Wedding Gifts That Don’t Suck
By Jarrod Thalheimer
The big day has been announced and you are now the lucky recipient of a personal invitation to the impending nuptials. So, how about the gift? Any ideas, or are you drawing a blank? The stress is immediate. What do I get? What if they hate it? What if they realize I have no taste?
Never fear, BELLA is here to lead you into the promised land of gift-giving bliss, the happy place where no matter the wedding in question, you will be forever equipped to give gifts that most certainly do not suck.
Check the List
Believe it or not, this is the new millennium and that means no one is ever forced to use their own brain if they really don’t want to. Even the most disorganized couples planning a wedding can get it together enough to set up a basic gift registry. And it’s not like the old days where it was one old department store you had to visit in person. It’s all online now. Your digital invitation likely has a link where you can scroll through the new couple’s list of desired presents all from the comfort of your couch, allowing you to easily choose the one that suits your fancy (and budget) the best. No muss, no fuss, and barely any effort at all. Now that’s a gift all itself!
Cash, Baby
It’s easy to forget when e-transfers, credit cards, and tap to pay are the functioning coins of our daily realm, but cold, hard cash remains (and will always be) the ultimate to receive. Like the most universal gift card ever, a few notes of legal tender will always be greeted with wide eyes and broad smiles by even the pickiest of brides or grooms. And the extra bonus of gifting cash? It’s flat, light, and far easier to maneuver than that 43 lb. crystal decanter set you had your eye on. So, skip the desperate hunt for the gift table by tucking a few crisp bills inside a swish card instead. Nothing says “I got this” quite like an envelope of Benjamins.
Something Thoughtful
This may seem like a stretch in these “Look at me!” times but being invited to someone’s wedding is a perfect opportunity to think about someone else for a change. Really ruminate on what makes the happy couple uniquely special to you. And if you possess something even remotely resembling a personal relationship, those memories will inform exactly the kind of gift you need to give them. Remember that hike you shared years ago when all you wished for was a bottle of wine? Gift them a custom wine skin in anticipation of the next one. How about that night stuck in an elevator where you all took turns singing songs from your iPhone? Time to give them a real karaoke machine. Mining your time together is the key to finding something sincere, genuine, and totally memorable.
Aim for the Stomach
When in doubt, the way to any heart is right through the stomach. Consumables of all kinds should always be a legitimate go-to for any gifting situation. Fancy wines, cool crackers, neat cocktails, and savory surprises. Chocolates, cheeses, meats, all manner of fancy delicacies…so long as they’re plated up and displayed beautifully, they make for an exciting gift. Even if the married-to-be’s are not personal fans of the food chosen, they will certainly know someone else who is. That means no wasted gift, ever! So, while some may claim “all we need is love,” there’s a fair body of evidence suggesting food and drink are kind of important too. Get shopping with your eyes planted firmly on their taste buds. Your gifting success is assured.
Adventure Is Everywhere
Does anyone really need more stuff? In a world where we all have more things than our houses, apartments, and storage lockers can hold, why not give the gift of adventure instead? Tickets to a show, a few days at a sweet hotel, a special dinner in a great restaurant…any one of these experiences is a gift that goes far beyond the item itself. Setting the table for the creation of all new memories is the most exciting present available. OK, so maybe they don’t think the yak riding lessons in upper Mongolia you got them is such a grand prize, but there is no way they can ever deny what an absolutely, unbelievable experience it might turn out to be. Choosing to give the gift of adventure is truly priceless.
