Need gift ideas, please

ChiGirl2013 · September 2012

Is anyone/everyone exchanging gifts with their FI on the wedding day? If so, what are you giving him? I honestly don't know if we'll have the money to do this but I'd like to give him at least a little something. The problem is, I stink at picking out gifts and he buys whatever he wants as soon as he decides he wants it, so chances are he'll buy whatever I would buy him anyway.

Also, what are you giving your parents, bridal party, etc? I need ideas!

[Deleted User] · September 2012

I need ideas for the bridal party, too!! We have 8 BMs/GMs and a RB and FG so I don't want to get the same thing for everyone but I'm totally overwhelmed coming up with that many separate ideas!

FI-boudoir shots...haven't taken these yet, i'm trying to get into better shape, maybe January-ish? I also found a book at Barnes and Noble called "Why I love you" http://www.barnesandnoble.com/p/home-gift-why-i-love-you-a-journal-of-us/23478721?ean=9781441307439

I'm not the best at explaining how I feel verbally, so I've been working on filling this out since we got engaged.

Parents: there was a groupon for Mikasa picture frames for $20 that will hold a 5X7 photo. They're typically $40 so we got two of them, one for each set of parents. I've seen some really cute hankerchiefs on Etsy that I'd like to get for the mothers:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/69074635/keepsake-womens-hankerchief-set-or-any?ref=sr_gallery_25&ga_search_query=mother+of+the+bride+hankerchief&ga_order=most_relevant&ga_view_type=gallery&ga_ship_to=ZZ&ga_min=0&ga_max=0&ga_ref=auto1&ga_search_type=all

FrankensteinsGirl · September 2012

For BP gifts we went with the standard personalized flasks. Initials for men and first names for my ladies.

OFr my stepddaughter we got a silver heart necklack and silver earings. I've got no clue for parents/grandparents. LOL

Maris0913 · September 2012

I have seven BM. I ordered a set of seven plain black pashminas from ETSY. They had great reviews and were reasonably priced. I also ordered personalized totes -- another steal for seven. I will prob grab something else that is personal for each girl to add to the bag. We will see.....ETSY is a dangerous place! LOL.

I am leaving the men up to the man.

As for the parents.......I'm lost....totally lost.

redjellybean128 · September 2012

I picked up my bridesmaids coach clutches that i got a really good discount from the outlet. I also am buying their jewelry the day of, made personalized hangers and I'm making them each a jar of a "satin hands" like scrub that I saw on pinterest. I'm also getting each one of them a special necklace that has a special meaning behind it that they won't have to wear for the wedding. I'd love to do more for them but I have 6 girls and a limited budget...

Guys- that's totally Fi's department. I told him do whatever he wants.

Fi and I are getting each other's rings as our gifts (I'm not sure that's proper, but what the heck we have to buy them anyways

)- I'm also surprising him with boudoir shots.

Parents - was also planning on the hankies from etsy. I also made hangers for our moms. depending on our budget we might get them a bigger gift before the wedding, otherwise if we can't do it before, they'll get an IOU for wedding albums.

allychase · September 2012

I want to exchange gifts with my FI as well but we're cutting close to the budget. I found a woman nearby who does reasonably priced boudoir shoots and I'm really interested but so nervous! That's something I'd want to give him the night of, though, not to open near other people lol. I may get him a new watch. He needs one.

For my girls, so far I've gotten them personalized damask duffel bags I bought here on the knot (not the most original, I know) and inside I am getting each one a different pearl/crystal bracelet I've found on etsy. I made coral colored tank tops for each girl to wear the morning of, or at least take a photo in. I'm putting a $5 dollar starbucks gift card in each bag so the morning of, coffee is on me! And I saw a cute idea on Pinterest where they write "bride" "bridesmaid" etc on each cup so I might do that. I'm also providing everyone with white golf umbrellas in case (but hopefully not!!) it rains.

For our moms, we are surprising with Tiffany's necklace or bracelet ( have a few designs in mind but haven't chosen yet)

FI hasn't chosen what to get for the guys yet but I'm pretty sure for the dads he's buying tickets to a Phillies game and taking them out for a guys day.

Christine9866 · September 2012

For the girls I am buying them a necklace and earrings set to wear on they day. I haven't decided because the jewlery is kind of pricey if Im just going to get the bridesmaids the necklace and maid and matron the set... if i go with the set for everyone I would cut back on the other items because of costs. I also made them personalized hangers, looking to buy personalized totes, and a family friend paints wine glasses so I was going to have her make them wine glasses with our colors. Heres the link to the totes that I like on etsy. I actually tried to make them on my own when I originally found how to DIY them on pinterest. I tried to make one, and I dont know if I like the way it came out, so i found them to buy.
http://www.etsy.com/shop/LettersByLindsay?ref=pr_faveshops

Here are the earrings and necklace that match our colors:
http://www.etsy.com/listing/80679924/gold-charcoal-gray-earrings-pink?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=18201054
http://www.etsy.com/listing/101248547/charcoal-gray-necklace-pink-opal-gold?ref=usr_faveitems&atr_uid=18201054

Flower girls- i am going to get them a piece of jewlery to wear on the day and make and activity box for them.

Junior Groomsman--I am stumped on what to get him, so anyone that has any good ideas Let me know!! He will be 9 when we get married

For the guys--he hasn't really decided, but we are def. buying them their ties and argyle socks in our colors to wear. I have been trying to help him come up with other ideas. I found someone on etsy that makes hand forged bottle openers I think its really cool and different. FI wants to get them personalized belt buckles too. Pinterest have some really cute put together gift ideas which i pinned because i like how to was wrapped lol, and put together. If we go with the bottle opener we would probably also get an etched glass and there beer or liquor of choice.
http://www.etsy.com/listing/88799686/hand-forged-bottle-openers-as-groomsmen?ref=usr_faveitems

FI and I are not going to do morning of gifts. I will probably send him a card, and I am also getting him a surprise grooms cake for the rehersal dinner.

Parents--we are probably going to do one of our e-pics in a nice frame.

[Deleted User] · September 2012

Guys are probably getting personalized converse sneakers, but that's really FI's department so I don't know.

Girls, I'm thinking of getting a pashmina with their initial on it and some sort of necklace (not necessarily to be worn at the wedding, but something they'd like).

Parents/grandparents we're going to get albums, but I'd like to do something a little bit more for my parents as they're paying for the majority of the wedding. Not sure what to do there, though...I'm thinking maybe tickets to a broadway show or the metropolitan opera or something, and then taking them to dinner whatever night the show is...

FI and I aren't getting each other anything I don't think. We're getting each other a wedding, fantastic rings, and a honeymoon. I think if we do decide we want to get something for each other, it'd be like a $20 tee shirt or something incredibly dorky from his favorite comic book store...that's often the kind of gifts we get each other

ChiGirl2013 · September 2012

That's the problem I'm haivng - nobody in our wedding party, or heck - even the parents, is really into the typical pashmina, hankie, flask type of thing. We're only having 1 person stand up on each side so it's not like I have a ton to buy for, but I don't want to spend a fortune and I also have to think about transporting it to our destination wedding so it can't be too big or bulky. I did buy my BM a Swarovski pen filled with crystals but now that I think about it, that seems sort of stupid since she loses EVERYTHING, and I mean everything.

Of the 4 parents, 3 either drink too much or are recovering alcoholics so nothing booze-related. I did get my dad a stamped keychain from an etsy seller but I wasn't pleased with how it turned out - the spacing of the numbers was WAY off and she used a different font without asking first. She tried so hard to get me to change my feedback from neutral to positive, even though she expected me to pay for return shipping and wouldn't make a new keychain to fix her own errors. http://www.etsy.com/listing/99547917/personalized-mini-calendar-key-chain I thought it was a cool concept, but was disappointed. Maybe someone can find something like this elsewhere? I had wanted it for my dad but now I'm out $50 and still have to get him something. He has no hobbies and all he does is work. In fact, he's not even sure if he is coming to the wedding since he's getting married shortly after me. Should I still get him a gift even if he doesn't go to the wedding?

This is so confusing! I wish someone would come up with a package where everything is done for you and all you have to do is pick your colors and show up.

orangehills · September 2012

I have no idea! I read that etiquette says you can't give your wedding party something to wear or use the day of and call that a gift. That is just something you want them to have. The gift is supposed to be like something you'd give them for their birthday. So I'll probably find them something they like or want and do that.

My mom and FI said not to do gifts because it wasn't necessary and they didn't want us to waste money, so that's that lol.

redjellybean128 · September 2012

I know it breaks all of the "etiquette" rules to give the jewlery to wear for the wedding, but to me it's still a gift. Every wedding I've been part of I've been gifted the jewlery and sometimes something else, sometimes nothing else. I know it ruffles some people's feathers but I've never been offended at only receiving jewelry or stuff meant for the wedding. I don't want to start a debate but just throwing that out there.

ChiGirl2013 · September 2012

That's the beauty of having only 1 person standing on each side - just tell her "Pick whatever you like in this color, pick your own shoes, wear/not wear whatever jewelry you want." I would have loved to have more in our wedding party, but I honestly just didn't want to deal with trying to pick a dress and all that jazz that everyone liked.

mabapunta · September 2012

No idea what we're doing for gifts.

Didn't really plan on a gift for FI, but I've got so many other wedding things on my mind I haven't tried very hard. Christmas gifts are hard enough. He won't even be able to wear his wedding ring at his work, so I can't really get him anything else to wear on an everyday basis. I like the cufflinks idea. I really want to have heirlooms to pass down in the family!

Parents - I don't have any plans for this. Love my parents, but they're not doing anything for this wedding. I might buy my mom whatever she wants to wear for the day, and maybe hair/makeup, but I wasn't planning on doing that for FMIL. I don't know. My mom is on disability and super broke, so that's really the main reason.

BMs -- Not sure yet. I've heard it's good to shop for them individually, so I'll try to do that. I really like the personalized hanger idea - but I'd want to do it myself vs buy it. I like the umbrella idea since it'll be April. I thought about giving nice Tervis Tumblers with their names in it...but that might be a little too lame, even with other items. :-P

Groomsmen - I'm really going to make FI take care of that. I did find some nice looking and unique bottle openers on Etsy. They're all beer-drinking guys, so I thought those could work. We'll see what FI finds...

I'll probably try harder around/after Christmas. Maybe I'll get lucky and find inspiration.

Christine9866 · September 2012

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-club-boards_april-2013-weddings_need-gift-ideas-please?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20Club%20BoardsForum:820178d7-4f43-4671-bcab-c5c2c01eef1eDiscussion:286e893f-f4f5-4ce9-8984-b96f1fd9eb9ePost:8bf5f260-e99b-4bb8-b1ab-9ef21365a96c">Re: Need gift ideas, please</a>:
[QUOTE]I know it breaks all of the "etiquette" rules to give the jewlery to wear for the wedding, but to me it's still a gift. Every wedding I've been part of I've been gifted the jewlery and sometimes something else, sometimes nothing else. I know it ruffles some people's feathers but I've never been offended at only receiving jewelry or stuff meant for the wedding. I don't want to start a debate but just throwing that out there.
Posted by redjellybean128[/QUOTE]

I agree with you! I have been in a few weddings, and every one of them I was given jewlery to wear on the day of. I I also know of several other brides that have done this too. I know my girls will love the jewlery I have picked out for them, not to mention the other items. And if I continue to think back, a lot of the gifts given to me are more alongs the lines of "wedding-ish" type gifts and not "birthday' gifts. Like we have gotten picture frames to put pics of us in from the wedding, trinkets saying bridesmaid, tote bags to use the day of. I honestly think it should be whatever you want to give them birthday or not.

joheryl · October 2012

You ladies are awesome with all the suggestions! Here are my planned gift ideas so far:

For the girls : pashmina, clutch, wedding day survival kit

For my mom: clutch

For the groom: "cold feet" socks, lego wedding couple (http://shop.lego.com/en-US/Minifigure-Wedding-Favor-Set-853340)

I still have to decide on quite a few gifts, I think the embroidered hanky's for MOG and MOB from me would go over really well... thanks for the suggestion :-)

Need gift ideas, please

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