Contemporary Wedding Gifts

August 4th, 2009

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.

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Wedding Engraving

July 4th, 2009

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.

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