Stumped on what to give the happy couple? Stick to these 5
rules and you're sure to give a wedding gift that will
please.
At every wedding you attend as a wedding guest, you're
inevitably faced with the age-old question: What should you
give?
To find the answer, we partnered with a leading gift registry
(Kohl's Bridal Aisle) and polled a whopping 15,000 brides and
newly married gals to find out what they really wanted
wrapped in that pretty white paper. The result? Our top five
rules for giving wedding gifts they're guaranteed to love.
Buy From Their Registry
Don't get too creative: Nearly 85% of brides want you to
select a wedding gift from their wedding registry list, and
98% have at least one registry list, either in a store or on
the web.
Look online to see where the couple is registered: 4 in 10
couples have a wedding website that links to their online
registry. Many retailers make shopping more convenient by
allowing guests to access registries online, or you can just
head to the store to purchase in person. The couple set up
the registry for a reason, and if you stick to it, you can't
possibly buy a gift they won't like!
Kitchen, Entertaining, Bed, and Bath Gifts a Must
Unlike years past, today's couples want modern twists on the
traditional wedding gifts, even though some of the most
coveted gifts still hail from the kitchen, dinning, bedding,
and bath departments.
For deluxe bedding and bath, give them gifts that'll create a
spa-like, hotel environment every morning when they wake up.
Think about buying them a trio of gifts to create a theme:
What about a set of super-soft pillows, a thick down blanket,
and a pair of high thread-count hotel towels?
In terms of entertaining, everyday affairs are big for
brides, so consider giving a set dishes and stainless
flatware that can multitask -- and either be dressed up for
dinner with the boss or dressed down for a backyard barbecue.
It seems everyone wants to be a gourmand these days, and many
couples use their wedding as an excuse to upgrade their
kitchen with top-notch appliances. Give state-of-the-art
kitchen gear, gadgets, and cookware that look as good on the
counter as they do when in use.
Don't Spend Less Than $50
It's a bad idea to use the price-per-plate as a measure for
how much you should spend on the wedding gift -- you wouldn't
give your best friend a less expensive gift just because she
was having a more casual affair. Spend what you think is
appropriate to your relationship to the couple, and also
consider what's reasonable in your city. Here's the ballpark
you should be aiming for:
Coworker and/or a distant family friend or relative: $50-$75
Relative or friend: $75-$100
Close relative or close friend: $100-$150+
Give a Big Group Gift
Married couples who took our survey said that their favorite
gifts were big-ticket items purchased by a group of their
friends, and that makes sense: They would most likely never
be able to afford those luxuries on their own. If the couple
has registered for an item that's out of range for just one
person to afford, ask some other guests to chip in with you.
It's also a great idea for the bridal party to band together
and buy the couple the item of their dreams.
Buy it Within Two Months
Two out of three newlywed couples polled told us they still
haven't received all of their wedding gifts, which left us
wondering -- what ever happened to the longstanding one-year
rule? With the convenience of online buying and shipping,
there's little excuse for such a delay -- try to send your
gift within two months of the wedding. And though you're
excited for them to see it, don't bring it to the wedding --
they won't want to lug it around, and it could get damaged
during the night. Having it shipped straight to them will
make things easier for everyone!
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