Christmas is a time of joy, celebrations, family and friends. But the many reasons of the season often get forgotten under the craziness of gift giving. While gifts point back toward a generous and loving spirit, finding gifts to suit all your friends and family can present a stressful task.
Sound familiar? Weddings celebrate life, love and excitement for the future. But the planning and purchasing required to pull off such a beautiful event can lead to unnecessary stress. Just like Christmas, gifts often present a source of stress that affects everyone involved in a wedding.
Finding the perfect wedding gifts need not lead to stress anymore! We have compiled wedding gift ideas for every point in the wedding process that requires gifts, and for every individual that may deserve one. Are you the bride, the groom, the maid of honor, the mother of the bride or a guest? We’ve got you covered! This is a one-stop shop for wedding gift ideas!
Wedding Shower Gift Ideas:
The purpose of a wedding shower is to celebrate the bride-to-be with her closest female friends and family in anticipation of her big day. But this event also commemorates the first official gift-giving affair in the wedding process.
If you are the bride, make sure you are prepared! Set up your registry well before the shower in order for guests at the party to know and purchase what you really need and want. In order to decide where to register, consider these top ten online and in-store registry locations. Make yourself aware of the registry necessities, the registry basics and don’t make these mistakes!
If you are attending a wedding shower, familiarize yourself with the bride’s wedding registry. Straying from the wedding registry is not completely off limits if you are confident in the bride’s style and interests. And if the bride is a coffee-lover, a wine-aficionado or a dog fanatic, click on the links for gift ideas which match her passions.
Wedding Gifts Ideas (from the bride and groom):
…Bridesmaids Wedding Gift Ideas
Even if you are a low-maintenance bride, being a bridesmaid is a big responsibility. While the honor of being included in your wedding should, in theory, be compensation enough, a gift is still a nice gesture for each girl walking with you through the wedding process. Bridesmaids gifts should be more personal than pricey. Personal can mean literally creating cute personalized gifts, or selecting ones that relate back to your sisters’ (biological or not) interests. Check out our article, Bridesmaids Gifts That Will Be Treasured Forever, to get a general idea of some great options. Remember that any effort will have your bridesmaids saying, “Oh my!”
…Groomsmen Wedding Gift Ideas
Your bros will not expect you to give them a gift as a token of your appreciation. But if you happen to thank them in the form of presents, your groomsmen will probably not decline. Just like the ones for the bridesmaids, keep these gifts small and inexpensive. But if you truly want to express your gratitude to these men for standing beside you on your big day, it’s best to stay away from anything too cheap. We’ve compiled some groomsmen gift ideas to spark your thoughts, but remember that you know your friends best, so carefully consider their styles, tastes and interests and purchase gifts accordingly. And bride, leave your man to pick out the groomsmen gifts. Even if it is the thought that counts, there is a good chance these guys won’t want monogrammed baskets, bags or t-shirts.
…Parents Wedding Gift Ideas
For better or for worse, your parents have provided you with an example of what it looks like to live as husband and wife. While they may not always be the perfect couple, they have shown you that marriage is hard work, no matter how many years a couple has been together. Although there is no way you can return the favor to your parents for everything they have done for you, a great start is simply to recognize their influence in your life. When you were young, you may not have realized this influence, but now that you are older, you are probably coming to the realization that your parents are pretty cool. Don’t keep this discovery to yourself! Your wedding is a perfect excuse to tell your parents or parent figures how much they mean to you! Thank your mom or dad with gifts like these.
Unique Wedding Gift Ideas
While gifts are always appreciated, receiving all of the same type of gift can become laborious. You can be the source of relief that puts a smile on your friends’ faces by selecting an alternative gift for the bride and groom. Say no to the more traditional options such as a picnic basket, tote bag or side table. Stretch your imagination, consider a gift you would truly enjoy (but make sure that no matter how unusual the gift, it is still useful). Lucky for you, we’ve compiled a list of wedding gifts that are both unique and useful for the happy couple! The purchase information is included so all that’s left for you to do is wrap it!
Creative Wedding Gift Ideas
Aren’t unique and creative wedding gift ideas the same thing, you ask? No way! Unique gifts are unexpected, unlike anything else the bride and groom will receive for their big day. But creative gifts require a degree of artistry, the product of the gift-giver’s imagination. Creative wedding gifts often come in the form of DIY projects. Below we have compiled some of the most creative wedding gift ideas the do-it-yourself, homemade world has to offer!
- His and Her
Who can’t appreciate a good his and her gift? Unless you have been single for 1 too many years and have accumulated over 21 cats, you can probably look at his and her gifts with a smile on your face. Our article about these gifts can spark your imagination about a set you may want to make for the bride and groom. Then, head over to a site like Pinterest to figure out how you can replicate it! - Homey
Finding gifts for a newly married couple is relatively easy as two people become one. As a couple starts a new life together, there will be countless needs and wants to ensure that their home together feels like home! We have an article that lists some great homey gift options and, you guessed it, head over to Pinterest for the DIY steps!
There is really no limit to what you can do in the realm of DIY. Look over the best wedding gift options, arm yourself with the proper supplies and exercise your creativity!
Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas:
The wedding gifts never end if you are one of the blessed couples that enjoy long marriages. While guests are simply required to deliver one present to the appropriate gift table at the wedding reception, and bridal party gifts come to an end with the wedding, the bride and groom have to consider little things called anniversaries for 10, 20, 30, 40 50… years to come! Most anniversary years are marked by a traditional item, such as:
3: leather on the 3rd year
4: linen or silk on the 4th
5: wood on the 5th
6: iron on the 6th
7: wool or copper on the 7th
8: bronze on the 8th
9: pottery or china on the 9th
11: steel on the 11th
12: silk or linen on the 12th
13: lace on the 13th
14: ivory on the 14th
15: crystal on the 15th
16: topaz on the 16th
17: amethyst or citrine on the 17th
18: porcelain on the 18th
19: bronze on the 19th
20: china on the 20th
21: brass or nickel on the 21st
25: silver on the 25th
30: pearl on the 30th
35: coral on the 35th
40: ruby on the 40th
45: sapphire on the 45th
60: diamond on the 60th
These traditional items are typically not meant be taken literally, but rather to guide your gift choice. And don’t feel any pressure to follow the traditional guidelines if they are just going to sit around your house as decoration! You could save money by not purchasing gifts certain years (or by letting your grandparents in Florida play hostess for more affordable trips) and saving up for a fun gift to each other (like a destination vacation at a hotel right by the beach).
1st
You are not fifth, fourth, third or even second in your spouse’s life and heart. You are number one! Your first year of marriage is a big milestone, often referred to as the paper anniversary. While cotton is traditionally reserved for the second wedding anniversary in the United States, it is a traditional first anniversary gift in the United Kingdom. So, if a cotton-themed gift floats your boat, don’t wait for your 2nd year of marriage — go for it! Either way, paper and cotton are affordable options that allow you to celebrate your first year of marriage without breaking the bank.
First Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Her
- paper flowers
- paper jewelry
- cookbooks
- pillow
First Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Him
- rare comic book
- tickets to a concert
- love letters
- socks
10th
Ten, nine, eight, seven, six, five, four, three, two, one… you’ve made it through a decade of marriage! Congratulations! Tin and/or aluminum are the traditional modes of celebration for this tenth year of life together. While you need not feel restricted by this tradition, this year is actually relatively easy to achieve. You have nearly infinite options even within the tradition, as you can bless your spouse with any item made from tin or aluminum.
10 Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Her
- wind chime
- key chain
- peppermill
- cheese platter
10 Year Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Him
- beverage tub
- pocket knife
- bottle opener
- street sign
25th
25 years of marriage later and you’ve reached the silver wedding anniversary! By this point, you are probably fairly established in your career and fairly secure in your income. You have also realized that your love for your spouse has only grown over time. Use this anniversary as an excuse to treat your spouse, whether it be with a silver-themed gift or not. If you choose to opt out of the silver tradition, at least strive to surprise your other half with a gift of equal value to this precious metal.
25th Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Her
- jewelry
- frame
- silverware
- decorative plate
25th Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Him
- silver-rimmed glasses
- watch
- collar stays
- cuff link
50th
Few couples make it to their 50th year of marriage, so perhaps that is why it is often considered the golden wedding anniversary. This is not a time to be frugal or half-hearted in your gifts. Even if your spouse isn’t a big fan of gold, still splurge on them a little bit to show how much you care. 50 years of marriage is no easy task, so celebrate accordingly! An appropriate alternative to more traditional gifts could be a 50th anniversary party — spend the money you would have spent on gifts to get treasured family and friends together to celebrate this impressive milestone.
50th Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Her
- gold rose
- ring
- frame
- ornament
50th Wedding Anniversary Gift Ideas for Him
- pillow
- champagne glasses
- clock
- watch box
No matter if you have been married for 5 years or 45 years, have a family of your own or haven’t even thought of children, live right next door or way out of town, are Indian or from Australia, brother or sister of the happy couple, gay or lesbian, long planned or last minute… if you have stumbled upon this article, you have no excuse for not finding the perfect wedding gift! As you are setting a budget and sifting through these gift ideas, remember who all this hard work for. While carefully select items, remember that the present simply symbolizes how much you cherish the friend who will be receiving it. As you are wrapping the gift, remember how close you have become to that individual and determine to let marriage only strengthen and deepen your friendship and affection.
