Friday, October 06, 2006
THE HOLIDAYS ARE COMING
WHAT DO I GIVE MARRYING COUPLES?
HOLIDAY GIFTS FOR BRIDES AND GROOMS - IDEAS
Contributed by Nily Glaser
Many visitors sent A-wedding Day inquiries about holiday and birthday gifts that brides and grooms will appreciate. The typical inquiry is as follows. "I - we have a bride, a groom or an engaged couple on my - our holiday gift list. Do you have any recommendations?" or "What will make a nice Christmas - Chanukkah gift for a bride, a groom or an engaged couple?"
The general tendency is to gift the bride, groom or engaged couple with items for their home. These gifts are nice but gifts that will help them realize their dream wedding and keep within their budget will be much more appreciated.
Planning a wedding even a modest wedding on a tight budget, costs thousands of dollars. According to a study conducted back in 2002 by The International Institute of Weddings the average cost of a wedding in the US was $21,300. It is much higher today as it tops $27,500. So any contribution (not neccessarily in funds,) will be very helpful.
Gifts for the wedding do not have to be expensive yet each item will become a cherished keepsake. Your gifts will be remembered. Today, theme weddings are very popular and wedding colors are important. So, before you proceed, you may wish to find out if the bride and groom plan a theme wedding. If so, what their theme is. Additionally find out what their choice of wedding colors is. Having and adhering to this information will assure that your gift will coordinate well with the wedding.
Let's see what a wedding entails, what grooms need or want and how you can contribute.
PLANNING A WEDDING
When planning their dream wedding, a bride and groom put into motion the services of wedding professionals and the wedding accessories that will put the final touches to the celebration. The fees and the costs of the bridal accessories accumulate rapidly, thus the high cost associated with weddings. Though not all couples will utilize all. here is a list of services in alphabetical order:
Locations and Services
Now that you have some idea of what creating a dream wedding entails, let us examine how you can give the bride and groom a gift that will be most welcome and very highly appreciated. Choose the gift(s) that are within your budget and if you can add participation as follows.
Gifts of doing
If you have a special talent offer it to the couple.
Create 2 emergency kits for the wedding. Create 2 pretty baskets, bowls or other containers and place the following items in each: Deodorant, Non-allergic makeup remover, Makeup, chapped lip protectors, Hair products: gel, hair spray, combs, Bobby pins, Hand lotion, Nail polish, Nail file, Breath mints, Sewing kit, Safety pins, head ache relief tabletsn, indigestion relief tablets, Ammonia inhalant (in case of fainting), Band Aids, Bandages, Antacid tablets, Facial tissues, Moist towelettes and Pantyhose. On the wedding day, the bride or a bridesmaid will place one kit in the ladies' rest room and the groom or an usher will place other in the men's.
If you sew, you may help with the wedding attire. You may not be able to sew a wedding gown. But if you can alter it, the bride can buy a wedding gown off the rack and save a LOT of money. Add a note to a jewelry item(s) or a tiara and you have given a wonderful gift.
If you bake and decorate, you may offer to bake the wedding cake, the groom cake or both. If you can not decorate a cake, consult with the caterer to see if you may offer baked desserts for the wedding reception. This will reduce some of the catering costs. Add a note to a nice tray or cake stand and you'll make one couple very happy. Click here for recipes.
If the wedding will be self catered, you may offer to contribute some of your specialty dishes. Add your offer to some serving pieces and you give the bride and groom real help. Click here for recipes.
Do you play an instrument, or sing? Offer your talent as part of your gift. Even if you play or sing only at the ceremony, the bride and groom will be delighted to have a loved one be a part of their tying the knot. They will need to engage the musicians only for the reception. This will help them defrey some of the wedding costs too. You may include your offer with a unity candle set or even just a unity candle holder for a memorable gift.
Do you drive a luxury car? Can you afford to rent one for the wedding day? If so, why not offer to drive the bride and groom on their special day?
If you have a computer and a good printer, here is an idea. Purchase blank wedding invitation kits as part of your gift, with the other part being the offer to print and address the invitations. If it is within your budgt, you may stamp and mail the invitations too.
If you are good at beauty treatment, hair design or nail care you may offer the service to the bride. Or give her a gift certificate for a spa treatment.
Do you know how to create flower arrangements? Every wedding needs lots of flowers and brought in by a florist, they are very expensive. Give the bridal couple a token vase or flower bowl with the offer to create their wedding bouquets and or centerpieces. It is OK to have the bridal couple purchase their choice of silk or fresh flowers. They'll still save a bundle.
If you are creative at room decorating, give the bride and groom decorations in their wedding colors and offer to decorate the wedding hall for them.
Do you know how to create beautiful bows from ribbon? Create Pew Bows in the wedding colors from 8 inch wide ribbons. You may even add an aisle runner to provide the couple with a true welcome, as they make their way to the ceremony altar.
Do you do any handcrafting? If so, Give the bride and groom a handcrafted gift and an offer to get together with them to create and - or help create the wedding favors and non-flower centerpieces. For wedding craft ideas click here.
The above are some ideas. If you come up with others,
please share them with us.
Bridal Accessories and Wedding Items
When purchasing a wedding gift choose a gift that will become a treasured keepsake. Personalized gifts, wedding ceremony and reception accessories, and unique items make the best gifts. If you are not a close friend or a family member you should consult with the parents (moms) of the bride and groom so as to avoid duplication of gifts. If you are a co-worker or a member of the same organization as the bride and - or groom, you may wish to get together with the other co-workers or members and with the combined funds, purchase a more expensive group gift such as a complete matching accessories collection, silver serving pieces, Personalized unity candles and holders etc...
Copyrights © 2006 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day.com
Permission to re-print
If you would like to add contents to your site, newsletter, or publication, we grant you permission to post this Article and forward it to your friends. You must include all copyrights information,
keep each articles AS IS with no additions or deletions, actively hyperlink to A-wedding Day and to any links within the article, and post the entire by-line.
Set By Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day to credit the authors right under the title of the article, as a hyperlink.
If you have limited space on your web site, you can link directly to the article by placing a hyperlink to
"http://www.2.a-weddingday.com/articles/Holidayweddinggifts.html"
Copyrights © 2006 All Rights Reserved Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day
AUTHOR'S BYLINE
Nily Glaser
is the CEO of A-wedding Day.
a very popular Wedding Resource and Information Center, and a discount shopping
mall for gifts, wedding supplies and bridal accessories.
Please Email us a courtesy copy of your publication and / or the URL and a web site link.
Please snail mail a copy of any printed
publication using this article to:
A-wedding Day, A Gan Publishing Company
3638 University Avenue Suite # 203
Riverside, California 92501
Thursday, October 05, 2006
IDEAS FOR CREATING MEANINGFUL
Engagement Gifts Wish Lists, Bridal Shower Gifts Wish Lists
And Gifts Wish Lists for the Wedding Day
Contributed by Nily Glaser Congratulations! You're getting married. In addition to a new spouse, a new home and a new way of life, you'll receive gifts from friends and family.
According to statistics offered by "BRIDE'S Millennium Report: Wedding Love & Money", in the year 2000 the average wedding cost about $20,000. Today, in the year 2006, that average exceeds $27,500. With wedding costs escalating, many couples suggest that the best engagement, holiday, birthday and shower gifts will center on their wedding planning.
Recently, It has become acceptable, even welcome when brides and groom inform their friends and relatives of their choices of engagement, wedding shower and even holiday and birthday gifts. This is why compiling a gift list is now a fundamental part of most couples' wedding planning.
Many couples create a wish list of items and services they desire for their wedding and a separate wish list for wedding gifts. When creating their wish lists, couples tend to divide the lists into categories. Some wish list entries are for individuals or couples, while others are presented as cooperative gifts. That is, a few guests get together and present the bride and groom with a gift from all of them.
Let me explain with two examples.
David R. and Susan G.
David and Susan got married. Though they planned the wedding on a rather strict budget, it cost them a lot of money. Some saved, some charged to their combined credit cards.
As it is customary with Susan's family, her parents invited many guests to an engagement announcement party for their daughter. David's family followed suite by inviting their friends and relatives to an engagement party for their son. Between the two parties, David and Susan accumulated many gifts. Upon opening their presents, the couple's excitement turned into a disappointment. They received 3 toasters, 2 microwave ovens, over 20 towel sets of various colors, 4 sets of drinking glasses and other duplicated items. So, what is a couple to do? Be polite and send out thank you notes.
Susan's sister, soon to be the maid of honor, honored her sister with a surprise bridal shower. She organized a party deserving of awards. Everything was just so! The guests arrived bearing gifts. Most gifts were thoughtful, some more expensive than others.
As is traditional at bridal showers, the bride was expected to open each gift and make a comment. The comments were written down to be read later to the guests. Susan was up to the task with a pretty basket for the ribbons on her side and anticipation in her heart. I'll not go into the list of her gifts other than to say that she received 3 more sets of towels, (All she could think was: "Boy, I can open a towels store") another toaster that made her wonder who to gift it to, and some other gifts she had no idea what to do with.
Ben S. and Rachel G.
Rachel is Susan's sister. She and Ben got married about a year after David and Susan. Rachel and Ben's parents celebrated their children's engagement with a lavish party. This time, in addition to the standard invitation wording, the invitees were asked to contact the respective mothers by phone. When contacted, the mothers informed the callers about the wedding date and about the wedding theme the bride and groom chose. They suggested that the guests NOT bring any engagement gifts to the party and that they, the mothers, will share an idea for a most meaningful gift presentation for the couple. Obviously some guests arrived bearing gifts but the majority of guests were too intrigued to do so, and chose to comply with the request.
Rachel and Ben were asked to come an hour later than the scheduled time to allow time for the guests to arrive and get comfortable. Rachel's mother took on the responsibility to announce the plan. It was a simple and forward presentation that basically stated that Ben and Rachel should have their dream wedding come true. They chose Red Roses and Butterflies as their wedding themes.
Wedding invitees were sent the modified list of wedding accessories, decorations and even wedding services, and asked to call the mothers to verify that the gift they chose is still requested. This too was a great idea. As a result Ben and Rachel did not receive duplicated items. They did receive what they hoped for, for their dream wedding, and saved a lot of money as well.
Would you believe that Ben and Rachel's wedding wish list DID NOT include a toaster, a microwave, towel sets, drinking glasses or any items David and Susan received in duplicates?
Copyrights © 2006 All Rights Reserved A-wedding Day
Permission to re-print
If you would like to add contents to your site, newsletter, or publication, we grant you permission to post this Article and forward it to your friends. You must include all copyrights information,
keep each articles AS IS with no additions or deletions, actively hyperlink to A-wedding Day and to any links within the article, and post the entire by-line.
Set By Nily Glaser of A-wedding Day to credit the authors right under the title of the article, as a hyperlink.
If you have limited space on your web site, you can link directly to the article by placing a hyperlink to
"http://www.2.a-weddingday.com/articles/Holidayweddinggifts.html"
Copyrights © 2006 All Rights Reserved A-wedding Day
AUTHOR'S BYLINE
Nily Glaser
is the CEO of A-wedding Day.
a very popular Wedding Resource and Information Center, and a discount shopping
mall for gifts, wedding supplies and bridal accessories.
Please Email us a courtesy copy of your publication and / or the
URL and a web site link.
Please snail mail a copy of any printed
publication using this article to:
A-wedding Day, A Gan Publishing Company
3638 University Avenue Suite # 203
Riverside, California 92501
