When preparing for your big day, you’re probably concentrating on things—location, décor, cuisine, table settings, dresses, suits. But you need to take some time to think about people as well, particularly the people responsible for you and your bride being there in the first place: your parents. Getting wedding gifts for parents is a task you can easily overlook. Don’t.
Creative wedding gifts for parents should reflect their support emotionally, physically and monetarily throughout the rollercoaster of planning a wedding. Whether they want to be there to see you select your wedding garb or help plan out where to seat your family members, or offer financial support so you can nab your dream photographer, they deserve to be thanked for their help.
When brainstorming wedding gift ideas for parents who raised you and are now ready to watch you walk down the aisle, you have a lot of options—personalized, traditional, or creative—to show your appreciation.
Expressing your gratitude through a wedding thank you gift might seem superficial or excessive but, on the day of your nuptials, you might not be able to find a moment to actually tell them just how much you appreciate them. Recognizing their support with a genuine gift is the perfect way for them to feel loved and to have something sentimental to remember the day by, beyond the wedding favor that they may have helped pick out.
A major part of your wedding day is the joining of families, so when coming up with wedding gift ideas for parents, remember gift etiquette is a thing of utmost importance. Your in-laws deserve a thank you gift as well, and you want to avoid any gift comparing or hurt feelings.
You and your fiancé can purchase a gift together for each set of parents, which helps to avoid any possible drama. If you decide to choose items to give individually, it will help to gift evenly. You probably don’t want to start your marriage with an upset mother-in-law. These are our favorite wedding gift ideas for mom and dad that will ensure everyone has a positive gifting experience. You might even luck out and shed some tears.
A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Words
Photographs are popular wedding gifts for parents. From a professional wedding album to framed photos of you and your parents; photos are the perfect traditional wedding gift. Select your favorite photo of you and each of your parents and finish it with a beautiful frame for a wedding gift for dad and mom. We love the idea of choosing a photo from your first dance with mom (or dad) rather than a posed pic, but both will work.
A truly creative wedding gift idea for parents would be to frame their wedding picture as well, giving a nod to the ones who started it all. This works well for in-laws as well because you might not have as many photos together, so it’s a way of showing how excited you are to start a new chapter in your life, one filled with many more photos to come!
Another photo option is choosing the Vera Wang “With Love” Invitation Frame, where you can include your photo of choice side-by-side with one of your wedding invitations. This adds a personal touch and creates a more unique keepsake of the day rather than a single photo.
The only downside to a photo-centric wedding thank you gift for parents is that the delivery will be post-wedding day, but we think it’s worth the wait.
The Day-Of Dazzler
If you (or your parents) are on the impatient side and you don’t want to show up empty handed on the day of your wedding, we suggest opting for an accessory or style-focused gift. These can be personalized and thoughtful, and perfect for your mom or dad to wear at your wedding.
Just For Dad
A stylish and classic gift for dad on your wedding day is a luxe pair of cufflinks. He’ll break them out for special occasions years to come and will always be reminded of your special day and all the wonderful (and champagne-infused) memories that go along with it.
Although you can create customized cufflinks for both your dad and father-in-law, Montblanc has a range of unique options that are totally suitable options as well. From badass Silver Snake cufflinks to whimsical Moonphase cufflinks, you’ll find a special pair fit for any man’s personality.
Just For Mom
Popular gifts for mom on wedding day mostly include jewelry but instead of opting for a basic bracelet or necklace, add a bit of customization for a special touch. The Châtelaine® Bracelet from David Yurman is a beautiful choice for both your mom and your mother-in-law, as you can include each woman’s birthstone. Or, for an even more thoughtful option, we love the Amulette de Cartier Bracelet, which perfectly combines opulence with natural beauty. Select a stone to be featured in the bracelet, depending on the recipient. The White Mother of Pearl stone evokes warm memories and a feeling of protection, perfect for a wedding gift for mom. The Grey Mother of Pearl stone celebrates the spirit of tomorrow, looking to the future with an open heart and infinite love, a beautiful option for a wedding gift for your mother-in-law.
Aside from customizing with specific stones or metals, you can opt for adding an engraving into a bracelet, from a sentimental quote to song lyrics that are significant to your parent. Jewelry and accessories are popular wedding gifts for parents because they can be worn on your wedding day and will make them feel even more special as they walk down the aisle ahead of you (or next to you).
Frankie Says Relax!
Parent’s already have it all? Get them something experiential, something relaxing. After weeks and months of assisting you and your fiancé with your wedding plans, your parents might be interested in a weekend of some rest and relaxation. Hook them up with a couple of nights at a luxury hotel and spa, with a spa treatment included, and let them decompress! If your parents aren’t big travelers, give them the gift of a staycation and select a property in the city they live in. Who doesn’t love checking-in to a gorgeous hotel and enjoying a massage or facial, sans travel time?
Staying along the experiential route, maybe a weekend getaway isn’t right for your parents, but there are other options. Depending on where your parents (or in-laws) live, you could set them up with a local day-trip, a day at a winery, a dinner at a high-end restaurant, or tickets to a Broadway play or concert. These unique wedding gift ideas for parents are off the beaten path and allow your parents to connect and enjoy their own marriage just as they’ve helped set you up to enjoy yours.
Gifts For Your In-Laws
Showing your gratitude to your parents for helping to make your wedding day the most magical day of your life is a beautiful gesture. Showing your in-laws how grateful you are is going to help start your marriage on the right foot, with appreciation and thanks. Though these gifts don’t have to be super-expensive and they don’t have to be over-the-top, choosing a meaningful gift shows how important they were throughout the at-times stressful time of planning a wedding.
Your parents were the ones who wiped your nose when you were a child. They endured your horrible teenage years, and your wild, rocky 20s. The fact that you’re about to start a new life with your partner is not just a big deal to you: it’s a moment of triumph for them as well. It means they’ve accomplished their decades-long mission of producing an adult, reasonably well-adjusted human. This is more than a thank you wedding gift, it reminds them that they will always be a main character in your story.
—Kasey Caminiti
From jewelry to photos, make sure you’re showing your appreciation equally to your parents and in-laws when it comes to thank you wedding gifts.
