Gifts From the Heart. Saying “Thank You” to Your Supporters

You and your groom are on the receiving end of many gifts, but you now have a chance to select presents for some very special people as well. Most couples present their wedding party with gifts, usually at the rehearsal dinner. These are your very best friends. Use your imagination to present them with something meaningful that they will enjoy long after the ceremony is over.

Many brides give their attendants special jewelry to wear the next day. Enclosing the jewelry in a silver monogrammed box for each adds a personal touch. Adding a pashmina wrap for a winter wedding, or rhinestone-accented sandals to wear after a spring or summer ceremony are also possibilities.

Gifts for grooms run the gamut from engraved pocket knives and flasks to sports equipment, monogrammed duffle bags or leather wallets, and much more. The sky’s the limit. Just be sure that whatever gift you choose, each of your groomsmen can take it back home in his carry-on bag. Otherwise, be prepared to mail it where it needs to go.

And don’t forget parents — both yours and his. Whether or not they are paying for the wedding, they have a lifetime invested in you. Giving Mom and Dad a handwritten thank-you note right before the ceremony will touch their hearts like nothing else can. After your big day, when all the excitement is finally over, surprise them with a photograph album or a DVD of the wedding. It’s a gift they will treasure forever. ~MJ