Buying Blind – The Tricky Art of Wedding Gift Shopping
Weddings are beautiful, emotional and fun filled events. Finding a thick papered, intricately decorated envelope in the letterbox can bring such excitement and pleasure; you’ve been invited! The usual steps to wedding invitation acceptance is to RSVP, look for an outfit and buy the bride and groom a fabulous present. The first two steps are the easy ones as saying yes and buying for your self is simple. Buying blind is a common problem with wedding gift shopping, knowing the happy couple is often not enough of an insight to know what would make an appreciative present. If the couple have a registry, life for the gift giver is much easier. The store of their choice has a printable, user friendly list (often with a handy item location map), that can be given to each guest who comes to the store to do their buying. The itemized list will clearly show the prices as well as which items have already been purchased, making the gift selection so much easier; but what to do when there is no registry?
Think about the couple
How well a guest knows the couple can highly govern their gift buying capabilities. If they are lucky enough to be a close member of their inner circle, they will know what they like and possibly what the couple need. If however, a guest is more of a close acquaintance, worthy of an invitation, but never gone camping together, then buying blind is unfortunately the only option. The best steps to figure out what to buy is to assess the couple in terms of age, living arrangement and lifestyle. If the couple are young and not yet living together till after the wedding, there may be a need for the usual house related presents. If the couple are a bit older and have already established a home together there is a need to be more creative, a gift basket of champagne and goodies for instance; something they could take and use on their honeymoon or will appreciate when they return. There is no right and wrong in gift giving, as long as it is bought and given with good intentions; it is usually only the rushed gift, bought at the last minute and with no thought behind it that can be disappointing.
What if there is literally nothing to find?
Cash! The almighty dollar can usually prove to be a fantastic and appreciated gift substitute. If a couple is young, the gift of money is even more appreciated because they are at the onset of setting up their lives, home and furnishings. If money is the best gift route however, time and care should be put into the choice of the card which the money will be given in or at least the message written, to show a personal touch.
Gift giving and weddings go hand in hand but with a little pre-thought and a little effort a perfect gift can be found that will be highly appreciated.
