Post # 1
Member
23 posts
Newbee
Am I obligated to buy gifts for our parents? Even though they are not helping us out financially with the wedding or honeymoon at all?
I feel that I am not obligated to get them anything since they haven’t ‘done’ anything, per se, for the wedding. We are paying for the wedding ourselves. But I fear that if I don’t get them anything, I will end up feeling guilty. (For what, I don’t know, but you know how emotions go.) Or, that the Future Mother-In-Law will feel like she is entitled to a gift of some sort.
Any advice would be appreciated. Thanks!
Post # 3
Member
751 posts
Busy bee
Each of our parents made a small contribution to our wedding and thus are getting ‘thank you’ gifts. If they hadn’t helped out, I don’t think we would be getting them anything.
Post # 4
Member
655 posts
Busy bee
Given your circumstances, I don’t think you need to give a gift of any kind. Are you are getting your Future Mother-In-Law a corsage? That should cover it.
Post # 5
Member
232 posts
Helper bee
We aren’t – FI’s dad is around but tends to be distand; FI’s mom got us registry gift, but that’s not different than what others have done; my mom wouldn’t care if we did or didn’t. We are paying for everything ourselves and just don’t feel it’s necessary – they will probably get a few snap shots of us after the fact, but that’s as much as we are going to do.
Post # 6
Member
33 posts
Newbee
Hmmm, that’s a hard one — when we decided to do gifts it wasn’t so much for the fact that they financially supported us in the wedding as much as it was a “thank you for raising us” sort of gesture. Even though many couples are independent of their parents long before they get married, it’s a nice symbolic send-off of leaving your family to start a new one and a good chance to recognize their role in nuturing you to this point.
I think it’s nice to give SOMETHING, but it certainly wouldn’t have to be much. Even a card with some genuine words of thanks would be acceptable I think! Or a framed picture of you and your new husband with both families?
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