Guys like goodies too - finding gifts for the men!
Your wedding seems like a dozen Christmas Days rolled into one, when all the gifts start arriving – but remember, it is better to give than to receive! There are people for whom it is traditional to buy gifts, and others whom you will want to recognise as having played a very special part in your day.
Who Receives Gifts?
Anyone who helps out – it’s up to the bride and groom to decide who deserves special wedding gifts but traditionally the individuals who receive wedding gifts include bridesmaids, best men, ushers, page boy if you have one, and the parents of the bride and groom.
In addition you should make a gift of appreciation to any individual who has been thoughtful, gracious, and generous enough to host a celebration for you, like engagement parties and hen nights or the increasingly common bridal showers, as well as any other gathering at which you are the honoured guests – so if Uncle Kumar and Auntie Didi gave you dinner and introduced you to your seventeenth cousins five times removed, you should be giving them a gift. You can do this in two ways, either present a gift to the host/hostess when you arrive or at some point during the festivities, or after the event, send a gift, along with a note of thanks. Flowers, fruit, chocolates and wine are the most common choices here.
Something for your dad and his? Mums often get a bouquet to thank them for their help at the wedding – get the two dads a tankard each, or some other little gift that shows you know they’re important too!
And a bride chooses a special gift for her groom too! The traditional choices include a ring or watch, but many men would value a gift that recognises how well you know him – if he dreamed of being a fighter pilot, get him a gift voucher for a flying day in a Spitfire, if he wants a Ferrari, then there is a range of branded gifts that would show him you recognise his dreams.
Choosing the right Gifts
Selecting the right wedding gifts hinges on the likes and dislikes of the people you are buying for. Remember that if you don’t know them well, somebody does – have a little gossip with the best man’s girlfriend or sister and ask around about hobbies and interests. If all the ushers play rugby, then you’re sorted! If half of them love football and the other half go greyhound racing, it might be a bit more difficult – but normally the groom’s chums will have more in common than just knowing the groom – and picking a gift that recognises their golf mania for example, will mean your present is both appreciated and used. Consider some of the following:
- Barbecue Tools with an apron and an oven mitt.
- Binoculars: great for guys to use at sporting events, concerts, etc.
- Beer Mugs (Glass or Pewter)
- Business Card Holder (personalised)
- Cooler.... soft-sided, collapsible coolers filled with a 6-pack of their favourite brew!
- Cuff Links
- Desk Clock
- Desk Set
- Engraved Lighter
- Engraved Pocket Watch
- Hip Flask
- Fishing Gear/Accessories
- Golf Club/Golf Balls/Golf Accessories
- Card Set
- Lottery Tickets
- Pen Set (personalised)
- Razor Set
- Sun glasses
- Stag night pack
- Boxers and Socks – these can come with amusing messages and you can include a joke note saying "Just wanted to make sure everyone had a pair of clean socks and boxers for the wedding!”
- Tickets to a Concert or Sporting Event
Think about Special Helpers
At any wedding, there are bound to be people who have gone out of their way to provide their assistance, or who have given generously of themselves, either at your request, or without ever being asked. These are not your hired service providers who are being paid to assist you, but people like your Uncle Adam who picked up guests from the airport, or Cousin Jim who came round to the reception venue to check all the best angles for your souvenir video. These helpful souls deserve to know your appreciation; so select a special gift to let them know their effort and kindness has not gone unnoticed. A simple box of chocolates, a tie, a couple of lottery tickets in a special box ... there are many ways to let them know how much you value their help in making your day special.
Special Guests
They hold a very special place in your life or in your heart – or maybe they’ve made a really incredible effort to be with you. Your old friend from nursery school who’s flying in from the States, or a special aunt or uncle, Godparent, or grandparent – a bottle of wine or small basket of fruit are suitable gifts to show how much they’ve meant to you over the years.
Where to buy
Shopping online can provide you with an extensive range of products that can't be found in shops. There is no end to the number of products that you can choose from and personalised items are easy to order – this is one shopping trip that needn’t have you tramping around the shops!
Making something of it
Presentation of a gift is almost as important as the gift itself. Write a note to the recipient, commenting on the way they’ve helped to make the day a success, or saying how much you’ve valued their friendship over the years – details are important here: we all like to know that we matter! Pretty paper, bows, and tissue paper help to make a nice gift even more charming. Some couples incorporate the wedding colours into the gift wrap, tissues and bows – you can have personalised ribbon and seals to make your gift presentation a really personal event.