Hope D1’s wedding will turn out as well as scout59’s. I am practicing Zen.
Last Sun we went to visit my father’s grave because D1 wanted to tell him she was getting married. She asked him to come to the wedding. 
. D1 was very close to my dad. He was at every one of her milestones. He will be missed.
I attended a wedding this weekend (my D’s BFF, and my D was maid of honor). Both the biological father and the step-father escorted the bride down the aisle, it was a very touching moment. Also, the pastor asked who “presents” the bride (instead of the older tradition of who “gives” the bride).
Had a change of heart about fresh flowers for weddings as I saw how easy and practical the artificial bouquets were. The bridesmaids could easily set them down, didn’t have to worry with caring for them so delicately, and no worries with a florist having to deliver on a Sunday.
Terrific @scout59 ! Sounds like a wonderful event.
We are 12 days out, and very excited.
Looking forward to reports from @zoosermom and @kelsmom next week.
When you attended a wedding shower thrown for your daughter, what did you take for a gift? I’m having trouble… everything feels like a non-starter somehow. Too mundane, I guess.
@intparent, for two, I took off her registry: fancy placemats & napkins to one; an engraved memory box to another. To another, I took an OCD cutting board as a joke (sort of!). Her perfectionist personality hindered her cooking abilities early on, as she wanted to cut things exactly…and wanted very explicit recipe instructions. Thankfully, with practice and her new hubby, she has mellowed a bit and realized cooking is a lot more fun when one is not uptight about food being perfect…
I took bed sheets from their registry. Not very exciting but something they really needed.
I gifted a Kitchen-Aid stand mixer to one of DD’s showers. At the time it seemed a little extravagant (I’m terrible at this kind of thing - how much is too much?) However, I did have a cute story about how DD had always wanted one, ever since she was six or seven years old - it seemed okay, in the end.
Of course, that was the same shower where future MIL gave D a Le Crueset Dutch oven, so maybe I wasn’t so extravagant after all.
TL;DR. I guess it really depends on the shower!
I always go to showers thinking that the mother and MIL will probably spend a little more on gifts than other people.
My DDs shower is here at my house this weekend (I’m not hosting, just providing venue). All of my friends say they didn’t give their DD gifts since they were already giving them a wedding. 
I bought something to monogram, but might not get to it, so can take it to second shower next month.
Here’s a wild coincidence: The dress I posted in post 5885, that I bought and sent to my DIL as a choice for the flower girl dress: Turns out the designer of the dress is a girl my DIL was friends with growing up, and this particular dress line is the girl’s mother’s line!! How wild is that?!!
That is really cool, @jym626 !
I got D her towels for a shower gift - not exciting, but she really wanted them (they are nicer than she probably would have purchased for herself if no one got them). I did not give them to her at the shower, though - I have them to her afterwards. I had put them in a corner & forgot about them until pretty much the end of the gift opening. It just seemed right to wait until later when I didn’t have to run out to get them from another room!
We are 9 days out…and I just had to send a reminder to someone NOT to ask DH or me to do anything else until after June 4 (we have an out of town wedding the week following ours).
What is the matter with people? They keep asking us to do things for others when we put out notice in April that we would be out of the picture from mid-May to June 4.
For a shower gift to a daughter, you could give some piece of china or item from your own collection, or grandmothers. My mother has a ton of stuff that was my grandmothers, and would find a cookie plate or candy dish or something, or even a tea set. We can have whatever we want out of the china cabinet, but it’s different when it’s a gift.
If you have the time to do so, creating a cookbook of family recipes, stories, and photos would be a personalized gift and one that is bound to be cherished.
My DDs bridesmaids are doing a mini shower at the nail spa next Friday. I’m invited too…and I’m bringing some things DD will think are useless…until she uses them. A Tiffany glass serving platter…and a Tiffany vase. Both are things I’ve had for a while, and used a LOT when I was younger. They are very simple but lovely pieces.
@thumper1 - I had people calling me for restaurant recommendations. I sent out an interactive google map with 100 places on it! “Oh, I didn’t see it…”
It’s a crazy whirlwind, it is.
I purchased these blank cookbooks for my kids. I gave my D hers when she moved into her first apartment. (She is not married and I don’t know if she ever will be.) I have one for my S and new DIL but have not completed it yet. It is spiral bound with blank pages for you to write in your favorite recipes. My mom did one for me in 1980 and I still use it almost daily. Be sure to leave blank pages for him/her to write in new favorites.
https://www.amazon.com/Love-Kitchen-Nancy-Radcliffe-Edwards/dp/096132872X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1526612939&sr=8-1&keywords=with+love+from+my+kitchen+cookbook
D1 sent out a detailed email to all guests this week to let them know the schedule, recommended dressing for various events and what transportations are provided. She also provided discount coupon for Rent the Runway. Few of my friends were going to call me to discuss the wedding, but texted me to let me know they were all set. I asked D1 to send me invites for all events and pre-wedding planning, so I could have them on my iphone.
Such an exciting time for so many here! Just thinking about all of your upcoming weddings brings a smile to my face as I remember the run up to our S’s wedding last fall. Whether the wedding is in two days or two months, just enjoy
@oldfort -
I love Rent the Runway. When I attended weddings while pregnant, I always got my outfits from them. Much cheaper and more efficient than buying maternity dress up clothing. The discount coupon is so thoughtful. Congratulations to you. I hope to be planning one or two weddings in the next couple of years and am following this thread with interest.