Gift Ideas for the Mother of the Bride

She's not only your mom, she's the mother of the bride. Show her how much you honor and cherish her with these great gift ideas.

1. A double picture frame. Put a picture of the two of you from when you are younger on one side. Explain that a wedding day picture of the two of you will go on the other side. You can engrave it with the wedding date or a saying such as "I'll always be your little girl."
   
   
2. Hold a tea party with your bridesmaids and their moms. You can pretend that it is a wedding shower, and then surprise them by saying "Actually, today is all about you, moms!" Serve them tea, show slideshows, and tell funny stories about each of the moms. Send them home with a pampering pack of spa products. If you don't have lots of friends with moms around, it can just be a tea party for the two of you. Prepare her favorite treats, and honor her.
   
   
3. A gift certificate for an activity that the two of you like to do together. Moms sometimes worry that when their daughter gets married, she won't have much time to do mother-daughter activities. So give her the gift of your time! Whether it's tennis lessons, an hour at a pottery studio, or a big bag of spring bulbs with the promise to plant them together, your mom will love the idea of spending time with you.
   
   
4. A photo album is always nice, but sometimes it puts the burden on the receiver to fill it and use it. I prefer to pre-stock the album with pictures I know the receiver will be glad to have. Consider the Kodak Photobook, or the Shutterfly Photo Book where they do all the work of putting the album together for you. A fun variation on this is the Photo Cookbook, a blend of favorite recipes and family photos.
   
   
5. It's hard to go wrong with jewelry. But make it extra special with a picture of the two of you inside a locket, a special phrase engraved on a bracelet, or a bead for each of her children. I especially like this pea-in-a-pod necklace, with a pearl for each of Mom's children in it.