Invitations etcetera

Paperwork is part of the mother of the bride’s duties

What goes on the list?

Check your daughter’s gift list contains a big range of products at different prices. For guests there’s nothing worse than finding they can’t afford to buy anything on the list.

If your daughter is too busy to compile a list, confetti.co.uk’s gift list service can help. She can do it from home, using confetti.co.uk’s wedding book with 1,500 products.

Alternatively, she can set up a personalised wedding web page at My confetti.

A little bit of gentle mother of the bride bullying comes in handy when it comes to gift lists. Tactfully encourage people you know well to buy from the list, so the couple get at least some of the items they want. Ask your daughter which presents she most wants so you can suggest people buy these first.

Keep checking the list to ensure there are still gifts left to purchase. The bride may need to add more items, especially in the mid-price range. It’s worth adding some last minute extras for the disorganised!

For the bride who has everything

If this is your daughter’s second marriage or she’s been living with her partner for some time, they may already have everything for the house. But modern wedding gift lists can include just about anything from a scuba-diving course or spa treatment to salsa dance classes.

The list doesn’t need to be all unpatterned china and white bedlinen. It’s OK for your daughter to stamp her personality on her list.

See our confetti buyer’s guide to gifts and gift lists for some great ideas.

What should I give them?

Traditionally, parents buy the larger items on the list, such as a dishwasher or fridge freezer. But modern mothers of the bride might prefer to buy them a weekend away, their going away outfits or maybe a piece of jewellery.