So, you've been invited to a wedding and now you need to purchase a gift. It's no secret that deciding what to get the happy couple for their big day can be daunting. With many couples cohabiting before they tie the knot, they likely already have the basic staples necessary to set up their home. Some couples don't even bother with registries anymore and ask for money to fund experiences instead. Alternatively, you might find yourself in the position of buying your gift late and discovering their wish list has already been fulfilled. Fear not. These 12 wedding gift ideas couples won't want to return offer a variety of thoughtful options that are guaranteed to please.
From personalized mementos they'll treasure for a lifetime to thoughtful gestures that will capture their hearts to fun gifts designed to generate smiles, it's easy to choose a wedding gift that won't end up in the return pile. According to Delish, wedding gifts couples are most likely to return (or even toss) include tacky home decor (did you get that at a dollar store?), dishes without any mates, cheap knives, re-gifted gifts, bad wine, and 20 lbs of bacon. Seriously, while it's OK to go off the registry, be smart about it. Maybe don't get bacon for that vegetarian couple, or any couple for that matter. Let them buy their own breakfast meat.
If you're going to make something yourself, stick to things like memory or scrapbooks and not tacky lamps crafted out of popsicle sticks unless you're under 10 years old (yes, someone actually received this from an adult). Instead, think of things that are personal, classic, and useful. It's also important to choose something that reflects the taste of the bride and groom. What's more, if you can't make it to the actual wedding, you can send a gift later. I had a friend who called ahead to our honeymoon destination and had champagne and dessert waiting for us in our room when we arrived. This was a great gift that allowed us to toast our marriage as soon as we arrived at our destination, and we definitely appreciated it. In fact, it stands out so much that it's one of the only gifts I actually remember.
If you aren't sure what the happy couple is into, there are some gift options that are equal parts practical and thoughtful and that every person will use at one time or another. Need some inspo? Check out this list of gift ideas couples won't return so you can avoid making a wedding-gift gaffe.
1. Sure to Charm: Personalized Champagne Wedding Vase
Quirky but classy, personal and guaranteed to complement almost every design concept, this Personalized Champagne Wedding Vase from UncommonGoods is a wedding gift that's sure to please. Your gift recipients can enjoy a made-to-order gift crafted from an up-cycled champagne bottle that will inspire them to adorn their home with fresh cut flowers. This gift has a 97 percent recommendation rate, and many reviewers are repeat buyers.
Give this unique wedding gift to close friends or a couple you don't know every well. No matter who your intended recipient, they'll appreciate how thoughtful you are and that you went the extra mile to personalize a practical gift they can enjoy for the rest of their lives. This is a wedding gift that lets them know you're raising a glass to their love, and you know it will last forever.
2. Where Love Lives: Intersection of Love Photo Print
Classic and a beautiful celebration of love, gifting the happy couple with a unique wedding gift like this Intersection of Love print from UncommonGoods is a thoughtful way to celebrate their union. This personalized gift allows you to commemorate the couple's love by displaying both of their names and adding the year their paths first crossed and the year they made it official.
This photo will definitely be displayed prominently in the happy couple's home for everyone who visits to admire. Made by Philadelphia artist Patricia Carlin, this print comes in both black and white or color. What's more, this gift has a 99 percent recommendation rate, which means your intended gift recipients are guaranteed to love and cherish it.
3. Cherish their Love: Beaded Marriage Certificate Holder
Thoughtful, affordable and sure to be appreciated, this Beaded Marriage Certificate Holder from Things Remembered is a creative way for the happy couple to display their marriage certificate after they say I do. This wedding gift can also be personalized with the couples names and wedding date to make it extra special.
A keepsake that comes with a sleek metal tube featuring detailed beaded edges and a display stand, this wedding gift is an elegant and sophisticated choice for any couple tying the knot. What's more, it serves as a nostalgic time capsule of their love that will bring smiles to their faces whenever they view it. One reviewer noted that this is their go-to gift for all things involving weddings. Why not make it yours, too?
4. A Cut Above: Personalized Cutting Board
Whether they get cozy in the kitchen making meals of just slice fruit for cocktails when entertaining, every couple needs a cutting board, which means you can't go wrong with this personalized cutting board from Amazon. Beautifully crafted from walnut and etched with a classic design, you can add the happy couple's names to this unique wedding gift to remind them of their love every time they use it.
This personalized cutting board made from all-natural wood has four-and-a-half stars on Amazon. One reviewer said: "I requested that the engraving be on the back, so as not to ruin it when chopping, and they can flip it over to display their last name and use it as a serving tray when not being used as a cutting board. It came in a beautiful burlap sleeve, which I just added a ribbon around and gave it as the present. I got several compliments on it." If this cutting board is not their style. Amazon has dozens of other options so you're pretty much guaranteed to find one your couple will love.
5. Light their Fire: Custom Candle Heart Map
Create a map of their love that allows them to light their fire with a custom candle heart map gift set. This is a wedding gift that absolutely every couple will love and appreciate. With five stars on Amazon, this handmade candle can be personalized with your lucky couple's details so they can remember how bright their loves burned on the day they exchanged their vows.
You can also choose the scent of the candle based on your intended's favorite smells. On reviewer noted: "I got this for a friend's wedding and she was over the moon with it," while another said, "I bought this as a wedding gift and they LOVED it. It may be a simple gift but the meaningful writing makes it special to others." These rave reviews are no surprise because taking the time to select a personal and thoughtful gift is always appreciated.
6. Make them Merry and Bright: Wedding Cake Ornament
If your happy couple celebrates Christmas, a personalized ornament is a thoughtful way to commemorate their commitment to each other. This classy Our First Christmas Wedding Cake from Things Remembered is a beautiful wedding gift that your gift recipients can display on their tree for their first Christmas and every one thereafter.
While the ornament comes pre-engraved with the words "Our First Christmas," it can be further personalized with the couple's names. Clean and classic, this is an affordable option for every wedding occasion, and the new couple will appreciate that you went the extra mile to gift them with something they can cherish for the rest of their lives.
7. The Key to their Hearts: Custom Hand-Forged Love Lock
Until 2015, lovers in Paris, France, attached padlocks to the Pont des Arts pedestrian bridge to celebrate their union. While that's no longer allowed, you can still purchase a Custom Hand-Forged Love Lock from Etsy that comes with the keys to the happy couple's hearts. Romantic, thoughtful and unique, this wedding gift shows the couple that you appreciate their special bond.
"Hand-forged by skilled artisans, then sent to our shop to elegantly personalize for you, this hand-forged love lock is the sweetest symbol of a couple's love. Its high-quality craftsmanship looks like it is a piece meant for French Chateau decor," the seller EngravableZ noted on Etsy. This personalized gift has a 100-percent satisfaction rate, which means it's guaranteed to please.
8. Two Hearts Beat as One: Half Heart Square Red Mug Set
For the couple who always has morning coffee together, the Half Heart Square Red Mug Set from Personal Creations is a wedding gift that celebrates the happy couple's union every morning. Each half of the heart is personalized with one person's name. When the mugs sit next to each other they join to make one. This creative gifts is a fun way to let your intended gift recipients know that you're celebrating their two hearts beating together as one.
With four-and-a-half stars, this is a gift you can feel confident giving. Reviewers on Personal Creations are raving about how much those who received these mugs as a gift loved them. Literally everyone drinks from a mug at some point, and even if they don't the mugs can also be displayed and filled with candy or other treats.
9. Celebrate their Union: This Is Us Doormat
If you're selecting a wedding gift for a couple who can't get enough of the hit TV show This Is Us, a personalized This Is Us welcome mat from Personal Creations is sure to please. This beautiful mat is sold exclusively at Personal Creations, can be used both indoors and outdoors, is easy to clean, and has room for up to eight names, which makes it a perfect choice for blended families or couples with pets.
Many reviewers who chose this gift for couples became repeat buyers and noted that the gifts were loved and appreciated. Every time your intended gift recipients walk through their door they can fancy themselves Jack and Rebecca from This Is Us. And let's face it, those two are total #relationshipgoals.
10. Treasure their Memories: Memory Lantern
Give a wedding gift that's equal parts love and light by selecting this one-of-a-kind memory lantern from Etsy. Choose four images, one for each side of the lantern, that feature special moments from the happy couple's courtship. Unique and thoughtful, this gift is a true display of love. "Each photo comes to life in a way that no normal photograph can. Light pours from the top and bottom illuminating the table beneath and the space above with a beautiful glow that is perfect for any room," the seller Memory Lanterns explained on Etsy.
These memory lanterns have a five-star rating, which means your satisfaction is 100 percent guaranteed. Both people who gave and received the memory lanterns raved about this meaningful gift. This is truly a wedding gift that all couples will love and cherish. As they grow older, the gift serves as a beautiful memento of their earliest days together as a couple.
11. Celebrate their Milestones: Wedding Milestone Wine Labels
Celebrate the important milestones of the happy couple by selecting these personalized Wedding Milestone Labels that you can fix to their favorite varietals. This is a wedding gift that keeps on giving. The happy couple can enjoy a bottle on their honeymoon, when they make their first big purchase, on their first anniversary, their first Christmas, and first Valentine's Day as a married couple.
There's even a label for their first fight, which means they can pop the cork once they make up. With almost 4,000 purchases, this gift has a five-star rating making it a can't-go-wrong wedding gift for any couple tying the knot. If you want to personalize the labels even more, you can create your own titles and request the couple's favorite poems be added to the celebratory labels.
12. A Toast To The Happy Couple: Personalized Wine Cork Shadow Box
As long as you're getting the happy couple wine and personalized wine labels, you might as well throw in this Personalized Wine Cork Shadow Box. Customize the box just for them with this wedding gift that every wine-loving couple is sure to love and appreciate. On the fence? This gift is highly rated on Amazon for it's rustic aesthetic and beautiful presentation.
One couple even used the box as a guestbook at their wedding, which is a genius way to store those memories for the rest of their lives. "We ended up cutting corks in half so we could have more people sign our 'guest book' for our wedding (and so it was easier to write on). It fit about 120 cork halves and was a great success for the event. It now sits as a great decoration by our bar!"
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