Gift suggestion needed... life-lasting, special, around $500... help, please!

Could she pay to have your bouquet professionally preserved in a shadow box perhaps?

China set (I have no clue what they go for tho). Memory chest? I know one thing we're wanting is the KitchenAid mixer. Runs about 350 and you can get additional attachments to do just about anything.

FH suggested having grandma's best/favorite recipes attached to the mixer.

We don't like the flowers idea, much.

we took our fine china off of our registry, as we are inheriting plenty of it!

We do have that mixer on our registry, but that will need replacing before our 30th anniversary!

other ideas?

A picture frame that can be engraved with a message from her? You can then put a picture of you, husband, and her in the frame from the wedding day. Or something like that would be nice.

Stand Mixer....Kitchen Aid....

Timeless present....and awesome.

Silver tea service?

A piece of furniture?

Copper cookware?

A nice cabinet to put all of that china in?

If you don't like the flower idea, you can also preserve your dress, marriage certificate, garter, or anything else like that in a shadow box.

Or could she pay for you both to go away for a night or two on your first anniversary?

How about a really nice set of crystal or crystal wine decanters

Thanks for the ideas! I have passed this along to my mom. Steve suggested a queen bed- lol... I don't really think she would want to give us that. We will be inheriting a double frame and room furniture set, and I imagine that might be all that he have room for starters, before a house.

We will be inheriting a couch... not new, but in good condition, no puppy chewing marks or bad stuff like that... yet.

A photo session? A really nice framed/matted photo or print?

Cassandra - we don't know if she will we able to make it to the wedding.

How about some sort of jewelry? Like your necklace for the wedding or earrings or bracelet? Something you can pass on to your future kids, and will be specific to your wedding and from her.

I see. Well, you can still put a picture of you guys in it, or one with all of you if you have one. Or jewelry that can be engraved and you can wear on your wedding day and after?

How about something of hers that means something to you?

Maybe a bond that could later be put into a down payment for a house?

A puppy?

My aunt wanted to do the same for us but we are living at home with my parents. So instead of a gift she gave us a nice gift of money and told us to put it towards photography for the wedding. That's definitely life lasting and we know when we see the pics she helped pay for that

My mom bought all the flatware (place settings and serving set) off our registry so we'll think of her whenever we use it. (Plus I think she wanted to beat FMIL to it.) We intend to have that flatware for a long, long time.

It's hard--you can argue that anything practical will eventually need to be replaced. And at some point you change decor, take down the half dozen wedding photos to replace with photos of the kids, etc., etc.