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What Are Some Good Wedding Gift Ideas?
Tricia Christensen
Tricia Christensen
Many people look for unique wedding gift ideas, and though giving something truly special to a newly married couple is always nice, you may not want to stray far from registry lists. In fact, if the couple has been so good as to provide guests with a gift registry, it makes sense to choose a gift you know they want. This helps to eliminate guesswork and will give you plenty of ideas from low price to high that a new couple is sure to appreciate.
On the other hand, not all couples have gift registries, so you may need to think a little harder to come up with gift ideas. The first place to start in this thinking process is to consider the couple. A young couple establishing their first home together may need just about everything for their new life together. Think of the variety of kitchen items the couple might need: pots and pans, cutlery, small kitchen appliances, cookbooks, everyday plates, cups, glasses, flatware, and so much more. Alternately, you might want to help supply the couple with other things needed for most households, like bed and bath linens and accessories. If the engaged couple is expecting, consider burp cloths, U-shaped pregnancy pillows, baby care items, and more. It's never too early to start stocking up on these items, and it's the perfect gift if you're completely clueless on what to get the parents.
Some couples will enter marriages fully supplied with most basic household items, but you can still find things for the household that the couple may not have. For instance, consider purchasing the latest kitchen gadget, a quality espresso machine, or a very fancy blender. Other wedding gift ideas for the couple that already has most basic things include picture frames, which will be great for framing wedding pictures, decorative vases, or attractive coffee table books. Think about the couple’s interests and you may also find other gifts you can give: nights out to a favorite restaurant, a gift certificate for golfing, a donation to the couple’s favorite charity, or a Blu-ray™ player and some classic movies.
One gift that never goes out of style is cash. When you’re really stumped for gift ideas, chances are the couple will know just what they’d like to get with any cash you provide. If you’re giving this type of gift to a younger couple, you might consider sending it a few weeks ahead of the wedding. Then the couple can decide to use it however they’d like, for not only acquiring household things, but also possibly extending their honeymoon or expanding their budget for their wedding day.
You can of course get more creative with wedding gift ideas. If you’ve got time on your hands, you could gather photos of the couple and make them a photo collage, or try to get a photograph of both members of the couple when they were the children, and frame them side by side. Perhaps you have an antique or family heirloom the couple has always loved that you’d like them to enjoy now, or you could give a piece of original art from an artist that the couple very much admires.
It always helps to think about what you think the couple would most like. It can also be something really convenient and practical. For instance, if the engaged couple is expecting, nothing should stop you from getting them something like a pregnancy pillow to help with the discomfort of carrying a child or onesies with a greeting from their unborn child. If you’re really unsure of their tastes, it may be best to stick with registries, and if they’re starting their first home, be assured they will need just about everything they ask for. When you know the couple very well, you might want to strike out on a less traditional path and provide them with a unique wedding present that they can treasure for years.
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent InfoBloom contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
Learn more...
Tricia Christensen
Tricia has a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and has been a frequent InfoBloom contributor for many years. She is especially passionate about reading and writing, although her other interests include medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion. Tricia lives in Northern California and is currently working on her first novel.
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AS FEATURED ON:
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![Some people prefer cash for a wedding gift.]()
By: charles taylorSome people prefer cash for a wedding gift. -
![The couple's wedding registry may include pots and pans.]()
By: karandaevThe couple's wedding registry may include pots and pans. -
![There may be a particular kitchen gadget, like the latest blender, that the couple wants.]()
By: popoimagenThere may be a particular kitchen gadget, like the latest blender, that the couple wants. -
![The couple might enjoy some new picture frames for their home.]()
By: picsfiveThe couple might enjoy some new picture frames for their home. -
![Many people give cutlery as a wedding gift.]()
Many people give cutlery as a wedding gift. -
![A specialty cookbook could make a welcome wedding gift.]()
By: Vivian SeefeldA specialty cookbook could make a welcome wedding gift. -
![Couple's often rely on monetary gifts to help offset the cost of a reception.]()
By: shotsstudioCouple's often rely on monetary gifts to help offset the cost of a reception. -
![Newlyweds might enjoy a machine for making espresso.]()
By: Alessandro CapuzzoNewlyweds might enjoy a machine for making espresso. -
![Appliances like waffle makers are a nice gift idea for the bride and groom.]()
By: VoyagerixAppliances like waffle makers are a nice gift idea for the bride and groom. -
![A handmaid quilt is one idea for a wedding gift.]()
By: Catherine JonesA handmaid quilt is one idea for a wedding gift. -
![Dishware is a nice idea for a wedding gift.]()
By: Petrov VadimDishware is a nice idea for a wedding gift. -
![Some couples start a gift fund to help finance a romantic honeymoon.]()
By: Daddy CoolSome couples start a gift fund to help finance a romantic honeymoon.
Discussion Comments
If you know that a couple is lacking something big, like a washer, dryer, or television, then these would make great wedding gift ideas. If you can afford it and the couple is special to you, then something as big as this would make them grateful to you forever.
My father-in-law knew that my fiancee and I had no washer and dryer. He had been living in a furnished apartment, and I had been living with my parents, so we had no major appliances to speak of.
He took us shopping and paid for the washer and dryer himself. We got the ones we wanted, because we got to pick them out.
Also, my parents decided to get us a refrigerator. Without their generosity, we would have been eating canned goods for months!
All the best wedding shower gift ideas, in my opinion, can be found on the couple's registry. If you get them something that they haven't requested, then you risk either getting them something that they already have or don't need. If you buy from the list, you know for a fact that they will be happy with your wedding gift.
@Belted – My friend and I had to come up with some cheap wedding gift ideas when we were shopping for our other friend while still in college and working only part-time. What we settled on was something that anyone could appreciate.
We bought a laundry basket and filled it with everyday household needs. Tissue boxes, cleaning solution, deodorizing spray, dryer sheets, and a host of other items filled the basket to the brim.
It wasn't a glamorous gift, but it was something she could use for months to come. Also, the laundry basket itself could be used for years!
Close friends can come up with the most special wedding gift ideas. One of my good friends actually introduced me to my husband, and we all went out on a double date that first night to a ball, of all things!
My friend took a photo of my date and I on that night, and the next year at our wedding reception, she presented us with the 8x10 framed photo. This was a gift that no one else in the world could have given us, and we treasured it.
I think it's great to give personalized gifts whenever possible. If you have any relics of those first few weeks that the couple spent together, by all means, gift them!
Can someone give me some ideas for inexpensive wedding gift ideas? I have to go to four different wedding this season and I simply don't have the money to buy a fancy gift for each one.
At the same time though, I don't want to look cheap. I love and respect these people and I don't want to give them junk to celebrate their wedding. Any ideas?
One unusual but classy wedding gift idea is to give the couple a nice assortment of spices. Everyone needs them, but they can be expensive and sometimes lost in the hustle and bustle of setting up a new life together.
The best wedding gift will depend a lot of the bride and groom and the type of wedding they are having. For instance, I had some friends get married a few years ago. They are both kind of wacky and artistic. They also both come from big, fairly affluent families.
So I knew that they would get through their wedding with all the pots and pans they needed and probably a nice little nest egg of cash/money. That left me free to do something creative so I made them a book. I knew they would like it, and also not regret getting something that they couldn't really use.
There are two items couples can never have too many of: towels and sheets. There is no such thing as too many bath towels or wash cloths, and everyone appreciates a nice sheet set with a high thread count.
Handmade gifts can be a great option, especially if money is a concern. If the couple likes to cook, it is fairly easy to make a nice cookbook. Get family members to share their favorite recipes. You can also have them leave a little message for the couple. Be sure to leave some blank space for new recipes to be added later on.
@spasiba, You're right, it's okay to give a wedding gift after the wedding. Up to one year after the wedding according to traditional etiquette. If you are planning to use the registry it would be better to get the gift sooner to be sure it is still on the registry.
If you are planning a special gift for the young couple and do not have the time to get it to them before the wedding, I have learned that it is fine to give the gift later on, after the wedding.
As a matter of fact it is never too late to give the gift, however, the sooner the better.
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