Wedding Gifts & Messages
If you are heading into wedding season and you are inundated with invitations that require you to come up with a different message and gift for each event, you might feel a bit intimidated by these societal expectations. When buying for a wedding or writing your best wishes for the bride and groom, the thought really does count. You don't have to break the bank to provide a thoughtful gift they will cherish for a lifetime.
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Registered Couples
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Many modern couples register at various stores to provide an easy list for their guests to buy what they will need for their new home together. This information is typically provided on the invitation. By buying from the registry, you will purchase exactly what the couple would like or need, and you also won't run the risk of duplicating the gift and having it returned. Many couples offer a wide range of price points to help guests of all budgets, and some even register at more than one store.
Unregistered Couples
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It may be trickier to buy a gift for a couple without a registry, especially for those who do not know the couple very well. Not having a registry can also mean that certain types of gifts could be duplicated, like frames, glassware and appliances. Use this opportunity to make a memorable gift, like a home-made cookbook, that will pass on your recipes to a new family in the making. Quilts also make a nice home-made heirloom. If you don't know the couple very well, consider gift cards to allow the bride and groom freedom to choose their own gifts. Other options include monthly delivery gifts for items like candles or wine.
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Cost
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How much you spend on a wedding gift has a lot to do with your relationship with the couple in question. If you are not in a position to spend very much, you can go in with a group for a nicer, more expensive gift. If all else fails and you find there is nothing on the registry that fits your price range, consider a gift card in a denomination that is within your price range. Or use the registry to get a sense of what the couple's tastes are so that you can buy something small, yet relevant.
Timing
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You have a year from the wedding to send your gift to the couple, and accepted practice is to send the gift to the home of the bride, groom or parents, rather than bringing it to the wedding itself. The wedding registry will provide mailing information for you, and some stores even provide a collection service that will allow you to leave the gift to be wrapped and put aside until it can be picked up by an authorized person from the wedding.
Gift Messages
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What you can say in the message along with your gift is as varied as the gift itself. If you wish to say something more than "Best wishes," rely on your relationship with the couple to determine the words you use. If they are family, include a special family memory. If they are in your church, include a scripture that will describe your wishes for their happiness and prosperity. If it is an acquaintance, simply include a message that you would appreciate getting.
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References
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