Let’s take a moment from planning the perfect wedding and talk to the people who are attending weddings. If you’re like us, once your circle of friends hits marriage age you’ll have at least two or three ceremonies a year to attend. That adds up to a lot of toasters, china, and blenders given to couples who probably have their kitchens all tricked out already. If you’ve got wedding-gift fatigue, here are some options that will really make your gift stand out.
Of-The-Month Club
These days there are tons of options available online for monthly subscriptions. Buying a year of one for the wedding couple will mean they get a monthly reminder of their happy day. There are wine and beer clubs for the boozehounds and snack clubs for foodies. There are craft boxes for do-it-yourselfers. Some of the most fun ones are little themed boxes of tchotchkes based on different fandoms. For example, the “geek” loot crate has an assortment of nerdy T-shirts, shot glasses, and toys, and is different each month. Whatever your marrying friends are into, there’s bound to be something they’ll love sampling every month.
Circus Classes
Unless your friends are Renaissance Festival or circus veterans, odds are they’ve never swung on a flying trapeze or done a triple-backflip on a trampoline. With a series of circus classes, they can learn those stunts and more. Frequently, circus troupes on their off-season are offering these classes to the public for a not-too-pricey fee. They may not be able to turn your friends into Flying Walendas, but they’ll at least have a blast trying.
Lessons
We’re definitely in favor of giving experiences over physical gifts. Even the wedding couple whose closets are stuffed with goods and gadgets can enjoy learning something new. Pick something that both partners are interested in, but don’t know how to do yet, and buy them some lessons. Whether it’s sailing, surfing, skateboarding, golf, or painting, the lessons will be a fun way for the couple to bond while exploring a new passion.
Tickets
If the couple already has a passion, help them indulge it. If they’re skiers, give them a pair of lift tickets. If they love theme parks, give them two day passes. If their favorite band’s coming to town, send them to the concert. Even if it’s just a trip to the museum or to the symphony, you’ll be sending them together to do something they love.
Fireworks
It’s okay to admit it, everyone loves fireworks. Whether you grew fond of fireworks when you were watching them as a kid or you became passionate about them when you were old enough to light them yourself, fireworks are an American staple that continue to grow in popularity. When you’re giving fireworks as a gift at a wedding, you really have two options. First, you can research online where to buy to buy wedding sparklers so that your gift can actually be used at the wedding. Your second option is buy larger types of fireworks that the couple can use at a party later on when they have a party in their backyard. Both options are fine; just make sure you think it out before you choose what type of fireworks you want to buy for their wedding gift.
Charitable Donation
If the couple is the do-gooder type, they may not be comfortable getting a pile of wedding presents when there are plenty of worthwhile charities that could benefit from their friends’ largesse. Consider setting up a fund for charitable donations in the couples’ name and recruiting the other wedding guests to throw in some funds. Then give the couple a card that shows the charity and the donation that you’ve made. It’s a gift that definitely means more than another set of hand towels.
Yes, we know that most wedding couples have a registry of gifts they’d like you to purchase. But don’t be afraid to go off-registry and give the couple something personal and meaningful. Whether it’s a cool new experience for them to share, a trip to do something they already love, or a charitable donation, your thoughtful gift is sure to brighten their special day.