Tuesday
Jul272010
3rd Anniversary Present
Tuesday, July 27, 2010 at 08:00AM 
Dear YOU + ME*,Our daughter and son-in-law are celebrating their 3rd anniversary soon. What are some gift ideas that would say "you are special and we wish you many more years of happiness together" and still be something they could use often?
Thanks,
J.
Dear J.,
Ah, the ever-present "what's a special but useful gift" conundrum. The traditional present for the third anniversary is leather, but we think that there are better (and perhaps more appropriate) gifts for you to consider. Here are some ideas for gifts that your daughter and her husband might like:
The couple's wedding vows rendered in super-pretty calligraphy would be a great gift--by three years of marriage, perhaps the wedding is not in the forefront of their minds. Having this to hang in the entryway or some other conspicuous place would be a pretty way to remind them of the vows that they made to each other three years ago.
Ah, the ever-present "what's a special but useful gift" conundrum. The traditional present for the third anniversary is leather, but we think that there are better (and perhaps more appropriate) gifts for you to consider. Here are some ideas for gifts that your daughter and her husband might like:
The couple's wedding vows rendered in super-pretty calligraphy would be a great gift--by three years of marriage, perhaps the wedding is not in the forefront of their minds. Having this to hang in the entryway or some other conspicuous place would be a pretty way to remind them of the vows that they made to each other three years ago.
Calligraphy Wedding Vows by Dancing PenIf they've started a family, what about giving them this super-sweet family tree? It comes in tons of colors, and is totally customizable.
Custom Family Tree-Blue by cozyblueIf they're into entertaining, you might consider a piece from Jessica Rust. She's our favorite go-to gal for wedding presents. Elisabeth gave us a set of hers for our wedding, after I had been ordering them left and right for other friends but not for myself. The fact that we had individually found them and fallen in love with them made it seem even more like we were destined to be friends.
One last thought is that it may have been a while since your daughter and her husband had their picture taken together by someone who knows their way around a camera. What about treating them to a portrait session? (This one was taken by Max Wanger, who I am in serious awe of today. See the rest of this session here, and stay tuned, because tomorrow you are going to get a little extra Wednesday love with something Wanger-related that will knock your proverbial socks off).
As a reminder, YOU + ME* styles photo shoots, too, so if you really want to go the distance, let us help your daughter and son-in-law show their true style in the shoot! You can visit our website for details.Congrats to your daughter and son-in-law, and congrats to you for being such a thoughtful mom/mother-in-law!
xo,
YOU + ME*
YOU + ME*
tagged gives
gives 
Reader Comments (3)
I LOVE these gift ideas. I wish my parents had read your blog before sending us a heart-shaped crystal dish for our third anniversary!
Crystal can be useful if you rethink it! If it's small, use it to store jewelry on top of your dresser. If it's pretty and fairly flat, get a plate hanger and hang it on your wall. If it's big and bowl-y, fashion up some http://dolciodille.blogspot.com/2009/12/diy-project-fabric-poms.html" rel="nofollow">fabric poms in your favorite colors, place the dish on your dining room table/mantel/etc. and fill 'er up!
I also love the idea of http://www.etsy.com/listing/51473480/custom-double-fingerprint-paper-cutting" rel="nofollow">this custom paper cut of the couple's fingerprints that was featured today on Design*Sponge.