Things to Do for Your Daughter on the Night Before Her Wedding
The night before your daughter's wedding is a tender, bittersweet time. On the one hand, you're losing your little girl. On the other, she's embarking on a new life and fulfilling her dreams. There are many simple things you can do to make the last night before the wedding a time your daughter will remember forever.
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Advice
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Advice is a gift that parents give continually, but it's especially poignant on the night before your daughter's wedding. It will likely be the last chance you have to talk to her uninterrupted before the wedding. If you think you might be too emotional to speak clearly, it might help to put your words of wisdom onto a pillow, plaque or photo and present them to your daughter. They don't have to be heavy; Dr. Alan Viau of A Wedding Chaplain's Journal notes that the only advice he gave his daughter and her new husband was to "not leave a bottle of wine open too long because it will go bad."
Heirloom
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The gift of a true family heirloom -- especially if your daughter doesn't know of its existence or wasn't expecting it -- is a meaningful gift. Her grandmother's wedding brooch, your own set of pearls, a 100-year old lace handkerchief or wedding Bible -- all such gifts confer a sense of continuity and the family's blessing on your daughter's marriage. Sometimes the gift of a traditional item, such as a "magic hanky" or a wedding coin, can be a whimsical alternative.
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Time Out
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Your daughter's wedding day will be a happy, but crazy time for both of you. You will have to share her with lots of other people and the activities will be non-stop. Making the night before her wedding quiet, relaxed and stress-free is a gift in itself. You might arrange for the two of you to have a relaxing massage followed by a quiet dinner at her favorite restaurant, or just spend the evening in front of the TV eating ice cream. The tranquility is what both of you will remember.
Personal Poem or Letter
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The gift that will probably mean the most to your daughter is a heartfelt poem or letter telling her what she means to you, how proud you are of her and how you wish her happiness in her new life. The best way is to write these words yourself, in your own handwriting. But if you don't think you can, or don't have a way with words, you can have a poet or a writer craft the words for you and present the poem or letter to your daughter on the night before the wedding. She will, most likely, cherish it more than any other gift she receives.
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References
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