How to Buy The Perfect Wedding Gift

Buying the perfect wedding gift is actually very simple. Follow these few tips, and the happy couple will be thrilled with your generosity.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• The wedding invitation and all the enclosures
• A little bit of time no less than 2 weeks before the wedding

1. 

   If at all humanly possible - buy a gift off of one of the wedding registries that the couple has set up. Brides spend a substantial amount of time selecting items they love and that will match their style and decor. Don't think you know better than the bride what she wants. You don't. So check the invitation, check the wedding website, or just call up one of the bridesmaids or relatives and find out where the couple is registered.

2. 

   If you can't afford anything left on the registry, or for some reason there is no registry or suggested charity or other hints from the couples, then here a few ideas (that also work nicely for shower gifts)
   1. Christmas ornaments, particularly if the couple is young
   2. A gift certificate to a local bed and breakfast or trendy restaurant to get the newlyweds to relax after the wedding
   3. A gift card to one of the stores where they are registered
   4. Honestly, couples will always love a check

3. 

   If sending a gift, off the registry or otherwise via mail, order or ship no less than 2 weeks before the wedding. If it is a destination event or the couple is travelling away from home for the wedding, calculate accordingly so that the gift arrives comfortably before they leave. It is too stressful for them to try and deal with gifts brought to the reception (okay only if it is a card or check), or worse, having their neighbors take in all the packages that arrive while they are away on their honeymoon.

Tips & Warnings

• Make sure to somehow sign your gift. If you're given the option to include a note on an order off of a registry, please do! You wouldn't believe how stressful it is on a bride to open a lovely gift only to not be able to find who sent it
• Art can be a wonderful gift, but don't do it without the couple's direct input ... otherwise, you may well get something they don't love but feel compelled to keep and display just so you'll feel appreciated. Still, if it really is what you want to do, get a bridesmaid or the mother of the bride to act as an intermediary to make sure you select something the bride loves

[liongato12]

on 6/12/2009 A great wedding gift is a nice Picnic Basket. It's practical, romantic, and anyone would love it. They even have picnic baskets designed specifically to be used as a wedding gift. Here is what I'm talking about: http://www.picnictrend.com/picnic-baskets-1/service-for-two-22/wedding-heart-picnic-basket-47.html