Gift Grabby Brides and Grooms
There are many things that a bride or groom can do which will come across as looking greedy, even if that is not their intention. Anything that shifts focus away from the point of a wedding towards getting presents runs this risk. Some things are fine in moderation, but can cross the line if not done in good taste. The perfect example of this is the bridal shower. Having a small bridal shower with the bride’s bridesmaids, immediate family, and best friends is a perfectly fine wedding tradition, even though it is all about giving presents.
Where it becomes not-so-fine is when the bride starts demanding that people throw showers for her. Another problem with showers is when there are an excessive number of parties. One or two events (with different guests) is fine, but three, four, or five bridal showers is ridiculous. Previously married brides having bridal showers can also look gift grabby, as will any bride who is gauche enough to host her own shower. Something else that definitely crosses the line is a shower by mail, when there is no actual party, and the “guests” are expected to mail in presents. That is little more than social blackmail to get as many presents as possible.
Making any mention of gifts on the wedding invitation is another faux pas that can make you look gift grabby, even if you really are not. It has become more common in recent years to include bridal registry information on the invitations, but that has never been polite, and it still isn’t. It makes it appear too much like a gift is the price of admission to the event. Worse yet is to request “cash gifts only” on an invitation. It is truly offensive to most people, and they will suspect you of trying to get them to finance your wedding. Guests want to be able to choose a wedding gift, not pay for their reception dinner, the limo, or the bride’s wedding jewelry!
Anytime you are making it clear that you expect your wedding guests to give you cash, you are likely to cause offense. This is why so many people deem the money dance at the reception to be in poor taste. The couple can then put that money towards their honeymoon, paying for the wedding, or whatever. While the money dance is still relatively common in certain communities, it is a dying custom. There is something ridiculous about having a wedding that costs thousands of dollars and then demanding cash from your friends and family. Just have the wedding you can afford, and people will give you money if they want to.
Filed under Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: wedding etiquette, wedding gifts, Wedding Jewelry | Comment (0)Great Wedding Gifts for Every Season
For a spring wedding, get inspired by the blooming gardens. If the bride and groom own a home, a unique and thoughtful wedding gift is a flowering shrub for their yard. Even if you live far away, this gift can easily be arranged through a plant nursery or greenhouse in the bride and groom’s hometown. Some beautiful options include lilacs, rose bushes, hydrangeas, and azaleas, depending where the couple resides. A flowering shrub is a wonderful gift because it will be enjoyed year after year, and the couple will have fun watching it grow along with their marriage.
Summer is a popular time for outdoor activities, and this makes for some fantastic options for wedding gifts. A handsome wicker picnic hamper stocked with plates, cups, utensils, and napkins is an excellent wedding present. If you know that the bride and groom enjoy hosting summer barbeques or causal get-togethers, a great gift idea would be items for outdoor entertaining. It could be a nice set of grill tools, a set of festive casual dishes, or heavy trays and bowls in summery colors for serving food on the patio. If budget is not a concern, or you are going in on a large group gift, a deluxe new grill is a wedding present that is sure to please.
In the fall, people tend to “nest”, so good autumnal wedding gifts are those which are designed to enhance the comfort of the home. Cashmere or chenille throws for cozy evenings nestled by the fire are a great choice – just be sure to find out the color scheme of the bride and groom’s home before shopping. For the couple who likes to cook, appliances like bread makers and slow cookers are nice for making cozy fall dinners at home. If you prefer to give experience type of presents, a fun idea would be to treat the newlyweds to a weekend at a romantic country inn near their home. The bride will love the chance to put on a pretty dress and crystal earrings for those dinners for two with her groom in the dining room of the inn.
Winter weddings also have some great possibilities for presents for the bride and groom. Entertaining tends to be the most formal in the winter, so it would be a good time of the year to give a set of silver barware or a vintage set of cocktail glasses in rich jewel tones. For the couple who is having a Christmas wedding, a unique collection of handblown glass ornaments for their first tree as newlyweds would be a beautiful gift. It will be a special present that they will enjoy using every holiday season to come.
Filed under Wedding Jewelry, crystal bridal jewelry | Tags: crystal earrings, wedding gift ideas, wedding gifts | Comment (0)Creating a Modern Wedding Registry
These days, bridal registries go way beyond the department store. You can register for almost everything, from electronics to your wedding jewelry to your honeymoon. With registries scattered so far and wide, it can get hard for your guests to find them, which is why it is smart to include links to your lists on your wedding website. Never include registry details in a wedding or shower invitation, as that is considered to be quite rude. Limit yourself to two or three places maximum; anything more can come across as greedy, even if that is not your intention.
Every home needs beautiful things to fill it. While china might not suit your lifestyle, a great set of handmade pottery might be just the thing. This is your chance to upgrade the cheap chipped plates you have been using since college with something more durable and stylish. Or perhaps a set of dishes designed by a modern artist is your taste. Cool and unique place settings can be found at stores ranging from traditional department stores to discount shops to upscale home boutiques. If you opt for a store which is local rather than a chain, be sure that it will be easy for your out-of-town guests to order from them, lest your wish list sit unfulfilled.
Barware is a key component of many modern wedding registries. People love to give wedding gifts which are festive, so anything that can be used for entertaining is very likely to be purchased from your list. Request cocktail shakers and tools, stylish ice buckets, wine coasters, and heavy glasses. Both short and tall cocktail glasses are a must (also called old fashioned and highball glasses), as are red and white wine glasses. You will likely want a set of martini glasses for your bar, and possibly other specialty glasses like snifters, cordials, and dacquiri glasses. Stemless wine glasses such as those made by Riedel strike the perfect balance between modern form and timeless quality. When selecting barware, always consider the feel of the glass as well as its appearance. Heavier glass or crystal pieces will be more costly in the beginning, but will prove to be far more durable over the years.
Finally, don’t be afraid to think outside the box for your modern wedding registry. Why not ask for a piece of art or a very cool modern chair from an artist’s gallery? You may or may not receive some of the less traditional items from your list, but if nothing else it will give your guests a sense of your taste to help them select something that you will be delighted to receive. If that is all that happens, your registry will have done its job well.
Filed under Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry, Wedding Planning | Tags: Bridal registry, wedding gifts, Wedding Jewelry, wedding registry | Comment (1)Contemporary Wedding Gifts
There was a time not so long ago that every bride planning a wedding registered for the same basic things: china, crystal, silver, and linens. Many modern couples, though, are getting away from those sorts of registry items, finding them to be impractical with their lifestyles. Entertaining has become more relaxed, making the need for a set of fine china and crystal less common. Silver has become so costly that brides who do register for it most often find themselves with an incomplete set. Also, as couples are waiting longer to get married, they may already have a lot of the standard household items that used to be the bread-and-butter of bridal registries, such as sheets, towels, and of course, the ubiquitous toaster.
So what is a wedding guest to do when shopping for a gift? First of all, find out if the couple has registered somewhere. Most couples still do establish bridal registries, just not for the traditional items. Modern brides and grooms tend to prefer gifts that fit in with the way that they live their everyday life, so items like flat screen tvs and electronics have become very popular on registries.
Experience gifts are another trend. The honeymoon registry is one example of this. Guests can donate to a general fund, or purchase a particular experience, such as an afternoon of scuba diving or a day at the resort spa. This can be a fun way to help a couple who does not need any more household goods have a truly memorable honeymoon adventure. A word to the wise, though: many older guests are not comfortable a registry that requires a cash donation for a trip or a down payment on a mortgage, so it is smart to create a more traditional registry as well to give those guests options and suggestions.
Personal gifts can be nice too, and close family members of the bride and groom might think about offering to help a young couple with some part of their wedding as their gift. A grandparent might offer to contribute to the flowers. A special aunt might pay for the wedding cake or a set of jewelry for the bride. With this sort of gift, just be sure to get the input of the bride to make sure that it is the exact set of wedding jewelry or the particular cake that she has envisioned.
Traditional wedding gifts are always in good taste, but these days, there are many more options. Whether you decide to shop from a registry or strike out on your own, the parameters for appropriate wedding presents have expanded considerably over recent years. As long as you have the taste and lifestyle of the bride and groom in mind, you are sure to find a wedding gift that they will be delighted to receive.
Filed under Bridal Jewelry, Uncategorized, Wedding Jewelry | Tags: wedding gifts, Wedding Jewelry | Comment (0)
Wedding Engraving
A wedding is such a special occasion that it is only natural to want to find a way to create lasting memories of it. One great idea is to have pieces engraved; you can personalize everything from the wedding bands to the bridesmaid gifts to wedding presents. Here are some ideas on the things that you can have engraved for your wedding, as well as suggestions on what to write.
If you have only one thing engraved for your wedding, it should be the wedding rings. What you actually choose to put inside will depend on the size of the ring and your personal preferences, but you can generally expect to fit around 20 letters, spaces, and characters into a wedding band. If you are lucky, your jeweler may even throw in the engraving at no charge when you purchase the rings. The most traditional thing to put in a wedding band is the couple’s initials, with the wedding date in between them (you would put the bride’s initials first in the groom’s ring, and vice versa). Of course, feel free to be as expressive as you want with your mini-message. One of the funnier inscriptions that I have seen read, “Put this ring back on!”.
Gifts of bridesmaid jewelry are another wonderful thing to have personalized with an inscription. Sterling silver bracelets or necklaces with large flat charms make a thoughtful gift when engraved with the monogram of each bridesmaid. Classic gifts like engraved bridesmaid jewelry are the perfect way to express your gratitude to your attendants.
It is not only precious metals that can be engraved. Heavy glass and crystal can be inscribed as well, which leads to some great options for both wedding presents and groomsmen gifts. For the groomsmen, nice crystal or glass beer steins with their initials make handsome gifts. If you are a guest looking for a personalized wedding gift, think about something like a beautiful crystal bowl customized with the wedding date. There is nothing better than something that has been personalized with you in mind.
Filed under Bridesmaid Gifts, Bridesmaid Jewelry, Uncategorized | Tags: bridesmaid jewelry gifts, groomsmen gifts, wedding engraving, wedding gifts | Comment (1)