquet and present it your mum? Or give her the present you already have organised at that time.
I don't think anyone would be thinking anything other than what a lovely gesture and its lovely to see a mother and daughter with such a nice relationship! Your mil shouldn't get in a tizzy for not being publicly recognized once she has receivable gift earlier that day!