Nowadays, most couples have a registry listing exactly what they want and need to help celebrate the joining of their two lives. However, sometimes registries are not completed, have very minimal items, or you’ve waited to the last minute and all the good gifts are gone. Have no fear; some of the best wedding gifts many married couples have received came from someone who didn’t rely on the registry for an idea. Just because it isn’t on the registry doesn’t mean it won’t be happily received. Below are a few creative ideas for some great wedding gift ideas.
Not From the Store
Some things can’t be bought at the store, therefore they can’t be put on a registry. Similarly, there are a few things a couple would never ask for directly but will always appreciate.
1. Money. While many people hate giving money because they consider it thoughtless or cheap, money is actually what most new couples need. Think about it, they just paid for a wedding, they are probably buying a house if they haven’t done so already, all of these things cost big bucks. By giving them cash instead of another material object they may never use, you are giving them the best gift imaginable, some stress relief.
2. A Night Out. Typically, planning a wedding is pretty distracting. For the past few months, odds are good that most of the couple’s outings revolved around wedding plans, whether they were scouting out a venue or tasting a variety of caterers. Now that the hectic planning is over, give the couple a change to reconnect by sending them on their first date as a married couple. If you know their favorite restaurant in the Santa Fe area, go there or search online for a gift card. Similar to money, it gives them a break from stress and prevents them from using a gift to do something less fun, like paying bills.
3. Honeymoon Accessories. For many couples, the best part of the wedding is the honeymoon after party. Who wouldn’t love a week or two of complete fun and relaxation to really celebrate a new marriage? You can add to their fun by purchasing part of their honeymoon for them, whether it be a meal, a night or two of their hotel stay, or a fun excursion like swimming with dolphins. Check out a honeymoon registry for more ideas of what you can get the happy couple that they will enjoy while out of town.
Home Goods
OK, typically most of the best wedding gifts that fall into this category are found on the registry, but some couples may not know what they really need until they didn’t receive it. A safe bet when purchasing home goods as a wedding gift is to cover at least one of the three most used rooms: the kitchen, the bathroom, and the bedroom.
1. Kitchen. Some women never step foot in the kitchen before they are married, so they have basically no clue as to what is the most useful cookware. For a new chef, a ceramic skillet is one of the best gifts you can give. It is durable and can be used for most foods, whether they are searing meat or sauteing vegetables.
2. Bathroom. If you know the couples’ bathroom colors, get a bunch of complimentary towels. If you don’t know their colors, find someone who does and get the information out of them. No one ever has enough towels, ever. If the couple hasn’t been living together before the wedding, they will be now and will quickly realize they have half the towels that one would consider adequate. When you factor in the amount of new in-laws and far away friends they now have, the ratio of towels they have to towels the need is even further off.
3. Bedroom. Similarly to towels, you can never have enough sheets, especially if you are adding a guest room to your abode now that you’re married. Some people never change the sheets when they live alone, so one pair of sheets is more than sufficient. However, when someone else enters that bed on a nightly basis, they may prefer a more habitually clean night sleep. With a marriage comes a new lifestyle, and changing the sheets more often is usually part of it.
Electronics
Most electronic stores don’t offer a registry, so many couples never think to add any hi-tech devices to their wish list. However, an upgrade in the electronics department can be just as necessary as an upgrade in the home goods department for newly married couples.
1. Camera/Video Camera. There were about a million and one photos taken at the wedding, so the couple will never forget how their life together started, but if they don’t have a nice digital camera or camcorder, they may not be able to capture the next adventures in their new lives. With a new camera, the couple will be able to capture memories of their honeymoon, their first move, the first pet, and many other new and exciting things. You can help be a part of those memories by being the person who allowed them to be captured.
2. Movies and Players. A perfect stay-at-home date night usually starts with a nice home-cooked meal and ends up in front of a TV, cuddled together under a blanket, watching a sweet romantic movie. If the couple doesn’t have a wide collection of movies, or perhaps a way to watch the collection they do have, give them a collection of some of your favorites that you think they will enjoy. It’s a simple gift, but it will provide them with hours of enjoyment and time together.
Our guest blogger is Savannah Marie