Gift for future Mil?

Parent gifts are usually given as a thank you for financial contributions. If they aren't paying for any portion of the wedding, sometimes couples give "thank you for all the emotional support over the years" gifts. We didn't give individual gifts. Instead we essentially gave an IOU for a wedding album when we got photos back. Our parents aren't the type who like "stuff" and are more sentimental, so this worked for us.

I agree with the previous comment. If parents are contributing financially or helping plan the wedding (even if they aren't helping financially), it is typical to give a gift. Otherwise, a "thank you for your support" gift is a nice gesture, but not required. You can find a lot of good gift ideas that aren't too expensive on Etsy, or you can purchase a wedding album for them after the wedding, or shop for them like it's their birthday/Christmas. I plan on getting gifts for both my parents and my fiance's parents.

Your mil tagged you on gift ideas???



I never heard of that custom. Maybe just buy her one of things in that list she tagged you, so she will be “happy”?

View Quoted Comment LOL!! Girl, you right! I was kinda shocked when she did so, too, since our wedding isn’t until 2022 and I felt she was being a little presumptive. By the time our wedding does happen she’ll probably forget about it, but still!

View Quoted Comment In 2022? She “mentioned” it now? I would wait to see how she is until you get very close to the wedding. If she has been sweet and helpful in any way, I would buy her something good. If she is being someone hard to deal with, honestly... I would just gift her a gift card.

View Quoted Comment That’s the plan. She isn’t really helping with anything major except coming to one of my dress appointments, that’s it! My parents are paying for the wedding entirely so we already booked them a little getaway trip for their anniversary as a “thank you for paying” gift. My fiancé is on my side, he just rolls his eyes at half of the stuff his mom says/does!

View Quoted Comment I think that’s more than enough. Maybe she didn’t know you booked them a trip yet. I would just ignore her tag and if she asked tell her you have something better already. Which you have 🥂

The tagging is awkward. Haha.


But I do value a note <and a gift if you're inclined> to the future in laws. I had mine delivered to their room on the morning of our wedding. The note was along the lines of thanking them for raising a respectful and caring man.

LOL what a way to give someone a hint, that's super awkward.

FH and I decided we will give gifts to our own parents, so he is handling his parents and I'm handling my mom. I agree that for the most part the gift giving to parents is in relation to financial contribution, but you can also do "thank you for your support my whole life", in which case it is tough to come up with a gift for your FMIL and should really come from your FH.

I have a few gifts picked out that I am considering for my FMIL, but that is because she has provided soooooo much emotional support especially since I do not have a mother in my life she has been amazing. I am still looking for something for the FFIL. I plan on getting them both something for just being amazing and accepting me fully, but I know that they do not expect it.

Except for giving pictures framed, in an album, or whatever, it is not a tradition to give gifts to parents at wedding time. This is when your parents give you gifts, sometimes monetary, sometimes wrapped presents, sometimes a service. You owe them a thank you note or letter, not a gift. Also, in traditional etiquette, you do not give a gift to thank someone for giving you money.

We haven’t talked much about it, but FH and I will most likely do a framed wedding picture for our parents. And we will do it together front he both of us versus me giving gifts to my mom, my dad and his mom and him mine. We are also paying for the AirBnB cabin our moms are staying at for the wedding weekend (and everything else for the wedding) so extra gifts just aren’t going to be in the budget. 😏