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Dear Miss Bliss,

Seeing as I am only 10 days away from my wedding.... i was going to see if you could give me any good suggestions for parent gifts.... or how mandatory you think this is!?! I need your opinion!

Sincerely,

To Gift, or not to Gift?

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Great question ...but a tricky one too. Traditional gifts for parents usually include a really nice, professional framed (sometimes engraved) portrait of the bride, or talk with your photographer about putting together a beautifully bound album of some of your portraits. And, there's always the reliable "DIY" projects - get creative and make a photo memory book or scrapbook with pictures from childhood until now. We all know parents love handmade gifts (kind of like the drawings you used to come home from school with that they so proudly displayed on the refrigerator for years...) except this kind of "project" will last forever, giving them something to look back on when they're feeling down about their baby girl being all grown up.

Thoughtful Gifts

The Wedding Party Studio, Dallas

I enlisted the advice of a friend (and sensational wedding specialist) Robin Yeager at The Wedding Party Studio in Uptown. Here are her top picks - sentimental and budget friendly) for parents.

*The My Mom: Her Story. Her Words. interview journal will be a gift for moms that becomes a treasured family heirloom. Inside are questions to spark the memories of her life. Get to know your mom. Laugh with her, hear her stories and memories, honor and celebrate her life. Mothers and children of every age will treasure completing the My Mom: Her Story. Her Words. interview journal together.
And the The My Dad: His Story. His Words. interview journal will truly be a gift for dads that will be handed down to future generations. Inside are questions to spark the memories of his life. Get to know your dad. Laugh with him, hear his stories and memories, honor and celebrate his life. Dad and kids of every age will treasure completing My Dad: His Story. His Words. interview journal together. Each $9.95 at The Wedding Party Studio. 

*The Dad My Hero book: Through good times and bad, Dad was there for you to lift you to new heights, and to catch you when you fell. The Dad My Hero book is a wonderful way to tell him how you feel. Sentimental and inspiring, the Dad My Hero book features an amazing collection of quotations about fatherhood. It’s a timeless and touching tribute to a true hero.
$12.95 at The Wedding Party Studio

*---Mention you saw this blog @ The Wedding Party Studio and receive a special discount on your purchase & a complimentary set of embossed thank- you cards. Valid through 5/31/10---*

Rest & Relaxation

(Spa room @ the Stoneleigh Hotel)

Yes, you've been stressed... but so have your parents! Meeting photographers, calling the florist, double-checking appointments, patiently standing by while you decide on your dress, cake flavor, bridesmaids, decor, music.... the list goes on. They have been real troopers, and while you are away basking in the sun on a faraway island for your honeymoon, send them for a little TLC too.

Spa Packages - for him and her - or just for your mom if pops won't be seen in a spa, are the perfect gift to help them unwind after months of planning and preparation. One of my faves, the Spa at the Stoneleigh Hotel has a great variety of packages to choose from...

Vino, please!

Sign your parents up for a one-of-a-kind day of winemaking - at Vintner's Cellar in LakeSide Market. The Vintner staff will guide your folks through the entire wine making experience from tasting all the way through to bottling and assist them in the design of their own personal label - and you can choose from over 25 different varietals as the beginning point for your unique vintage or choose several varietals to make your custom blend. After all the work they've put into your Big Day, I'm sure they wouldnt mind toasting each other with their very own, custom-created wine.

And there you have it... a handful of ideas for your supportive, inspirational, loving and .... exhausted parents.

Happy Gifting,

• Miss Bliss's blog