While it is traditional (although not obligatory) for the mother and father of the bride to receive a thank you gift from the newlyweds on the big day, a little memento from the bride's parents to their daughter is also becoming more popular.
While in some families and cultures, the parents do give a tangible gift to the bridal couple, other families and cultures feel the wedding itself is enough. This means it is completely your choice.
While it is not mandatory for the mother of the bride to give a gift to the bride on her wedding day, many moms want to go above and give her a little something as a surprise. We see more day of wedding gifts becoming the norm, and we're happy to help with some unique gifts for the bride from her mother.
Does the mother of the bride give her daughter a gift? Traditionally, the bride's mother receives a thank you present from the newlyweds on the big day, but a tiny keepsake from the bride's mother to her daughter is becoming more common.
When it comes to buying wedding gifts for your parents, you don't have to spend a ton of money to give a purposeful gift. Aim for something sentimental that falls within your budget—whether that's $25 per person or $100 per couple. Thankfully, there are so many thoughtful gifts at nearly every price point.
An easy rule of thumb is to stay within the average range of $75 to $200, but you can adjust the exact amount based on your personal finances, as well as your relationship with the couple.
That all depends on whether the gift is off the registry, an experience, or cash. Upon consulting the experts, a wedding gift should range from $75 to $750—but most agree that $300+ is the sweet spot.
The parents of the bride are the hosts of the wedding, and the wedding weekend. The father of the bride and mother of the bride duties include welcoming guests when they arrive in town, and host events over the weekend. They may include a welcome dinner, round of golf, a spa day, and the post-wedding farewell brunch.
Traditionally speaking, though, the bride's family pays for the bulk of the wedding—venue, reception, photographer, flowers, etc. As such, the mother of the bride is typically more 'in charge' of these things (along with the bride, of course) than the mother of the groom is.
The mother of the bride is traditionally escorted by her son if she has one. Otherwise, any close male relative, the best man, or a groomsman walks with the mother of the bride during the procession.
Congratulations on your love, your commitment, your wedding, and your marriage. May your future bring you joy, laughter and wonderment. My special daughter, wishing you immense happiness, joy, and adventure in your married life. May you build a strong union and life together.
These items can include jewelry, watches, or a personalized handkerchief. Family heirlooms are warm tender gestures that symbolize the true delight that the mother of the groom feels about having her daughter-in-law marry into the clan.
Bride's Parents and/or Family Members
If you're going the very traditional route, the answer to the question “who pays for the wedding?” is “the bride's family.” But you'll see that even in traditional roles, the bride's family doesn't actually pay for everything—but they're definitely a big part of the equation.
Do I Have to Follow Tradition? Traditionally, it is the responsibility of the bride's family – specifically, her mother and father – to pay for most of the wedding. It's not clear exactly how this tradition started, but it's thought to have evolved from the practice of the bride's family paying a dowry to the husband.
The mother of the bride plays the role of hostess, meaning you should spend some time greeting guests during the reception. Although there are exceptions, other wedding-day duties may include sitting at the parents' table and dancing with the father of the bride to help warm up the dance floor.
It's not customary for the groom's parents to give the bride's parents a gift at either the rehearsal dinner or the wedding. Traditionally, the groom's parents host and pay for the rehearsal dinner.
The bride's family is responsible for all invitation and stationery costs which, according to The Knot 2021 Real Weddings Study, cost an average of $530. Engagement announcement cards, engagement party invitations, save-the-dates, wedding invitations and RSVP cards are all factored into that average cost.
A traditional father of the bride speech includes a few key elements such as welcoming the guests, anecdotes and compliments about your daughter, a welcome to your new son-in-law or daughter-in-law, words of advice and a toast to the new couple.
Dads are often looking for a gift to bestow upon their beautiful daughters before they take the walk down the aisle. Often, fathers get a little special time with the bride before the ceremony begins, which is the perfect time to gift something special to their daughters.
It has become customary for brides and grooms to exchange gifts and vows and rings when they get married. While it is considered an "optional tradition", this type of sentimental gift exchange between couples on their wedding day is becoming increasingly popular.
The average wedding gift amount hovers right around $100, which is a great place to start, and you can increase or decrease that based on how close you are.
A typical cash wedding gift could range from $50 to $500, depending on the same factors listed above. Even then, aiming for the $100 mark is generally sufficient and will be comparable to the average cost of a physical wedding gift.
They suggest the following breakdown: coworkers or distant relatives should spend 50 to 75 dollars. Friends or relatives, 75 to 100 dollars. For close friends, family, or if you are in the wedding party, you should spend 100 to 150 dollars—or more.