It’s pretty unusual these days to get married before you’ve reached the adult milestones of purchasing your first kettle or toaster, so in many ways the traditional ‘gift list’ is becoming obsolete. Nowadays, couples are far more likely to be seeking to reduce clutter than accumulate more knick-knacks, and at a time when money’s tight for a lot of people it can seem a bit unfair to ask your guests to buy objects they may not really be able to afford for the sake of tradition.
That said, family members in particular may want to buy you a gift come hell, high water or recession, so what can you do if you want genuinely useful presents that won’t end up clogging up the loft? There are some great suggestions here on gifts that help the planet, setting up honeymoon funds and even how to persuade your well-meaning guests that you really don’t want presents…
Alyssa Ettinger has been making pottery since she was 14, and has a range of dinnerware and jars. Priced from $25, alongside the normal products, are a selection of sample and ‘seconds’ (meaning that they weren’t perfect enough to be a ‘first’ sold in her actual store) vases, bowls, cups from her collection are available for half their normal price on Etsy.
This lantern is from Alyssa’s ‘Glow’ collection, and is hand cast porcelain made from the mold of an antique jar. It can be used indoors, but has a wire so it can be hung up – they would be dazzling as a decoration at a romantic garden reception – just imagine them hanging in the garden after the sun goes down on a summer night. Priced at $90 for an identical set of two, they would also make a great wedding gift if you’re after ideas!
Bridesmaids on a mission to find an original gift may be interested in a new service that allows you to record a bespoke radio show, using professional, state-of-the-art equipment resulting in a fun and very personal present that your friend can treasure forever!
The Faux Show is recorded to CD and packaged in a gorgeous and sparkly presentation box. Don’t worry if you’re a stranger to public speaking: you’ll be in safe hands when you come to do the recording, as you’ll be in the capable hands of a a professional radio broadcaster (with several years industry experience). You can include messages or interviews with friends and family, favourite songs, anecdotes and radio banter. Think of it as a wedding speech you don’t have to do on the spot – and with masses more novelty value. More info here.
If you haven’t discovered Not on the High Street, I should first suggest that you go and check it out. It’s full of quirky items that you won’t find in the chains, and allows you to browse oodles of independent boutiques from the comfort of your desktop; It’s a lazy indie shopper’s dream.
If you like what you see, you’ll be pleased to hear that the site launched a new wedding list service earlier this week. Direct your guests here, and you’ll end up without a boring cushion or pan in sight.
It looks more like the Arctic than London outside my window – snow in deep fluffy drifts as far as the eye can see! In honour of the white stuff I thought I’d show you this lovely snowflake ring, £145 from Pure Jewels. If you’re having a winter wedding and can afford to splash out it would make a great gift for the bridesmaids. Or for you to wear on your right hand as a little extra bling!
When Blurb offered me the chance to trial their photo book service, well, naturally I jumped at the chance. The first thing I had to do was register and then download the free software that I would need to create the book, both of which only took a few minutes to complete.
The next step was to choose the book type and fortunately there was a ‘book samples’ button that took me to a new site where I could view the many different styles which included a 7×7 inch square style up to 13×11″ large landscape style, all of which were available in soft or hard cover. I opted for the 8x10inch portrait style.
You may already have the elements that make your home yours – the kettle, the dinner service, the linens – but the Footprint Building gift list goes one very large step closer to really helping couples build their home. Register with the service for a variety of green, ethical and sustainable products and services including timber flooring, bespoke hand-crafted furniture from sustainable wood sources, home accessories, paint and upholstery. There’s even green energy systems for a really lasting gift.
Guests can purchase smaller items or contribute to the purchase of a larger item with gift vouchers. Bristol-based readers can find their showroom at Pembroke Road. I can’t find any details about the gift list service on their website so i suggest calling them on 0117 3179571 for more details.
Wouldn’t this ‘love’ collage make a great Valentine’s gift as it’s so much more individual than a card plus it would look great on the wall. You can choose from two sizes, 30×20 or 18×12, and include between 9-25 photos depending on the design you’ve chosen which is then printed on to glossy photo paper. It costs £9.99 for a small version and £17.99 for the big one, both at Photobox.
I think this collage is so brilliant, I’m going to have a go myself and fill it up with pics of my lovely man and our children. It’ll really be for me though!
If you’ve pondered the idea of registering at Crate & Barrel, take a look at their wedding party events. For two hours, the whole store is reserved so you can bring along your partner or your friends, enjoy drinks, food and music and browse the collections whilst experts are on hand to offer their advice. If you register, they’ll also give you a handblown glass heart bowl. Wedding parties are taking in store across the US, click here to find one near you.
It may be veering towards the kitsch side of wedding gifts but if you are going to go the toaster route, make sure it’s this one! The cute pink on white toaster toasts your bread with an I love you message which should bring a smile to your face – it’s £24.49 at Argos. [via Hygge Nook]
Seeing as, for many of us, it is the season of gift giving and receiving, this poll is particularly apt. Whilst we all love to receive a gift (and regift it later, if one must), it’s nicer still to receive a well written thank you appreciating the gesture. But how soon should you send it and is there a cut off date? I personally feel that a thank you note should be sent no sooner than the return from honeymoon, or a fortnight after the wedding, and no later than two months after the wedding as that is plenty long enough to write cards. How about you?
Not content with a fab range of wedding dresses, Monique Lhullier has also taken up the challenge from Royal Doulton to design a signature range of homewares from the glassware pictured here, to serving dishes, water pitchers and more. The range seems to be only available in the US so far and I’m sure many couples will want the elegant pieces on their gift registries. [via Hygge Nook]
Wreaths don’t just have to have Christmas themes – there’s all kinds of pretty varieties suitable for decorating your venue that will work just as well in your home. I’m enchanted by this Sola Wood rose heart wreath.
Sola Wood is a paper derived from the tapioca plant that has been molded into pretty roses and mounted on to a coconut fibre base making it enviromentally friendly too – £34 by Papilio at NotOnTheHighstreet.com.
Having friends to stay is a lovely thing, especially if you’ve just got a new home together to show off. I know there can be a certain ‘one upmanship’ about who can provide the best sleepover, but really all you need are a few simple things like a warm, comfortable bed in a clean and tidy room plus a few simple accrouments to make your guest feel welcome. This giftbox would probably make a great gift for welcoming couples to use for future guests – it has a leather guestbook with hand marbled paper, a Jasmine tea candle and fresh cream Rococo truffles all for £106 at Happy Box.
How lovely is this charm necklace? While hearts are always a classic, there’s something great about a unique, yet still sweet, piece of jewellery.
This postcard necklace is handmade in London, too, so it’s an ethical way to gift your bride with something that will mean a lot. Now all I have to do is leave a sneaky hint for my boyfriend to get me one. It’s just £15 from Polly & Prince.
It’s pretty unusual these days to get married before you’ve reached the adult milestones of purchasing your first kettle or toaster, so in many ways the traditional ‘gift list’ is becoming obsolete. Nowadays, couples are far more likely to be seeking to reduce clutter than accumulate more knick-knacks, and at a time when money’s tight for a lot of people it can seem a bit unfair to ask your guests to buy objects they may not really be able to afford for the sake of tradition.
From:Madeline Isaac-James launches two new collections