Carrie and Danielle - Latest Comments in What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Karen — Wed, 27 Aug 2008 21:53:17 -0000

I have to go to a Portuguese wedding this year, and I know that money is expected as a gift, but have no idea as to what is the average amount to give? I work with the bride's mother and she is also a friend. From listening to the planning of the wedding, it's going to be quite extravagant.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Jen — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 19:24:36 -0000

Evla Pottery , located in St. Paul Minnesota . Micheal Coon is the potter , and Kimberly Christenson runs the store and is also a Abstract Painter. They let you put pottery aside for your wedding registry. Mike also makes dinner sets in feb.
They are family owned business and work hard like farmers with out a tractor.
"You never know what presents the Kiln will leave you." Just like nature.
Personally, the bowl from Evla for under $60 makes a great made by hand and in America heirloom gift. Any one can buy mass produced give something with love in it. thanks. jen

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

lynn — Tue, 05 Aug 2008 14:58:56 -0000

I often give handmade items - most often pottery made by a fine woman I have gotten to know over the years. She makes French butter keepers. What are these? you might ask. Think of a lid where the edge is very deep. You pack butter into it and then invert it into a bottom piece filled with water. This keeps the butter the perfect consistency for spreading - summer or winter. My kids' friends would use ours and ask me where I got it. I started giving them away once I saw how many people liked them too. I include an Ikebana vase by the same artist. This is a Japanese-style vase made from clay that the artist leaves a very earthy brown color and often presses a small shell into for a subtle design. There is a metal pronged holder (frog) in the center that can hold one or several flowers - perfect for the person who is flower-arranging challenged! Also perfect for the single blossom that a child brings into the house as a gift for Mama.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Krysta — Sun, 03 Aug 2008 22:54:24 -0000

Me too - Danielle, hope you don't mind me stealing this idea! Its so personal... I wish I had done this with ours... have no idea where our copy it ended up?! At the bottom of some box somewhere. Great idea.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Xai Vicente Charles — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:23:57 -0000

Thank you Tamara.
I am going to look into this today.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Loriann — Fri, 01 Aug 2008 10:23:07 -0000

Good god yes. We told people that we were already combining two long-established households and had all we need, and that we would much prefer they support a charity in honor of the occasion if they felt that had to do something beyond just sharing our joy that day. Many did. We did set up a small registry with practical things that we really would use and appreciate. Others chose that route, or cash. But while I'm truly appreciative of the thought behind the hideous but expensive piece of art given by my MIL's dear friend, we can never, ever get rid of it. If you must buy something with "personality," please god make it something that can be hidden away in a drawer if it is not to the taste of the recipient. I can't think of a worse gift than art that must be displayed (and that includes framed invitations) unless the couple specifically requested that particular piece. The wedding should be about the couple, not about you expressing your creativity.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Kristin — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 19:15:01 -0000

I love giving a meal somewhere - if I can, to a restaurant at the honeymoon spot so they can enjoy a meal without considering the financial implications; if not, a meal at a fancy place in their hometown so they can celebrate upon their return. Moments often mean as much as physical items, and I've enjoyed receiving thank-you notes with mouth-watering details of their dinners!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Lisa — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:26:06 -0000

Best wedding gift we got was from my brother: A home-cooked italian meal delivered in a picnic basket lined with a red-and-white checkered tablecloth and accompanied by cooking instructions for a delicious meal. With a great bottle of italian wine, a copy of the movie la dolce vida and a cd of italian opera music (which I don't usually like, but it set the ambiance). And a lovely, warm heartfelt card that went with it.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Kristin (The Goat) — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:00:00 -0000

OOOh, I love giving gifts - wedding gifts are among my favorites. I didn't register when I got married an we got some really fun stuff. I did sell a lot of stuff later, that wasn't our taste, but still - I loved the creativity.

I like to give pottery bowls. I love pottery bowls, so I give pottery bowls. Depending on the couple, I usually give a real large bowl, for a party sized tossed salad, or large quantities of pasta.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Tamara — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 15:50:13 -0000

Consider publishing those recipes through a publishing-on- demand company like Lulu.com. (There are many such companies.) Then you'll have a beautiful book that you can give to family members whenever you like. It's surprisingly affordable since you don't have to order a bunch of copies at once.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

textimage — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 10:23:44 -0000

you, i like. before i was a bride, i was creative, expressive and as personal as personal as can be in gift giving. but after i was on the receiving end of such "thoughtfulness" (faux silver chaffing dish from the family who runs a catering company?!) i adored that my registry store collected the value of all our gifts and allowed us to spend it in anyway we wanted (hello full set of stemware!). from my dearest friends, sure go for it, get personal, creative, we love it... but everyone else, i love me some registry credit! i now take my sobering, learning experience and apply it to all but my most cherished amigos.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Ellen — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:59:13 -0000

When I married, the best gifts I received were pieces of my crystal and big-ticket items I could return for cash. I know that sounds cold, but it really helped at the time.

When I divorced, my best friend stocked the kitchen in my new bachelorette apartment with all the staples....salt, pepper, mustard, a range of spices, milk, eggs, butter...you name it.

When my friends married last summer, I copied by hand all my best recipes into a lovely Rumi journal (the one Danielle highlighted a week or so ago). They had asked me for several recipes previously, and they enjoyed getting them in a lovely book.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Xai Vicente Charles — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 09:41:38 -0000

When my brother got married, all the ladies in our family gathered our treasured family recipes and placed in a handmade book made by another family member. Since them we've copied that book and we each have one. I have a special copy to give to my son when he gets married.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Cecile — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 08:41:34 -0000

Good morning!

Well if I had the storage space I would collect them. I own four. They are perfect for buffets, luncheons, brunches, you name it! Some of them are works of art...-careful there, Cecile... lollollolo I just love the one IO have for Thanks giving: a large cream colored turkey... for the stuffing!!
I have another where I put warm fruit compote, and so forth... And yes... fruit makes a gorgeous centerpiece.

Cécile

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Beth C. — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 03:24:15 -0000

The best wedding gift I received was a set of twelve engraved silver mint julep cups that my mother gave to me before the wedding. I used them as the vases for the flowers that sat on the tables at the reception. Today, I use one to store my makeup brushes in on my vanity so I get to see it every day as I'm getting ready to go to work. I have another that I keep out and use to drink cold drinks. All the rest are on display in the breakfront in my dining room. They are so loved!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

alligator_kate — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:34:04 -0000

make sure the bride likes the invitation... I admit that I still cringe thinking about our font, which somehow didn't end up being the one we chose! (As silly as that is... I know. But fonts matter to me...)

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

alligator_kate — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:31:37 -0000

Our minister recommended this to my husband-to-be and me when we were getting married. It is a very useful book that continues to support our marriage.

(Because we are an interfaith couple, and she is an interfaith minister, she made sure to let us know that it is not an overtly religious book, although it is written by a Christian minister. This should not put off non-Christian or non-religious couples. It is a book about love.)

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

alligator_kate — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:24:43 -0000

brilliant!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

alligator_kate — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:23:41 -0000

a good set of really great luggage--- not plain black, but more noticeable for identification purposes, and stylish (in their style). It lasts years, is very practical, and is generally appreciated by both members of the couple. Newly weds are usually only thinking about the honeymoon, anyway!---

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Stephanie — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 23:17:27 -0000

I like to give rocks. Amethyst, opal quartz, even a thunder egg. No one ever gets rid of a rock. Even if for some reason they are not crazy about it, they could put it in their garden for something to sparkle. Sometimes you can find rocks that have been made into votives - they look gorgeous when they are lit.

Rocks are my favorite gift to receive, too!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Denise of Uniquely Tea — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 22:42:51 -0000

I like to give an "Our First Christmas Together" tree ornament for them to hang on their first Christmas tree. Hallmark usually has their dated ornaments out by July. If the wedding is before then, I usually having luck finding a dated ornament on the internet. If not, there are plenty of undated "First Christmas Together" ornaments to be had.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Kylie — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 20:01:27 -0000

I was given a black & white photo of my husband and I (random shot)in a divine frame. We would never have got such a large photo/frame ourself but as a gift it reminds me of how special the couple are that gave it to us and what a divine day it was.

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Julia — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:53:00 -0000

Soup tureens are great centerpieces...just insert a nice fern or some fruit if you're not into soup!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Julia — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:31:36 -0000

Oh--I love that gift! I have enjoyed pewter monogrammed napkin rings as well!

Re: What’s a great wedding gift to give?

Julia — Wed, 30 Jul 2008 19:30:03 -0000

My favorite wedding gift is a stainless steel coffee carafe from Crate and Barrel. The marriage didn't last, but the carafe is still here 8 years later! I use it everyday, and it reminds me of my dear friend Laura Berry. Although I see her very rarely, I am reminded of her every morning as I enjoy my coffee!