Your Top Wedding Gift Guide
The experts' wedding gift guide for making the big day special
Buying a wedding gift isn't that difficult, but everyone can use a wedding gift guide to help them stay on track. We've all heard horror stories from weddings past, so to avoid those pitfalls, follow these helpful tips and make sure your gift is the best wedding gift possible.
Tips for the best wedding gift
1. Stick to the registry
I know: those measuring cups the bride registered for don't feel like a very exciting wedding gift, do they? But you have to remember that wedding gift registries exist for a reason: to let the couple express what they actually want. Sure, your homemade bird house is more creative, but the couple actually wants and will use those measuring cups, while your birdhouse may sit around the basement for a decade.
Many people ignore wedding gift registries, preferring to rely on their own ingenuity. That's fine to an extent, but if you're stuck for ideas, don't worry about being boring: the best wedding gift is something the couple needs and wants!
2. Don't forget about money
Even if the couple doesn't ask for wedding gift money, that doesn't mean they don't need it. Weddings are expensive. Many people feel awkward asking for money in lieu of gifts, but a lot of them would really prefer it.
This is especially true if the couple is older and have been living together, or on their own, for a while: they probably have a lot of what they really need and would prefer wedding gift money they can spend as they need it.
3. If you don't know the couple well, ask someone who does
If it's your sister or best friend getting married, you probably won't have any trouble thinking of a great wedding gift. But if you're attending a coworker's wedding or someone you don't know as well, don't be afraid to flat out ask someone -- a relative, close friend, or even the bride herself -- what the couple would love. And if all else fails, don't forget to check those wedding gift registries.
Buying a wedding gift isn't really that difficult. Just make sure that your natural creativity doesn't interfere with your common sense! The best wedding gift is usually pretty simple, something the couple wants and can use. Follow this wedding gift guide to make sure that's what they get.