Gifts for the Wedding Party

epighany

I am almost finished planning for our wedding for 7/2/10 (yea) I am DIY! I am now stressed with what is something nice to get the wedding party I have 1 maid of honor ( my older sister in her 40's) my daughter and future stepdaughter they both are 11.
My fiance has his 2 best friends and his 14 yr old son standing up for him. I was just told today by him a man doesn't give another man a gift only at christmas...lol.

Anywho its up to me! Help!!! I need some ideas!!!!

banana468

Think "birthday gifts".

trix1223

Please don't use purple font.  It's hard to read.

Shopping for WP gifts is no different than shopping for their birthdays or Christmas.  Because that's what you should do.  Shop for your friends and for your children, not for a WP.

Lose the idea that all gifts must be matchy-matchy.  Lose the idea that they someone must be "wedding-y".

What would you buy for your children if this was for anything other than your wedding?  That's what you get them.

What you buy your sister for Christmas?  What would he buy his friends for their birthday? 

Now-enjoy your shopping.  GL

swim1011

Gift cards are great, esp if you know a shop that the recipient loves to shop at.  Some people here will say they are impersonal, but this way, you know it will be to somewhere they want to shop, and they can pick out what they need/want.

Give it to them at the rehearsal dinner, or the morning of if you want to.  As for the parents, we're giving each set a small photo album (pics of their choice) from the wedding, which was part of our package with the photographer. 

epighany

Oh wow that really helps alot!! Now one more question... We're having a harp player & singer in which they will be at the rehearsal dinner should I give them a gift also? They are doing it for free and I intend to give them a gift during the reception, I guess what I'm asking is should I also get them a "wedding party" gift?

emilyinchile

I got my BMs giftcards (in large part because I live in Chile, and I wanted something they could pack back with them easily). Each got a GC to her favorite store, and although I think you could argue it's less personal than finding the absolute perfect gift, I think it's a lot more personal than matching totes and flip flops.

mbcdefg

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_gifts-wedding-party-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:37Discussion:e23d4ca5-f2e4-4751-98b4-62c06fecdcccPost:9e896314-66ce-47f9-9d26-887d2c21d927">Re: Gifts for the Wedding Party</a>:
[QUOTE]Oh wow that really helps alot!! Now one more question... We're having a harp player & singer in which they will be at the rehearsal dinner should I give them a gift also? They are doing it for free and I intend to give them a gift during the reception, I guess what I'm asking is should I also get them a "wedding party" gift?
Posted by epighany[/QUOTE]

The gifts shouldn't follow a theme, so I'm not sure what you mean by a "wedding party" gift. Unless you mean an actual wrapped gift, as opposed to cash or a gift card?

If someone is participating in your wedding and you want to thank them with a gift, get them each something they would like. If that means a gift card for Aunt Susan, a gym bag for Steve and a set of cookbooks for Ava, fine. The gifts don't have to match and don't need to follow any rules other than that they should be things that the receivers would enjoy. If you can find material gift that you know your musicians would like, by all means get it for them. If you are stumped, then I would stick with cash or a gift card so they can get themselves something that they would like. It makes no sense to pick out a random material gift just for the sake of giving a material gift, if it'll go to waste because the receiver doesn't like it. I'd rather get a $20 gift card to a store I like, than to receive $100 worth of stuff that I will never use.

We got gift cards for everyone that did a reading or brought up Communion; I gave my two bridesmaids tote bags full of stuff they liked (and I also included a gift card for each of them); DH got his groomsmen Oakley sunglasses. We gave the priest a cash tip. The organist's fee was included when we booked the church.

epighany

<strong>In Response to </strong><a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_gifts-wedding-party-2?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding BoardsForum:37Discussion:e23d4ca5-f2e4-4751-98b4-62c06fecdcccPost:58861cd6-1d28-4840-b018-2a2c527ffc2a"><strong>Re: Gifts for the Wedding Party</strong></a><strong>: Thank you I understand now!! I am from South NJ and you totally put it in words I can understand. This was the most I have been stressed out about everything else was good. 
Thank you everyone for all of your help!!!</strong> 

[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Gifts for the Wedding Party : The gifts shouldn't follow a theme, so I'm not sure what you mean by a "wedding party" gift. Unless you mean an actual wrapped gift, as opposed to cash or a gift card? If someone is participating in your wedding and you want to thank them with a gift, get them each something they would like. If that means a gift card for Aunt Susan, a gym bag for Steve and a set of cookbooks for Ava, fine. The gifts don't have to match and don't need to follow any rules other than that they should be things that the receivers would enjoy. If you can find material gift that you know your musicians would like, by all means get it for them. If you are stumped, then I would stick with cash or a gift card so they can get themselves something that they would like. It makes no sense to pick out a random material gift just for the sake of giving a material gift, if it'll go to waste because the receiver doesn't like it. I'd rather get a $20 gift card to a store I like, than to receive $100 worth of stuff that I will never use. We got gift cards for everyone that did a reading or brought up Communion; I gave my two bridesmaids tote bags full of stuff they liked (and I also included a gift card for each of them); DH got his groomsmen Oakley sunglasses. We gave the priest a cash tip. The organist's fee was included when we booked the church.
Posted by mbcdefg[/QUOTE]

trix1223

Because people from NJ can't understand things?  I think I'm feeling a little bad now.

epighany

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