Shelling out for the newlyweds is part of your responsibility as a wedding guest. If the soon-to-be couple doesn’t have a registry — or if other people have already purchased all their selections — you might need to get creative with your wedding gift ideas.
Fortunately, there are plenty of unique options the newlyweds will love, whether they’re practical or sentimental. Skim this list of 10 gift ideas to help you as you shop.
Toasting Flutes
If you’re heading to a bridal shower, pick up a pair of toasting flutes for the bride-to-be. Chances are, she’ll use the stemware on her wedding day, as she and her partner clink and cheers to their nuptials. After that, they can reuse the glasses to celebrate their anniversaries, always using the champagne glasses you bought them for the big day.
Suitcases
A honeymoon is just around the corner, right? Find out where the newlyweds are heading, and hook them up with the appropriate gear for their destination. For instance, a carry-on backpack might do for an outdoorsy getaway, while a sleek, hard-shell carry-on will work for a cosmopolitan resort vacation.
Matching Robes
Chances are, at least one of the newlyweds will walk away from their wedding with a new set of initials. Find out what each person’s monogram will be and have those letters stitched onto a set of plush bathrobes. We promise they’ll love looking at those three letters now that their “I dos” are official.
Monogrammed Jewelry
To that end, the bride-to-be might be a known fan of personalized accessories or just fashionable accents in general. If so, pick up a necklace, bracelet or earring set that sports her new monogram. Don’t be shy, either — accessories are all about making a statement, so a colorful or chunky monogram would be as safe a bet as a classic one set in precious metal.
Flat-Screen TV
Looking to really wow the newlyweds at your next wedding? Hooking them up with a flat-screen TV would do the trick. Of course, this is a gift that lands on the more expensive side of the spectrum. However, the couple will certainly get good use out of it, and you can score a great deal on a TV if you’re comparing prices from several retailers and visiting them in person.
Cookbooks and Supplies
The soon-to-be-married couple probably has some cooking supplies on their wish list already. You can take their post-wedding meals to another level by purchasing a few cookbooks for them, too. Not only do these recipe books look great on the counter, but they’ll undoubtedly inspire the pair to whip up dinners at home together more often. Share your favorite, or tailor your selection to the types of cuisine you know they love to eat.
Ring Receptacle
Whether washing their hands or slipping into bed for the night, newlyweds will have moments where they’ll want to take off their wedding rings. Your gift could include a knickknack designed to hold onto their jewelry for them. Grab one for next to the kitchen sink and one for the nightstand — when they can easily find their rings each day, they’ll be glad you did.
Wedding Album
Let’s say you didn’t bring a gift to the wedding itself — that’s totally fine. Modern etiquette gives you anywhere from three months to one year post-wedding to hand over your present.
So, one way to make your belated gift super-special is to create a wedding album for the couple. They probably have a professional one in the making from their photographer, of course, but you can put together all your candid pics — and the ones you find online under their wedding hashtag — and give them a keepsake they’ll cherish and look at for years to come.
Honeymoon Gift Card
Rather than gifting the newlyweds with something to use on the home front, you can arm them with a gift card to use on their honeymoon. Find out where they’re going, then get a list of things they plan to do. You can do this sneakily, of course — they’ll love to tell you their vacation plans, after all.
Once you have an idea of their intended itinerary, call ahead to one of the places on the list and pay for their activity, meal, etc. If the venue or attraction can send a certificate or gift card, great — slip that into a card to bring to the reception. Or, write a note describing what you’ve paid for and forward any receipt or proof of payment to the couple post-wedding, pre-honeymoon.
Crockpot
After their wedding and honeymoon, let’s face it — the newlyweds will be exhausted. So, our final idea is one that’ll make dinner quick and easy now and for the duration of their marriage. Bonus points if you arm them with a crockpot cookbook and the appliance so they can whip up new and exciting dinners for years to come.
These are just 10 ideas, so don’t be shy — you know the couple. If your idea hasn’t come up on this list, go for it anyway. A gift is a gift, and a personalized one is a piece of you. Follow your instinct and you can’t go wrong. We promise they’ll love it.
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