Desperately need help with groomsmen gifts

AaronAndNikki

FI is a tax accountant and going crazy with work right now so I've offered to help try to come up with an idea for the groomsmen gifts and I've got nothing!!  I'm looking for some ideas that aren't clique (flasks, beer glasses, money clips, etc.).

A bit of background on the wedding: we're doing an eco-chic wedding with a Love Birds theme (lots of birds, lots of trees).  Our colors are green and yellow.  For the bridesmaids, I got engraved vases (to put on the wedding party table at the reception for their bouquets), an organic solid perfume, a small clutch, a forget-me-knot ring, and a Tree-of-Life necklace.  Each thing is personalized for each girl (engraved with name, scent she will like, clutch in her favorite color, ring in her size, necklace made with her favorite gemstone). 

A bit of background on the groomsmen: BM is 26, a government worker, does something regarding ethics(?), and is very into gadgets and nature. GM #1 is 27, my brother, a lawyer, and into video games and comic books.  GM #2 is 24 and in the Navy (don't know too much about him, but being in the Navy has killed a lot of our ideas since he can't have much with him).  GM #3 is 25, an accountant, preppy, and into sports.

I'd really like to spend about $50-75 per groomsmen because that's about what I spent on my girls.  I don't need everything to be the same, but it has to seem like it is similiar or goes together - has to make sense!

Please share any ideas you have!  I'm desperate... Wedding is in August and we have nothing...  (And I really have to figure it out by the end of the week because I'm a law student on spring break and won't have any free time until the end of May!)

XoXo,
Nikki

mbcdefg

http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_groomsmen-gifts-4

Don't worry about the theme of the wedding ... your attendants' gifts shouldn't be themed around your wedding. Only concentrate on things the guys would like. Remember that the guys don't all need to get the same thing.

And you have a LOT of time, so don't panic. Our wedding is next month and FI only ordered the groomsmen's gifts last week. If you say that you won't have free time until May, that still leaves you with two whole months to come up with something. And with the Internet, you can order something within 5 minutes.

A suggestion I made in the post I linked to is to take a break from it, if you're having a hard time coming up with something. FI couldn't think of anything when I was sitting there and bugging him for ideas, so I let it go. And he randomly came up with something good a while later. So don't force yourself to think of something because you will just keep drawing a blank and getting frustrated.

abbygrace8

Since you personalized the gifts for your girls, you should get pocket watches for the guys and have their names engraved in them. They'd look super classy with their tuxes/whatever they're wearing, and its something they can hold on to and use for years to come. Thats what we're doing for our GM!

MyNameIsNot

Attendant gifts should be about the attendant, not about your wedding.  So the theme and style of your wedding has nothing to do with this.  Of course, shopping like it is their birthday is best.  Since we don't know these people, it's difficult to say what they'd like.  Based on the little descriptions, my suggestions:

BM is 26, a government worker, does something regarding ethics(?), and is very into gadgets and nature. 

Get him a gadget.  Figure out what he'd like to have that fits in your price range.  If he's into nature, maybe some sort of hiking or camping gadget.

GM #1 is 27, my brother, a lawyer, and into video games and comic books. 

Video games and comic books will be great.  If you know of a game or accessory he wants, you're all set.  For comics, you can get a GC to his favorite comic store.

 GM #2 is 24 and in the Navy (don't know too much about him, but being in the Navy has killed a lot of our ideas since he can't have much with him).  

The fact that you know little about him is exactly why this should be your FI's job, not yours.  How weird would it be for him to choose a birthday gift for your good friend?

GM #3 is 25, an accountant, preppy, and into sports.

Something sports related.  Tickets to a game he'd like to see, a signed piece of memorabilia from a favorite player/team, or some sort of collector's item.

Legend73

I'm not sure if I can post name brands here but we got all the groomsmen (or as my fiance calls them Bridesmen...no idea why but too cute!) wallets from a noramlly very expensive name brand store.  I took a ride to my local outlets and found them very nice gifts for about $50.00 each! 
Good Luck!

AaronAndNikki

Thanks for all the ideas everyone!  I never really considered thinking of it as shopping like I would for a birthday or making the gifts so individualized.  I'll definitely pass those tips back over to FI and then pass this task back to him too since -you're right- it's weird for me to pick out their "birthday" gifts!    Thanks again everyone - if anyone else has any ideas that they'd love to share, though, we're always open to unique ideas (maybe even share what you did for your GM)!