Gift Ideas - Just a Token

Deciding on a gift for a bridal shower, engagement or wedding can be tricky, even if you know the bride and/or groom well.
Check out some suggestions below…

Gift Ideas – Weddings

Let’s start by taking a look at a few simple steps to get you started…
- Step #1. Check to see if they’re registered.
  - While not all couples register, if they have, it simplifies your options a great deal.
  - It’s definitely ok to go with your own gift idea but keep in mind that when it comes to material goods, it’s best to keep to the couple’s wishlist as needs and individual preferences can vary widely. Don’t assume just because you like something that your giftee will as well.
- Step #2. Think about what they might NEED
  - Whether your couple is using an eclectic mix of hand me down dishes, they’re suffering from sleep deprivation due to their old bed or they’ve been using milk crates as bookcases for years, weddings often inspire upgrades.
  - If you’re looking for a little inspiration have a look at a few common categories: appliances, books & office supplies, bed & bath, electronics, furniture and kitchen.
  - Opting to just give money is a very acceptable choice, especially if you’re not quite sure what to get them. There will be loads of unexpected expenses like stamps for the thank-you cards or dry cleaning their wedding day attire. Having some extra cash handy will be appreciated by every couple.
- Step #3. Consider what they might WANT
  - Tried and true options:
    - Flowers
  - Activities they can do as a couple:
    - Organize a picnic or give them a picnic basket/backpack (either purchased or self-assembled) so they can get away for a romantic afternoon.
    - Find a photoshop (either local or online) that will convert a picture of the couple onto a puzzle and let them reassemble it together.
    - Specific couple activities:
      - Glow in the dark products (use your imagination on options here)
      - Sexy activity books, card games, sexy dice games…
      - Couples massage
    - Get them a cookbook for couples
    - Give them a gift certificate for classes together. Whether it’s for dance lessons before the big day or that Thai cooking class they keep talking about, classes are a great way for the couple to spend time together.
    - Send them on an adventure together (Via Ferrata, ziplining, Segway tours, hot air balloon, race car driving, escape room adventure)
    - Get a group to all chip in for a romantic night out of town or a sunset cruise.
    - Check with your local observatory for events that you can send the couple to see (eg: meteor showers, comets, planets, eclipses).
  - Personalized gifts:
    - Monogrammed gifts. You can monogram just about anything these days (blankets, coasters, cutting boards, doormats, glassware, keychains, kites, pens, picture frames, pillow slips, stationery, etc).
    - His & hers paraphernalia. Again, the options are numerous (robes, mugs, towels, etc).
    - Stamps.
      - Postage stamps. These can be personalized with a picture of the new couple. It’s a perfect gift for those thank you letters they’ll soon be writing.
      - Return address stamp
      - Wax seal stamp with the new couple’s initials
    - Are you crafty?
      - Make and/or paint a commemorative plate with the wedding date on it.
      - Sew a quilt for the new couple
      - Make them a slideshow with pictures obtained from their family and friends. Don’t forget to include shots from when they were kids and, if they have a good sense of humour, embarrassing pictures are always entertaining (eg: wearing underwear on their head as a toddler).
  - Consumable options:
    - Alcohol (Champagne, wine, Scotch, whiskey, tequila, etc)
    - Edible arrangements and sweets (chocolate covered strawberries, cupcakes…)
    - Consider buying them ingredients for their favorite meal, dessert or cocktail so they can make it together.
  - Making memories:
    - Pool together with other people and contribute to a session with a professional photographer. If you’re a budding photographer, offer to take some photos of the happy couple.
    - Engrave a frame and/or print out your favourite shot of the couple.
    - Create a scrapbook. Fill it with pictures of the two of them or let them add their own shots.
    - Purchase or make your own “about us” book where they can write down their story.
    - Name a star in their honour.
  - Gifts for the honeymoon
    - Hotel reservations at their destination
    - Luggage for the trip
    - Put together a small care package for them to take on their honeymoon. For instance, if they’re going someplace warm, you could wrap up sunscreen, his & hers flip flops and a (bought or homemade) book on how to make great sandcastles.
- Still not sure what to give? Give some thought to the couple’s story…
  - How did they meet? Was it at a baseball game? Get them tickets for another game.
  - Where was their first meal? Get them a gift card for that restaurant.
  - Do they share hobbies? If they love dogs, donate to the local humane society. If they share a passion for performing arts, get them some event tickets.
  - Where have they traveled? Pick up a world map, mark the places they’ve been together and give them pins to add all the future destinations.
  - Do they come from the same hometown? Get them jam that was made in their home province or state.
  - Do they have a quirky story? Use that to build a unique and personalized gift.
- Think outside the box:
  - Tell them they can “put down roots” with gardening tools or plant a tree in their name.
  - Say they can “weather any storm” with an umbrella.
  - Tell them they’ve been “struck by Cupid’s arrow” and send them to the local archery range for a fun afternoon.
- Don’t live near your giftee? Think about gifts that keep on giving like a gift of the month subscription. There are tonnes of options out there (eg: beer, books, coffee, socks, tea, wine, etc).

Gift Ideas – Engagements, bridal showers, his & hers

Engagement gifts:
- These days, engagement gifts are not an expectation so you shouldn’t feel an obligation to spend time or money in these circumstances. If you’d like to get them something, many of the gift suggestions above will work, but here are a few more that are specific to engagements:
  - Offer to help with the wedding plans: think about contributing to a professional wedding planner or buy the couple a wedding planner book. While advice about the wedding itself may be welcome in some cases, couples can sometimes be inundated with suggestions that they may not need or want. Unless it’s solicited by the couple, be sparing with your advice.
  - Donate your time: help with preparing invitations, party favours or table centerpieces.
  - Make them a wedding countdown calendar. Step it up a notch and create an advent calendar for them. Keep the gifts simple: pictures of the couple or their upcoming honeymoon destination, a small bottle of champagne, tea, a candle, etc.
His & hers gifts
- While gifts at a bridal shower tend to be the norm, bachelor or bachelorette parties generally don’t involve gifts (unless they’re gag gifts like blow up dolls or penis shaped cups). If you’d like to consider a gift for the bride or groom, here are a few ideas to get you started:
  - For him or her:
    - Pick up a bottle of your giftee’s favourite alcohol (eg: whiskey, Scotch, wine) or consider a decanter to keep it in.
    - Book a girl’s or guy’s night out or better yet, get out of town with them for the weekend
    - Personalize a gift, such as a flask or cufflinks, by monogramming it
    - Spend an afternoon or evening with your giftee
      - Attend a sports event like a football game
      - Participate in a sports event like a game of golf or beach volleyball
      - Go to a concert together
      - Try something new like ziplining, paintball, rock climbing or flying lessons
  - For her
    - Bridal magazines
    - Offer to help look for the dress, pick out a cake, choose flowers or create invitations with the bride to be
    - Pick her up some sexy lingerie or a gift card so she can choose her own
    - Arrange a spa treatment (eg: massage, manicure, pedicure)
    - Bath and body products, candles, soothing mud masks, etc
    - Give her something old, something new, something borrowed or something blue.
  - For him.
    - Pick him up a tie clip, cufflinks or some fun socks for the big day.
    - Enjoy a cigar with him or consider a humidor for the aficionado
    - Treat him to a professional shave or get him some accessories for his own shaving kit
    - Tech gifts like headphones, a smartwatch or TV
    - Swiss Army knife/multi-tool
    - Groom’s gift box: this can be quite simple and include items he may need on the big day. For example: shoe shine, mints, dental floss, their favourite spirit, shaving kit, a groom’s guidebook…
    - If the gift is coming from the bride to be, think about a sexy, boudoir photo or a love letter.

Wrapping

Try wrapping your gift with plain paper and applying wedding related pictures onto the gift. Eg: pictures of the happy couple, wedding rings, hearts…
Work with the wedding location, colours or the season in which it occurs. For instance:
- If it’s a beach wedding, attach a seashell to the ribbon
- Use ribbons or bows that match the wedding colours
- If it’s a fall wedding, attach some colourful autumn leaves to the gift
Embellish your wrapped gift with a clip-on bow tie or an inexpensive wedding cake topper.
Use their honeymoon location as inspiration for the wrapping paper. You can print off a map of where they’ll be or just pictures of that destination.
Forget the word “paper” and wrap your gift in something more interesting. If they had towels or a tablecloth on their registry, these can be great alternatives to wrapping paper. A blanket or scarf can also work beautifully here.
For smaller gifts, add a unique touch by making your own box.
Use artificial flowers as the bow or, better yet, search online for a simple origami flower design and make a unique wrapping element yourself.

Presentation

Use quotes or phrases that relate to your theme when you present the gifts or in your card. An online search will give you literally thousands of options, but here’s a few to get you started:
- …and they lived happily ever after.
- “The best thing to hold onto in life is each other” ~ Audrey Hepburn
- “All you need is love. But a little chocolate now and then doesn’t hurt” ~Charles Schulz
- “I love being married. It’s so great to find one special person you want to annoy for the rest of your life” ~ Rita Rudner
- “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile” ~Franklin P. Jones
- “Where there is love there is life.” ~Mahatma Gandhi
- “You know you’re in love when you can’t fall asleep because reality is finally better than your dreams.” ~Dr. Seuss