While cash is always welcome and e-gift cards will rarely go unspent, there is still something special about a physical wedding gift. Whether it be practical or personal, experimental or experiential, the feeling of unwrapping a personalized wedding gift is far more thrilling than receiving an email or check.
So, if a whole host of weddings are beginning to fill up your social calendar, then it could be time to squirrel away a few ideas. Pair any of the 15 charming choices below with a wedding card – recently addressed in “What to Write in a Wedding Card”! – and you can expect a heartwarming thank you card in response. Read on to see what’s wound up in this round-up!
Toasting Flutes
Most of the wedding day is spent raising a glass – both literally and metaphorically – to the newlyweds, wishing them well on their biggest adventure yet. But if you want to foster further celebrations and give them everything they need for a private toast, then a set of engraved champagne flutes will keep the party flowing. Whether they pop open the bubbly right away or treat themselves to a nightcap on their next anniversary, the cheerful clink of glasses will bring memories pouring back.
Honeymoon Luggage
Even when the wedding rollercoaster has come to an end, married couples still have the honeymoon to look forward to. To ramp up the excitement even further, then, why not furnish them with a set of coordinated check-in or carry-on luggage? This is a cute way to bid them adieu, and for best results, personalize it with their married names or a pleasant “Bon Voyage!” luggage tag. Both partners will be beaming with pride when this piece appears on the carousel!
Coffee Makers
The love between a newly married couple is something to behold; but the love between a couple and their coffee machine can be pretty special too. To make the honeymooners’ return to the post-wedding grind easier to handle, pick up a programmable coffee brewer, like the Ninja 12-Cup. Both partners can hit the ground running with a hot mug of java in the morning, or one partner can schedule it for the other as part of “The Right Way to Do Breakfast in Bed.”
Personalized Doormats
For many newly established spouses, marriage also means moving into a new home. And while that can be a tricky process to negotiate, we think the fun of putting your own stamp on a house or apartment outweighs any downsides! To get the couple started on their home décor journey, a personalized doormat bearing their family name, wedding date, or an upbeat greeting (“Home Sweet Home”; “Good Vibes Only!”) would be most welcome.
Bath Robes and Towels
Everyone gets treated like a king or queen on their wedding day – and we think the newlyweds should get to live in the lap of luxury a while longer! Present the couple with high-quality bath towels and bath robes, and every mundane shower or shave will feel swish and snug. Plus, you can add that newly minted couple’s monogram to the robe and towel as well – communicating a very big change through a very small detail.
Cutting Boards
Of course, the newlyweds are going to share many meals in this house too (expect a few disputes about who’s on dinner duty). To enhance their experience of peeling, slicing, and dicing as a team, serve up a customized cutting board, complete with a monogram, photo, or an etched drawing. This extra personality will make it stand out among the other kitchenware they receive – better than another blender, for sure – and set the tone for future family gatherings!
Couple’s Mugs
Not all wedding gifts need to be expensive or lavish; the thought is always what counts. Take a pair of companion mugs, for example: they’re unlikely to break the bank, but are appropriate when you know champagne and toasting flutes wouldn’t be this particular couple’s cup of tea. With their signature mugs in hand, each partner will feel ready to take on the day – and to continue doing so, for the rest of their lives!
Subscription Boxes
Several of these wedding gift ideas could be described as “the gift that keeps on giving,” but this is especially true of a subscription box. Register the lucky couple with a themed delivery service – whether it be beer, board games, food, or books – and they can receive a curated package monthly, bimonthly, or quarterly. This could be a thoughtful way to commemorate the activity or interest that brought the couple together.
Memory Binders
The memories a couple makes on their wedding day are likely to stay with them forever. At the same time, a physical reminder of those moments – something they can cherish as dearly as their memories – is still a good idea. Seek the help of other guests for this project, and ask them to donate letters, photos, or even small favors. Then capture their contributions within the pages of a wedding memory album literally bound to tug at the heartstrings!
Picnic Baskets
As spectacular as the wedding day might be, most couples are also looking forward to some downtime, too, allowing them to bask in each other’s company and revel in the romance of it all. And what could be more idyllic than an intimate picnic – complete with a premium, handwoven hamper, courtesy of Picnic Time? For a sumptuous final touch, stock this wicker basket full of cheese, chocolate, and other produce listed in “International Picnic Day Ideas.”
Spa Treatments
On the other hand, if you’d rather your friends or loved ones went further afield than, well, a field, then a spa treatment or weekend getaway is a delightful way to help them unwind. Schedule a couple’s package with Giftory – think soothing side-by-side massages and exclusive leisure facilities – or book a night at a resort near you for a private retreat. The experience will be romantic and rejuvenating, allowing both partners to decompress after the wedding planning frenzy!
Photo Plaques
The best wedding photographers can capture stolen glances and giddy asides on the big day without making themselves too conspicuous. The best wedding party members, then, make those photographs the basis for a photo plaque. Upload a favorite snapshot and then add a date or message to personalize it further. The piece will adorn their mantel for years to come, as a testament to their relationship – and to you, their friend, for thinking of it!
Christmas Ornaments
Are you attending a winter wedding in the next few months, or is there a couple you know celebrating their first Christmas together? With a personalized holiday ornament, you can congratulate them in both scenarios – simply add their names or a favorite photo to the template, and slip it into a velvet pouch for an enchanting reveal. Even when other Christmas decorations are discarded or hoisted into the attic for another year, expect your ornament to stand the test of time…
Wedding Clocks
Much like this suggestion, in fact. By giving the couple a wedding clock, you offer them a sneak preview of their lives to come – when they both leave for work at 9AM, have a family dinner at 6PM, and continue to wake each other snoring at 2AM. Apply a photo from the day to the clock background and it becomes a consistent reminder of that special day, drawing the couple back to what they were doing at each moment.
Cameo Videos
If you simply can’t express your happiness at the news that your friends are getting married, then it might be time to enlist some help! On Cameo, you can request that a celebrity send the couple a congratulatory message – wishing them luck for the future, recalling a funny anecdote, or delivering their best-known catchphrases. Be sure to plan this wedding gift in advance, in case your celebrity of choice is in high demand, and provide as much information as you can in the brief!
The list above should cater for every kind of budget and interest, but if you want even more marriage gift suggestions, check out “5 Unconventional Wedding Gifts & The Etiquette In Giving Them.” Let us know in the comments below what you chose, or tell us about the best wedding gift you received!
Eoin is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork. He’s recently bought a house with his fiancée, and thus most of his time these days is spent trying to keep the walls from caving in and the wolves from the door. Still, he’s always open to book, game, and movie recommendations, so if you have some, let him know: he’ll add them to a very, very long list.
