Choosing the Perfect Wedding Gift
Since this Saturday is the most popular wedding day of the year (7-7-7), there will be a lot of invited guests looking for that perfect wedding gift.  The trouble is, with so many options, confusion often reigns.  Here is a guide to the current expectations and trends that’s sure to help you with wedding-gift giving. 

Although there is an obligation to send a gift once invited, whether you attend or not, there is no obligation to spend a specific amount or even the equivalent of what the bride and groom may be spending for each guest.  The best is to spend what seems appropriate to your relationship with the couple.  This will usually range from $50 - $100, and probably more if you are a really close friend or closely related.

Many couples are getting married after they have an established household, so they often prefer cash.  In some cultures it’s even expected.  It’s not always an option though and certainly not very creative.  A wedding gift should express your best wishes for the couple and not advertise how much money you do or don’t have.  So think about what sentiment you want to convey with your gift.  How well acquainted are you with the couple?  What do you know about them that can make your gift special and memorable?  Once you answer these questions you can put your creative juices to work.

Think beyond the traditional.  Theme gifts can be especially fun and useful.  You can put together a gift basket for a romantic movie night in their new home, a cooler packed with picnic things, 72 hour kit for two, or even a household tool kit.  Group gifts are a great way to get the couple a large item like a barbeque, Dyson vacuum, or patio set.  My mother is a great cook, and would often give a binder full of her favourite recipes.  This was really appreciated by newlyweds cooking for the first time.

If you don’t know the couple that well or don’t have that much time, find out if they have registered somewhere.  National gift registries can save efforts for both the gift giver and receiver with online ordering and delivery.  If a couple recently bought a house, they may have registered at a home renovation store.  A recent trend is to register at a travel agency so guests can contribute towards their dream honeymoon.  Guests usually find out about where they are registered by asking the parents of the couple and members of the wedding party. 

Magna Goerke
"The DIY Wedding Expert"

magna@catzmarketing.com