What Gifts Do You Get for a Wedding?
After the cake is cut, the bouquet is tossed and any last Bridezillas and Groomzillas have left the building, the wedding couple is left with a pile of presents to start off their new life together. While there are no rules or regulations on what gifts to get for a wedding, some couples guide their guests with registries or rely on traditional choices as options.
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Paper or Plastic?
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Although this question is often asked at the end of a grocery store shopping trip, it's good for a consideration when planning wedding gifts as well. The traditional gift for a first-year anniversary, paper, and the modern gift, plastic, both serve as ideal wedding day gifts. Jump on the reusable grocery bag bandwagon and give the wedding couple customized bags to tote around all their gifts or to use as carry-on honeymoon luggage. Create personalized reusable tote bags with the wedding couple's picture, names and wedding date on an online printing website or just choose a set, such as "Bride" and "Groom" (or "Groom" and "Groom") bags, from a local mass merchandiser.
Meaningful Money
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While it doesn't appear on any store's registry, many wedding couples receive cash as a gift for their wedding, via actual paper money, checks, gift cards or gift certificates. If the idea of giving money leaves you uneasy or the couple has requested no gifts, give a gift that brings positivity all around with a charitable donation. Charities to benefit causes such as animal welfare, children's education and clothes for working mothers accept donations of all sizes, usually with no minimums. After making a donation in the name of the wedding couple, photocopy the receipt (save the original for tax purposes) and include a short note about why you chose the specific charity and what you hope the donation will achieve.
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Choosing Cotton
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A gift of cotton is cited as both the traditional and (along with calico) modern gift for a second anniversary, but cotton is often heaped on the table in many wrapped wedding gift boxes. Wedding couples may have a number of cotton-related items on their registries, from bed linens to towels to kitchen napkins. Using a registry makes gift-giving simple, but if the couple didn't prepare one or you're purchasing a last-minute gift, all hope is not lost. Consider getting the couple a gift card/certificate to a local linens store. Picking out cotton items for them may be fun, but there's no way to know what they already have, need or prefer. A gift card enables them to use your present to buy what they need to furnish their space.
Frame It
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Whether the wedding couple went with a full photography package or is just having some friends take unposed pictures throughout the ceremony and reception, they'll probably end up with quite a lot of photos. Anticipate this with a gift of wedding photo frames, such as a collection of similar colors and styles or one large, ornate frame. Check the registry to get an idea of the couple's preferences or make something much more personal by hand-painting a plain craft store wooden frame with the wedding colors, couple's name and wedding date.
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References
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