Gifts for groomsmen? are they necessary in this situation?

anne.azano

Hi girls!  So, here's the situtation... My FI is australian and 4 of his friends are making the trip to the States for our wedding, 2 are groomsmen.  He is paying for their suit rental.  For the bachelor party, he is taking them to a red sox game.  Since they are spending quite a bit to get over to the states, he has bought them all tickets, paid for 2 hotel rooms in boston that night, and is buying each of them a red sox hat.  We have also taken care of accommodation in the town where we're getting married from Tuesday - Sunday (we've rented a big house where everyone and their girlfriends can stay).   They will also get 3 meals, the rehearsal dinner, the wedding itself, and we're getting bagels, donuts, and coffee for all the OOTs the next morning.

So, the other day, I started talking to my FI about bridesmaids gifts and asked him what he was going to get his groomsmen and he said there was no way he was buying them something stupid like cufflinks when he's already paying for so much.  So, my question is, do you think it's ok to skip out on the formality of the groomsmen gifts when we're already paying for so much? 

bablingbrooke

It sounds like the game, hat, and accommodation are their gifts. 

cdomanta

Wow! I think how your FI is taking them to a Red Sox game (YAY!) AND getting them hats and tuxes and everything else, I think that suffices to a groomsmens gift!!! I would have him tell them that tickets to the game and the hats are their presents if they are indeed baseball fans. If not, then it's up to your FI what he wants to get them in additon to all those other things. I think him paying for basically everything from plane tickets to accomadations is enough, and his guys will be more than satisfied with all of it! I wouldn't mind all of that in lieu of cufflinks either!

jagore08

Yeah, I think the game and accommodations are a good enough gift.

banana468

Aside from it being a Red Sox game, I think the gifts are great ones for the GM. 

gottahavashorti

Ditto PPs.  Things like tickets to a game and baseball caps are definitely gifts.

anne.azano

haha banana, booo yankees!  

Great, glad to know you all think that's fine... it does seem silly to get some kind of cufflink type trinket.  I know my FI's brother got him cufflinks for his wedding and he lost them pretty much right away.  They're all pretty laidback aussie guys anyway, I don't think they'd care one way or the other.  We just want to make the trip worth their while since it's pretty expensive and time consuming to get from australia to the east coast of the US.  Thanks for the advice!

banana468

I can tell you that DH would love tickets to a baseball game.

But he'd want to punch Youkilis.  :-)

anne.azano

Youkilis, I love, Jeter's the one I I want to punch!  But my FI and his friends are blissfully unaware of that rivalry...talk to them about rugby or cricket and they'll be full of opinions!   Unfortunately the game is against the mariners, not the yankees, but it should be fun for them.  They just want the "all american" experience of going to a baseball game, eating hot dogs, drinking beer, and hanging out in Boston.  I think it'll be a really fun bachelor party for them!