Buying a Wedding Gift

When invited to a wedding, one is faced with several decisions – what to wear, which dinner selection to choose, and, most importantly, what wedding gift to get the bride and groom.

A growing generation gap has sparked some debate as to what an appropriate gift consists of.  While friends, coworkers and other guests in the same age bracket as the couple may prefer the convenience and flexibility of giving gift cards and cash, the more mature crowd finds the practice impersonal, uncreative and even tacky.  They prefer shopping from a gift registry of fine china, kitchen wares and other home goods.  While arguments can be made for both opinions, here are some things to consider when selecting a gift for the next wedding you attend.

Start by asking yourself a few questions about the married couple-to-be.  How personal is your relationship with the bride and groom?  If you do not know much about the bride and groom’s interests or hobbies, you may opt to get the couple something from their registry.  If you are not sure where the couple is registered, visit www.giftregistrylocator.com and enter the first and last name of either the bride or groom, along with the wedding month and year, and you should be able to locate the stores with which the couple has registered.

If you are closer with the couple and know a little more about their personal lives, you may want to buy a gift that reflects something they both enjoy.  Is the couple the outdoorsy type?  RedEnvelope.com sells a picnic backpack set that includes plates, cups, flatware,  a detachable wine cooler and a blanket.   

Maybe the couple likes listening to records.  Many websites, including Gifts.com, sell vintage-inspired record players that are not only functional but decorative in addition.

There are more trendy and unique options for wedding gifts as well.  Consider buying the wine-loving couple a wine of the month membership from WineOftheMonthClub.com.  Buy the couple a chance to relax with a couple’s massage from a local spa.  Or, treat the bride and groom to a few cooking lessons from a cooking school or Whole Foods markets in the area.

One of the most unique and intriguing new websites for wedding registries is HoneymoonWishes.com.  On this website, couples can register for every aspect of their honeymoon, including airfare, hotels, cruise fares, meals, entertainment, recreation, spa treatments and shopping.  Wedding guests may choose to contribute to the honeymoon fund by paying for, partially paying for, or upgrading any of the options the bride and groom have selected.  Wedding guests can help make the couple’s honeymoon a trip they will always remember.

Keep in mind that modern couples have different wants and needs than the traditional bride and groom have had in the past.  Cash and gift cards are happily accepted by most, as more couples are helping their families pay for wedding expenses.  Decades ago, brides moved straight from her parent’s home to a house with her husband, but this is not always the case anymore.  Many newlyweds live in apartments, so the need for an entire registry of home goods is not necessarily realistic.  Give the couple a gift that you think they will appreciate, whether it’s cash, gift cards, a traditional gift or credit towards their dream honeymoon.  The most important thing to remember is that the couple invited you for your company, not for the gift!

12 Days of DIY :: Day 9 :: Two Toned Gift Wrapping

I had a lunch today with a group of fabulous ladies, and we did a gift exchange that I took a gift for. I wanted to make sure my gift was beautifully wrapped, so I called upon my blog list for wrapping ideas! I came across this post from One Charming Party and decided to try it. It's so easy, and you can use up those mismatched pieces of wrapping paper that you've been saving up....

I think everyone has this problem at some time or other. You are wrapping a present and you run out of wrapping paper. This happens a lot when I wrap big boxes. Here is a great trick for covering large boxes or using up leftover scraps. Try the two-toned gift. Wrap half of your present with one kind of paper and the the other half with another kind. Then cover the seam with a pretty ribbon. Viola! This is also great for when you have reversible wrapping paper and can’t decide which side you like better. Happy wrapping. (from One Charming Party)

Here's my gift that I wrapped today!

12 Days of DIY :: Day 3 :: Hot Cocoa Ornament Favors

This hot cocoa ornament DIY project is a great idea for holiday parties or weddings. You can give them as favors to your guests, and they double as decor as well! Or, you can put them on your tree at home and ask friends to take one home when they visit you. Either way, this DIY project from Project Wedding is too cute to pass up!

12 Days of DIY :: Day 1 :: Gift Card Snow Globe

Today begins our 12 Days of Christmas DIY series! Last year we did a DIY project every day for 12 days leading up to Christmas, and it was loads of fun! This year we decided to take on the 12 day project again!

Our first project we found on One Charming Party....it's so easy, yet so creative! I never want to give gift cards for Christmas (even though they're a fabulous idea) just because they're so small and un-wrappable....and when you hand over the envelope, everyone knows what's inside! With this cool snow globe project you can wrap the globe in a box, hand over the wrapped gift, and they will be none the wiser! Not to mention, you can jazz them up with personality and they're really beautiful!

Supplies: 

A jar with a lid (we used empty salsa and olive jars), a gift card, a small embellishment (we bought ours at a local craft store), a hot glue gun, glitter, some ribbon and water.

How To:
1. Wash the lid and jar. Remove any stickers.
2. Spray paint the jar lid if you would like a different colored lid.
3. Glue a thick line of hot glue onto the base of the gift card. Stick it to the inside of the lid.
4. Glue the embellishment onto the inside of the lid, in front of the gift card. Let the glue set for an hour.
5. Add some glitter to the jar and fill with water.
6. Tightly screw the lid back onto the jar.
7. Tie a ribbon around the base of the jar, if desired.

NOTE: *We tested these gift cards after a week and they still worked. However, we don’t recommend leaving the gift cards in the water longer than a week.

Visit One Charming Party for the full post and photo credits.

Have Your Wedding Gown Sketched!

I saw this company talked about in a recent issue of In Style Weddings magazine, and I have to jump on the bandwagon and agree that this is such a great idea!

You can send in 3 photos of you in your wedding gown, and this talented artist will create a sketch of it and send it to you! But don't stop at ordering the sketch....oh no! You can even order Thank You cards with the sketch of your dress on them.

I am going to dig out my photos to send in....I want my gown sketched!




Find details on how to order at www.mydreamlines.com !