Buy a calendar when an upcoming family wedding is announced and note birthdays and special family dates on it. It's a very welcoming gesture to the new family member, including them in on the "good stuff". Be sure to write down addresses, phone numbers, and email addresses should the new family want to send greetings.
By Tahloolabelle from Ventura, CA
This page contains the following solutions.
Buy big red or green bin and fill with Christmas decorations. Stencil the couple name on the bin. Buy half price decorations after Christmas to fill it. Paint the couple name on a clear glass ornament with the first year of Christmas on it.
Do away with the wrapping paper for a more eco-friendly present.
This tip is for an unusual wedding gift. I have heard many new brides complain that after the wedding when they are just starting out, they do not have the money to get their dress cleaned and stored.
For the new bride, along with a card or gift, also give a recipe card with an easy dish. The new bride (and of course the groom) will appreciate an easy dinner idea.
Create a picture book for the groom with pics of his bride-to-be as a baby.
Here are the questions asked by community members. Read on to see the answers provided by the ThriftyFun community.
Looking for alternative wedding gift ideas! I've done searches to find ideas for frugal wedding gifts but most of them are quite traditional. These days, couples live together awhile before tying the knot. My friend and his fiance were previously married, and don't need/want any of the typical wedding gifts. The wedding is also very low key and casual.
The couple is really funky. I am 38 and have never had to buy a wedding gift for anyone so I am at a loss! I've done searches but nothing seems right for them. Any ideas for wedding gifts for fun groovy couples? They both have kids from previous relationships, maybe a basket?I like to make food themed "baskets" for wedding gifts. Buy a nice colander (like a red enamel one). Inside it place a box of spaghetti, a gourmet pasta sauce, a shaker of parmesan, a nice kitchen towel and a wooden spoon. Wrap with clear basket wrap and tie on a ribbon. You can do other themes. If they like pizza do a pizza pan, pizza crust mix, pizza sauce, kitchen towel and a rolling pin. If they like buffalo wings wrap up a baking sheet, bottled wing sauce, ranch dressing, cajun seasoning, tongs, kitchen towel and a big package of paper napkins.
Even if people have been living together or on their own for awhile, most people need and appreciate some new kitchen items. Tying it together with their favorite foods makes it personal.
Hope this helps!
Gift cards to a movie theatre--good for the whole family. You could use the gift card idea for a museum or zoo or botanical gardens also.
Often I have given photo albums using pictures of the couple (or even just one if I don't know both of them). I made one of these for my nephew & his wife when they got married and the wife was absolutely thrilled to have childhood photos of her new husband. I also added special marriage quotes placed sporadically throughout the book, that I found online, to help inspire them during their marriage.
I once bought a sea kite for a couple who were getting married. Especially if they have kids, flying a kite at the beach is glorius. This is our yearly tradition at the beach. It's so easy to get the kite up with the ocean breezes.
I like to give gifts for the yard or garden - a birdbath or feeder, some kind of garden art. It doesn't have to be expensive especially if you make it.
Since they both have kids, how about a "home movie night" box (to use with or without the kiddos!)? Get a Blockbuster gift card, several packages of microwave popcorn, various boxes of candies (cheaper at a drugstore or grocery store), and bottles of water or cans or liter bottles of soda (if you know their preference) - wrap the box in cellophane, then place on an inexpensive floor pillow for a real fun treat!
I buy a nice picture frame and frame the invitation. Another idea is to buy a nice American flag.
Do what I do Make a picnic basket for two. Get a small square table cloth, two napkins, nice plates(2), silverware(2 sets) two candleholders and candles, wine glasses(2) Burn them a CD of romantic music. Put all this in a basket with a lid. On the card tell them that this gift is for their first anniversary or for when they just need a little romance!
Make a bouquet out of money,it is posted here in thrifty fun, the link is .
You might think about family fun type things--board games, cards, etc.
This works especially great for late spring or summer weddings - yard games - Watch for sales and you can get great prices. Fall & winter weddings would be great for indoor board games. Creates family times and things to do with friends when they have them over.
I find that making a fun basket is always helpful. You can make a theme behind the items you use; an example is movie night. Fill the basket with some microwave popcorn, a variety of DVD's that the whole family can see, some dollar store candy or cookies. Then you can place wrap over the basket and a big bow. I have many brothers and sisters that have married with each member having children from previous weddings and it is always enjoyed by all members. You can also change up the theme to beach - towels, sun screen and toys (according to the ages) ... or ... kitchen, bathroom, playroom etc ... just remember that all should be able to enjoy the basket of goodies. Your local dollar store carries the same items as other chain stores, only cheaper so you can add more items. The DVD's are located at Best Buy and they accept other store ads to keep that prices down too. Sometimes I buy them in advance when the are 4.99 - most are current movies and some older one's that are collector items too. Have fun and get your family involved in the hunt for items. They will enjoy getting it together as well as sharing fun for your new friends and family members.
Enjoy,
Cecilia
A giftbox filled with lightbulbs in assorted wattage! Let your budget determine the size. I've had several laughing calls as late as 5 years into the marriage telling me that they FINALLY used the last of my gift, and appreciated it every time a bulb blew and they didn't have to wait till they went shopping or rummage to replace it. It's also lightweight and easy to transport, but PLEASE remember to clearly mark it "extremely fragile".
I've bought an interesting dollar store or Goodwill vase or bowl or canister and filled it with Hershey's Kisses and Hershey's Hugs. This has worked well for people that I work with but don't know really well, so I don't want to spend a lot of money.
I need some gift ideas for my son and his future wife.
I have absolutely no clue as to what to buy them as a wedding gift. He is in the service and they plan on getting an apartment. I can't spend a lot of $$ but want a nice gift. Thought about getting them a bible? What do ya'll think?
When DH & I first got married 9 yrs ago he was in the Army. I received a great heirloom Bible from my grandparents but, what we really needed were "things" to set up a household.He had lived in the barracks for several years & I had lived in my Dad's house.So, if they already have housekeeping set up then I would definitely get them something "sentimental"-the bible, an engraved frame,a nice clock, or maybe something engraved/stamped with the wedding date & their initials.(Things Remembered has some nice things at a reasonable price.) Either way I'm sure they will love it b/c its from you & you thought about them on their special day.
Why not get them a gift card from Wal Mart? Say $25 (or what you would have spent on another gift). That way, they can have a bit of a fall back, not to mention they can refill (reload?) it and sock it away for tougher times. Or with these gas prices outrageous, get them a $50.00 gas card. Some stations sell them like the Wal Mart Cards. Or even more generic, some places sell Visa and Master Cards like that. YOU set the limit when you buy it, as you use it, you deplete the balance, but you can reload it and you can use it anywhere that accepts credit (and possibly debit) cards. No feelings are hurt if they do not love the item you picked, and you have helped start their life together.
I got married last December and the things I was most glad to receive was household items. I got towels and small kitchen appliances.
I think a family Bible is a wonderful idea. It is so critical to the foundation of their home! I went to Amazon and found very reasonable prices on Bibles.Perhaps you could have it stamped with the new family's names. Good luck
My mother and mother-in-law got together and made us a family photo album. Pictures of us and our siblings as kids, photos of our parents and grandparents as kids as well as their weddings. They did it in the form of a scrapbook so they could each do their pages and then put them together at the end. They wrote names, dates (when known) and places together with some nice thoughts on most of the pages. It's a true treasure! We both love it and since it's a scrap book we can add pages later!
When my husband and I got married 11 yrs ago, someone got us a picnic basket full of plastic tablecloth, napkins, plastic plates, cups, flatware etc. I absolutely loved it. It was a great excuse to picnic...very romantic and functional! Still have it and use it. I thought it was such a great idea that I have done the same for gifts.
I'd tell them that they were going to get a gift after they move into their apt. and it will be something they choose. They don't know which gifts will be coming their way until after they've moved in. No need for duplicatons.
Or, the other equally useful thing would be a gift card to a department store (Target, Wal-Mart, K-Mart, ...) in their vicinity.
After I moved into a house, my parents bought me drapery rods. You just never realize what you are going to need until you move in!
I think a Bible is a perfect gift. If you want to do something personal to go along with it, make a collection of your son's favorite recipes. You could also give them a calendar with family birthdays written in on the date, and an address book with family addresses, phone numbers, e-mail addresses, etc. in it.
YES!!!!! A bible is the perfect gift for your son and daughter in law. They need a firm foundation to start their life on and the word is it. Too many people now adays think stuff will make them happy. I would suggest the Thompson-Chain referance bible, it is such a great study bible. Such a great choice for a gift. RoseMary B
only if they are both of the same religion. it might seem rude to get him a bible of his faith, if she is clearly of another. almost as though she doesn't count... and actually i think its a poor idea. if they are religious they probably already have one, and if they arent religious, it will be a large expensive paper weight
We got married in November, right after Thanksgiving. We had 2 great bridal showers & got everything!! But the one gift that stands out in my mind, above everything else, was a beautiful Christmas wreath centerpiece arrangement complete with hurricane globe over a beautiful & unique red candle, given to us by a dear friend of the family.
How about a basket filled with pepto bismo,bandaids,cold medicine... you get my idea. I am a very practical person. It will save them a run to the drugstore in the middle to the night.
What wedding gift can I get for a young relative that I barely know who is a millionaire and so is her fiance'? Nothing has been said about her being registered anywhere. Asking about that is not an option in this family, a very sore subject. I can't go into details about that.
This young woman isn't fond of any of us on this side of the family, but the wedding is being held in our area even though the couple live many states away, and it is an opportunity for us to see the rest of the family.
It also isn't an option for us not to attend. It's a crazy family. This relative is on the extreme when it comes to her party lifestyle which makes it very difficult to give something that would have any meaning or value to her.
I thought of a restaurant gift certificate, but since I've never seen her eat anything other than fast food and as I said they live far from us so I have no idea of what kind of a restaurant they would enjoy. So, if anyone has a cool idea, I sure could use it. Actually there are three families of us in the same boat concerning this wedding.
By Dorothy Myers from NY
I am looking for ideas of wedding gifts I can make.
My daughter is getting married for the third time. Any suggestions for a wedding present? Thanks.
By ralphed from Middletown, NY
My husband's boss is getting married next month. My husband is the office manager and has worked for him for 4 years. We were invited to the shower (a couple's shower) and so have already bought a gift (over $100). The boss and his bride-to-be both come from wealthy families, and the wedding is in New York (we live in Michigan). We both have to take a day off from work to drive to New York because we can't afford to fly, and we are spending a lot of money to stay at a hotel for 2 nights - since we are also invited to the rehearsal dinner the night before.
I am at a complete loss as what to give as a wedding gift. Money would not be appropriate, we already bought from the registry, and we are spending quite a lot just to attend the wedding. Any suggestions?This one is hard because you are not related and I don't know if you know your dh's boss well enough to get away with many of the suggestions offered.
If you know what their religion is, try going to a bookstore or thrift store and picking out a bargain book in very good condition that relates to marriage.
If you or any sisterfriend of yours makes nice, embroidered lavender-stuffed small cushions, that would be lovely.
Print out Gift Certificates that are "Out There" from your computer - like offering to show the bride-to-be the best places to shop around your dh's work, easy midnight snack recipes, Married Girls' Night Out times, or you can even offer a few certificates in something at which you know you excel. One of our adopted adult sons, for example, loves my cooking, is divorced and, even though he's pulling in a far bigger salary (with no alimony!)than I could ever imagine, he's always broke. So for his birthday, dd and I gave him a Gift Certificate of 53 lunches, one for each week, plus one spare, to take to work with him, and they're only leftovers - but he loves it!
DON'T downgrade or downplay your God-given talents. What may seem obvious to you is impossible for the woman who has everything.
Ask people who are close to you what is, in their opinion, your strongest capability, and see if you can give the new couple a gift related to that.
I'll bung up some prayers for you, Dear Heart.
To the original poster, I wouldn't get them anything else. You have already spent more money than you might have for a relative, and your involvement in their wedding should be enough. All of the wedding gift ideas were superb, by the way! Very ingenious and frugal. Just relax and have a good time.
I don't think you should be expected to give another gift since you've already gotten an expensive gift. however, if you think you should a first year together Christmas ornament is nice! You can pick those up pretty inexpensively and if you are crafty, even better! Gift cards to restaurants are great gifts! A bottle of wine.
A basket of goodies like candies, nuts, chips and dip, with a candle and pair of matching glasses that you could pick up at a thrift store. After spending what you have, I don't think you should go overboard since they aren't family. I think you should keep it simple.
How about a nice basket that you fill with things yourself. Either Wine and Cheeses and foods or bath items for a romantic bath. Add some candles in and a couple of inexpensive but nice looking wine glasses. They make all sorts of cute playful looking ones now that are fun and not spendy.
Or just a set of nice summertime wine glasses, they come with all designs and are made to be fun for summer. You can get a pitcher to match if you wanted to get drink glasses instead. Nice gift and not a lot of money.
It's not so unreasonable to get a small gift after spending a lot to be there. After all, your presence there is also a gesture of happiness towards the couple. See if there is anything inexpensive on www.gatheringguide.com/
I have an older friend who is getting married to a lady at my church on December 31. I would like ideas for a gift to give them. They both have houses with everything they need. The lady has 4 sisters that will probably get anything she might need. The guy has been self sufficient for years. Did I mention they are both in their late 60s or early 70s? I thought of a gag gift, but I was strongly encouraged that they may not find humor in such a gift on this occasion. They are fairly serious individuals.
Thank you for your time and input.
By Suntydt from Tazewell, TN
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Go through the calendar and write in each member of the extended family's birthday, and age if you think people would not mind it.
