Intentional Gifts for Every Type of Wedding Occasion
We’re gearing up for a wedding this winter! Alex’s brother and our (soon-to-be) SIL are tying the knot in December. We’re pretty giddy about it; weddings and all the commotion that comes along with them bring a joyful flutter to our hearts.
While Alex would tell you he’s glad he never has to go through it again (ha!), I remember our own wedding planning journey with much fondness. I loved dreaming up ideas for floral bouquets, table settings, and tent decorations. I enjoyed building our wedding site, going on dates to write our vows (keeping them secret from each other, of course!), and clumsily falling over each other during our first dance lessons.
But I also remember the amount of stress it all caused. Alex and I planned our wedding from afar, all while holding down full-time jobs and running an Airbnb. We were pinching pennies and working weekends to get everything planned on time. One thing that caught us off guard was the amount of time and forethought that needed to go into our gifts for guests and family members. (Get the full story here.)
The wedding industry, in a word, is crazy. And the wedding gift industry isn’t any better. Yale School of Management found the following:
“The gift market comprises a significant portion of the wedding industry with over $19 billion in gift sales each year. Over 90% of couples register for wedding gifts and average gift spending is over $6,000. An average of 180 guests attend each wedding and most wedding gifts cost between $65-$125.”
Yikes 😳.
With markups on everything from bachelor(ette) party goods, to bridesmaid/groomsmen gifts, to gifts for the happy couple themselves—not to mention the amount of unnecessary waste the industry creates—Alex and I think it’s about time for society to flip the script on wedding gifting. As a newly(ish) married couple, here are our best suggestions of intentional gifts for any wedding occasion. 💒
Engagement Gifts
There’s nothing quite like the buzz of being newly engaged. It’s certainly a time for celebration, laughter, and storytelling (over and over and over again about how the proposal went down).
Experiential/Consumable: Take the happy couple out for drinks at their favorite spot. We love this idea because you can tailor it to the couple—if they’re introverts, take them for a double date to a classy cocktail bar. If they’re the partying type, a popular spot with a group of friends will be more their speed.
Traditional: A sweet card letting the fresh fiancés know how perfect they are for each other and how excited you are for their upcoming journey is a heartfelt way to show your support.
Shower Gifts
This is typically the best time to purchase something from the couple’s wedding registry. Be sure to be intentional. While it’s customary for every registry to dawn a KitchenAid Stand Mixer, how often might it end up in people’s basements? Think about what this specific couple values, then scour the list for the perfect present.
Experiential: Most registries these days have a section for honeymoon travel or funding big goals (think down payment, debt payoff, or home furnishings). We adore the idea of gifting to the couple’s experiential needs because—really—what matters more than memories? Imagine how grateful the newlyweds will be as they’re sipping margs on a beach or exploring a new country. If the couple doesn’t have a travel fund or goal bank set up, there’s nothing wrong with writing a check and slipping it in a nice card.
Consumable: Ask if you can help the host/ess with anything. Could you bring the couples’ favorite champagne? An appetizer or dessert? Flowers or other decor?
Traditional: Our favorite gifts from our own wedding (besides contributions to our honeymoon fund) included Brooklinen percale sheets, a fun blue toaster, and the silverware set we eat all our meals with.
Bachelor/Bachelorette Party Gifts
These parties have a tendency to be pretty wasteful when it comes to sustainability. Spending some time thinking about ways to delight the man/woman of honor while still making sure to take care of the planet is a practice we need to become more comfortable with.
Experiential: If you’re staying close to home, go to an eco-friendly spa or go camping and tell funny stories around the campfire as you cook s’mores. Alternatively, stay in and hire a personal chef to treat you to an amazing meal (go easy on the meat to keep it sustainable). If you travel somewhere, be sure to stay at a boutique hotel or Airbnb to support the local economy.
Consumable: We’ve put together a few wedding boxes filled with sustainable and consumable goods made by authentic makers we love. Take a peek below!
Traditional: Most groups choose to stick with a theme for these types of get-togethers—that’s always fun! Just be sure whatever you purchase is reusable and something the attendees can appreciate for years to come. We love the idea of loungewear or a beautiful travel bag.
Guest Gifts
To thank some of your most special guests for making your day a priority, it’s nice to offer a little something upon their arrival. Think of it as a warm welcome 🤗 (especially if you’re not sure you’ll be around to welcome them yourselves).
Experiential: It’s always fun for the people closest to you to have a peek into your life. Consider leaving a gift card in your guests’ accommodations to your favorite restaurant in town. Especially if they’re not familiar with the area, they’ll appreciate the gesture as much as the suggestion of where to get a good meal!
Consumable: Local fare that’s packable is always a win! Think cookies in a resealable bag, candies, granola bars, teas, and coffee. A few thoughtful additions like sunscreen, bug spray, Advil, and gum are always welcome goodies when it comes to partying.
Traditional: If you’re looking for an end-of-the-night favor for each of your guests, one of our favorite sustainable options is a tree sapling, seeds, or even an air plant! Your guests can think of your love blooming as they watch their plant grow! 🌱
Gifts for your Biggest Supporters
If you haven’t already given the members of your tribe a gift at the bachelor(ette) party, wedding weekend is the time! Always consider sustainable options… or forego the tangible altogether and write each of your friends or family members a heartfelt note. They’ll treasure your words for far longer than anything you could purchase.
And don’t feel boxed in by the conventional timeline of the wedding! It’s totally cool to let your loved ones know that you’ve been planning something extra special for them and that it will be ready after the wedding. Your closest friends and family will never hold that against you, and you can take your time perfecting your gift to ensure you deliver something spectacular. Alex and I put wedding albums together for both sets of parents. They treasure them!
Wedding Gifts
Ah, yes! The wedding gift! To answer one of the most commonly Googled guest-related questions, check out this helpful article from Vogue on what the acceptable spend is—it covers everything from destination weddings to group gifts.
We always suggest buying from the couple’s registry, as they likely spent a lot of time choosing what was most important to them. However, if you truly know their style and find something you know they’d adore, go for it! In those cases, we love shopping small through platforms like Etsy.
And, not to be gauche, but it must be said: cold hard cash is always valued. Weddings—while they’re beautiful, touching, and fun—are expensive! The newly married couple will likely enjoy paying off a few of their credit cards after the last glass of champagne has been drunk!
Did we forget any wedding events? Any other types of gifts you’d add to our list? Let us know in the comments below. 👇 💜
