As a couple getting married, you will invariably receive gifts from your friends and family. But there are a few people to whom you should be giving gifts: each other, your parents, your wedding party attendants.
Gifts to Each Other
It’s traditional for a couple getting married to give each other something special and meaningful as a wedding gift. It should be personal and should remind your spouse of the love you share and this very special experience of your wedding day.
Often, jewelry, watches, and cuff links are lovely choices, if those are appropriate for your new spouse. If your fiancé doesn’t wear French cuff shirts, then cuff links are probably not a great choice. I recommend avoiding consumable items, such as perfume and cologne, because you want something that they can cherish forever.
You should hopefully know each other better than anyone, so only you can choose the perfect gift for your new spouse. Put your heart into it, and you will come up with something perfect!
The best time to exchange these gifts with your spouse-to-be is the night before your wedding. On your wedding day, you will be busy and at the end of the day, you will be tired. Treat wedding eve like Christmas Eve and exchange gifts in a quiet moment together.
TL;DR here’s the video version
Gifts for Your Parents
Typically, the wedding couple gives gifts to their parents to thank them for their years of love and support—and possibly for financial support with the wedding. A classic parent gift is a very nice photo frame, silver or something similarly elegant. Later, when the wedding photos come back, your parents can choose their favorite and you can buy them a print to put in the frame.
The parent gifts are usually a joint gift: from both of you to both of your parents, and from both of you to both of your spouse’s parents. If any of the parents are divorced, then you’ll obviously need separate gifts.
As with the gifts you give each other, think about what would be special and meaningful to your parents. It’s easier if you give each set of parents the same or a similar gift, but if not, they should be gifts in the same price point.
Gift for Your Wedding Party
If you have a large wedding party, this category can add up fast. You’ll want gifts for your maid of honor/best man, bridesmaids, groomsmen, flowers girls, and ring bearers. And your officiant, if it’s a friend or family member performing your ceremony.
Classic gifts for ladies include pashminas, silk robes, a piece of inexpensive jewelry, a monogrammed tote bag, or monogrammed stemless wine glasses. For the guys, monogrammed catch-all trays, utility knives, whiskey tasting glasses, or ties and pocket squares are popular choices.
Those are all clearly very gender-normative. Again, think about your attendants and what makes sense for them. If you and your best girlfriends are all whiskey drinkers, then maybe get them engraved whiskey glasses!
When it comes to both the gifts for your parents and the gifts for your attendants, the best time to give them is at the rehearsal dinner. Everyone is gathered in one place, and you can make a little thank you speech to go along with presenting the gifts.
However, if your rehearsal dinner is very large and includes all of the out-of-town guests attending your wedding, you may not want to give these gifts there. In that case, I recommend giving your attendants their gifts on the wedding day when you are all getting ready together. And your parents’ gifts should be given at a quiet moment the night before your wedding. You and your partner should give the parent gifts together, because they are from both of you.
Further reading: Your Guide to Wedding Thank You Gifts (sponsored) and 107 Best Christmas Gift Ideas for Him