Giving wedding gifts isn’t as simple as it used to be. The trends have changed so much that the couple may prefer intangible gifts rather than something to fill up their new home. If you’re close to the bride and groom, you need to step up your game and get them the gift they’d appreciate the most.
This task may be easier said than done, so below are a few ideas to get you started. These are a mixture of pricey and inexpensive options, so you may pick and choose whichever one seems best:
1. Membership Cards
Memberships to places or services can be quite expensive, but they’re a gift that would keep on giving. Unlike that expensive crockery set, your gifted membership to any fun location could give the newlywed couple hours of fun without the hassle.
There are also many inexpensive options for subscriptions, such as for magazines. However, they’ll still be a gift that would keep getting renewed every month. Even some museums or galleries have subscriptions, as do some buying/selling websites.
Weddings are usually very stressful events, with the honeymoon being no better. You friend would surely love a chance to sit down with their favorite magazine or stroll around a museum. These pastimes are ultimately calming and might even be improving to the mind. However, make sure you get a subscription that matches their tastes.
2. Gift Cards
Gift cards of any kind could come in very handy for a new couple, especially if they haven’t learned how to manage money yet. Some people may think of gift cards as useless when one can just give cash, but they might be missing the point. Gift cards give the recipient a chance to enjoy or purchase something without the guilt of spending money on it.
Convenience is also a major factor when giving gift cards. For instance, you may want to give the couple a card for a cab company. This would allow them to call a ride and go wherever they want when on their honeymoon. You would, of course, have to make sure that the gift card applies within their honeymoon destination.
Another useful gift card could be for furniture or home décor store. This would be very handy for couples who want to renovate their home or start setting it up. This gift would get them just what they need to finish up their projects.
3. An Experience
The millennial mindset is now geared more towards experiences than material objects. Gifting a young couple an expensive decoration piece would probably give them a few hours of pleasure and maybe a couple of good pictures. However, gift them a hot air balloon ride, skydiving lessons, or a cruise, and they’d have the opportunity to take thousands of pictures. The memories and knowledge gained would last a lifetime.
Find out if your friend has always had a dream to experience a certain thrill or adventure. You can then search for packages that offer these services in your area. Make sure the recipient can change up the dates and set them according to their requirements, though. An experience gift should be availed when convenient, not rushed or missed due to an awkward date.
4. A Personalized Basket
Personalized and customized items always hold a place in the recipient’s heart. You would hence find it hard to go wrong with a whole basket, hamper, or box full of personalized goodies. These could be a pair of cushions, slippers, mugs, a clock, key chains, and even T-shirts for both the bride and groom.
Such items are not too expensive as a rule, but you have to be certain that they’re something the couple would enjoy. This is one gift that’s fun to receive and use as well. It might even lead to an unboxing video that would preserve the memory forever.
5. Travel Vouchers
You may not have the budget to pay for an entire vacation, but travel vouchers could help your friends pay for a quick getaway. They’d probably need something like this every now and then when things start to get a bit monotonous. The wedding and honeymoon could lead to an anti-climactic feeling afterward so that a small weekend trip may be the perfect gift.
The travel vouchers would enable the couple to get into their car and drive off without worrying about expenses. Again, you may think that cash would serve the same purpose, but the vouchers would actually force a couple to go out and spend some quality time together.
6. Keepsake Boxes
If you want to splurge on just one very special personalized item, let this be a keepsake box. You can get a metal one or any other material that could be sure to last a long time. Getting the names of the couple carved into the lid is also a nice touch, as would be adding the wedding date.
Inside this keepsake box, the bride and groom can store any bits and pieces they feel symbolizes their journey together. These may include a ribbon from the wedding bouquet, a brooch from the wedding dress, and the rose from the groom’s pocket. This box would slowly hold a lot of treasure that one can take out late and reminisce over. It would hence be an invaluable gift for any couple getting married.
7. Reservations
You can also keep it simple and get the couple reservation at their favorite restaurant or any place that they’ve wanted to try out. Pay for their meal beforehand or give them a voucher so they can order whatever they like. Finding time after the wedding may be one of the most challenging tasks for a new couple. With this gift, you’d be giving them a good meal and the pleasure of each other’s company.
A dinner or lunch reservation is an excellent way to help the couple celebrate their new life together. This way, they will get a reason to go out instead of staying home every single night. In the early stages of marriage, this chance is more important than they might realize. In any case, they’d be grateful for the opportunity provided by you.
8. A Spa Day
Getting a spa voucher for your newlywed friend is a great idea, especially if they’re stressed out about their wedding. You could set the spa date for the couple just after their wedding, so they get to relax a bit before heading out for their honeymoon. Since many millennials now prefer to delay their honeymoons, there should be a wide range for them to choose their own convenient days.
You may also set up a spa date for the bride to get ready before the big day. Professional services are pricey, so you’d be doing her a favor by taking away some of that financial stress. You can also go with her and a few other girls in a group and make a whole day out of it. Catching up after weddings is hard and this time might be one of the few high points before your lives change.
9. Makeup
There are many brides who may never have given much thought to makeup until they got married. They might want to put in a little extra effort now but could be at a loss when it comes to the actual buying of makeup and applying it. You can do her a good turn by gifting some well-chosen branded must-have items before the wedding arrives. If you’re an expert yourself, you can enhance your gift by showing her how to apply makeup professionally. Barring that, you may get her some makeup classes.
A few quality items are a much better idea than those huge makeup kits. The latter may have questionable ingredients and poor pigmentation. Look around on some makeup blogs or ask the to-be bride which makeup items she’s short of.
10. Cash
If you’re really stumped for a wedding gift, there’s always cash. Very few couples would be disappointed to see a fat envelope stuffed with money that they can use in any way they want. They might want to start saving for a major purchase or appreciate the extra cash to spend on their honeymoon.
Sending cash is also among the easiest options when it comes to wedding gifts. You don’t have to think much about the packaging or how you’d send it. Even a wire transfer would work, as long as the money’s getting to the intended recipients. This way, you can send your gift no matter where you’re located on the globe.
Conclusion
There’s enough stress before and on the wedding as it is. Make sure your gift is something that the newly wedded couple would enjoy. Sharing some of their financial burdens or allowing them an opportunity to relax would hopefully make any couple very pleased. The above list is by no means exhaustive, so feel free to take inspiration from it when planning your special wedding gift.