Bridal Shower and Wedding Gifts
Many brides- and grooms-to-be register for gifts, and there’s nothing wrong with that. But watching the bride open her twelfth place setting in a row can be a bit tedious – not only for the guests but for the bride as well. Yes, she’s grateful she’s getting the items she asked for. Yes, she will put them to good use. But thinking outside the box can provide useful gifts while adding a little variety. *Affiliate links are within this post.
Mix and Match
Try using the registry as a starting point, rather than the only option. If there are several items that relate to each other on the registry list, such as kitchen utensils or baking supplies, group them together. Make a gift basket or simply wrap things together. Add a cookbook that links the theme, or some kitchen towels that coordinate. Include favorite family recipes or tips for a more personal gift.
Spice things up by buying a set of sheets from the registry and throwing in a piece of lingerie and some candles. Pick up some bath towels and include a bottle of bubble bath and massage oil or his and her bath robes.
For couples who entertain, pick platters or serving ware items from the registry and tie them together with items that may not be on their list – novelty salt and pepper shakers or spreading knives. Include a book on entertaining, fabric napkins, tablecloth or even food products, such as specialty salsas or chocolates.
Quirky Ideas
Pick a theme and run with it.
- Warm Winter Nights: Get a box of fire logs, blankets, and candles. Include a poem or saying, such as “May love always warm your hearts.”
- Honeymoon Help: Make a honeymoon-themed gift and include items that relate to the couple’s honeymoon destination. For example, suntan lotion and beach towels for a tropical locale or tour books and maps for a tourist locale. Get creative and look for items that relate to the specific destination, such as a mini Eiffel tower figure for a trip to Paris. Don’t forget honeymoon necessities for any location: lingerie, candles, massage oil and bubble bath.
- Game Time: For couples who like fun and games, look into the idea that best suits their tastes. Couples who enjoy sports may enjoy accessories that relate to their favorite sport, such as golf clubs or tennis racquets, books on hiking trails or fishing poles. Or purchase tickets for a local or professional team. Look into board games and puzzles for couples who prefer a night in. For video game buffs, consider a gaming system along with games and accessories.
Get Sentimental
Picture frames are nice, but personalizing that picture frame with the couple’s names and wedding date is even nicer. If pictures of the couple are available, include one in the frame as well. Or enclose the wedding invitation as a memento. Put together a scrapbook of the couple growing up – together, and separate. Baby pictures get guests smiling, and for a couple just starting out on their own, they can be a welcome reminder of where they came from. Include mementos and memories written among the pictures.
Visit a store that specializes in personalization, such as Things Remembered, and have something engraved or embroidered with the couple’s names and wedding date as a keepsake. This can also be used in conjunction with one of the themes above: add a personalized blanket to Warm Winter Nights or a personalized chess set to Game Time.
Get creative and think about the couple. What will they use? What do they enjoy doing?
