My Big Fat Engagement – Engagement Advice & Warnings

When you hear the term ‘wedding gifts’ you probably think of presents for the bride and groom but there are so many other gifts associated with weddings. Keep these gifts in mind when you are budgeting for your wedding… 

Gifts for the Wedding Party

Bridesmaids

Necklaces or Bracelets

This is a particularly great idea if you want them to match on your wedding day.

 

Flowergirl and Ringbearer

A really cool toy might just make up for the itchy outfits and waiting around that are unavoidable on the wedding day. 

Or you could buy that special little girl her first real piece of jewelry as a memento she will treasure forever!

Ushers

If your ushers are young and you want to keep them entertained a handheld video game might stop them from wandering off or sneaking drinks from the bar once their duties are over.

Groomsmen

For guys who like gadgets – an engravable USB Flash Key Chain that holds 512MB. 

Gift exchange between the Bride and Groom

Traditionally the Groom gives the Bride a gift on their wedding day. I didn’t get one, did you? I think this is more rare now that many couples contribute to their weddings financially. For example, we already had a house mortgage before our wedding that we had to make payments on, plus we were also saving for our honeymoon. Of course, a gift doesn’t have to cost lots of money – it’s still nice to get something from you man on the day of your wedding as a who of good faith that he’s actually going to be there when you walk down the aisle!

Ask Your Mom

Perhaps there is a piece of family jewelry you can pass on to your Bride. Earrings or a pendant (buy a necklace to go with it!). 

Some nice ideas for inexpensive but romantic gifts:

If you and your Bride spend a lot of time bantering back and forth by email, or if you’ve sent some really squishy mushy emails in the past you can make them in to a book. 

I did this for Valentine’s Day once – I just printed out the emails and then I made a front and back out of red construction paper. Hole punch everything and use some nice ribbon to bind it together to make a booklet. 

Or, there are companies that will do it for you: you can have a book made, with your messages and photos.

Give Her a Special Photo

If you have a photo of the two of you, get it framed or printed on canvas and present it to her: a meaningful keepsake from your dating days.

Below is an example of photos mounted on block (you order them like this from companies such as Bags of Love). You can also have your photo printed on canvas and stretched just like art hanging in a gallery (same company)!

 

 

Hostess Gifts for Engagement Party, Bridal Shower, etc.

Etiquette dictates that the engaged couple give a hostess gift to the hosts of parties thrown for them. Plus it’s just a nice way to say thanks for the trouble! If the host or hostess is also a member of the wedding party this isn’t obligatory (but still appreciated, I’m sure).

Take the Time to Match the Gift to the Host 

A gift is more meaningful if the recipient can tell that you put some effort into it. No, you don’t have to knit them a tablecloth by hand (unless you want to) but try to give your host something that matches their interests. Or, if you know they are busy too – you could give them something that will help them out. For example, you could offer to host her husband or daughter’s next birthday party (which hopefully is taking place several months after the wedding!). 

Too Exhausted from Wedding Planning to be Imaginative? Arrive with one of these gifts: 

A thank you card and a gift certificate for a restaurant is always nice (take the time to write something personal in to the card to compensate for the impersonal gift certificate).

Flowers are nice, too. (Even nicer if a nice vase is accompanying them!)

A new CD is always exciting.

Note: if it’s a potluck and you bring a snack this does not count as your hostess gift! 

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