Wedding Gifts: What To Buy And How Much To Spend
Marriage is such a beautiful thing
Marriage is such a beautiful thing. It is one of the world's oldest and most celebrated traditions. There is the love, the friendship, the commitment, and then of course, the wedding. Most people who decide to get married want to celebrate the momentous occasion with their friends and family. And so the plans begin. Within the first week the bride usually discovers that this event is more about everyone else then it is about her, and how many ridiculous demands she is going to have to cater to over the next year.
And then there are the guests. We all want to celebrate with the happy couple. We want to be there for them, and cherish the special time, but weddings can be expensive. Between dresses, tux rentals, engagament parties, bachelor/bachelorette parties, and wedding gifts other peoples weddings end up sending us into major debt. Not to mention those of us who have to travel to be there. That means flights, hotels, time off work, and every meal out. It's no wonder that brides and grooms try to throw such good parties- their guests deserve it!
Buying wedding gifts can be difficult, especially when at that point you're feeling rather broke. The registry is always a good place to start. Not only is it a list of items chosen by the couple themselves, but there is usually a wide selection of items to choose from. Guests working on a smaller budget might choose the salad servers or part of a silverware set. The trouble with those gifts is that they don't feel special. And while you know that you're contributing towards building a life of tea and dinner parties for the happy couple you want to give them something more distinctive then a teaspoon and salad fork.
Some alternative gift ideas are:
1. A weekend holiday for the newlyweds. Maybe put your money together with some friends and book the couple a flight to your favourite city, including the hotel, and a list of some of your favourite places to go there. Depending on how open minded the couple is, you might even want to go as far as pre-booking some nice dinners or afternoons out for them.
2. Something completely unique you've picked up on holiday. A handwoven blanket from Bali isn't expensive, but it's a beautiful, handwoven blanket from Bali. It's something that you can only get there, and it is something they will keep forever. One time I bought my friend (who loves to cook) a tagine (her husband is Moroccan). More then being symbolic of them, it was beautifully hand painted and something I knew that they would keep and enjoy.
3. A timeless gift. There are of course the gifts that will always be useful and appreciated, like silver candlesticks, a nice picture frame, or his and her cufflinks.
Buying wedding gifts is never easy, but if you think a little bit outside of the box, you are sure to find something special that they will always remember. And if you can't afford it all your own, get some of your friends in on it too.
by: Eddie Prentice
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