photo by Bonnie BonBon
I was wondering if any of your readers had ideas for
frugal wedding gifts? My youngest sister is getting married and I
would like to give her something nice but our budget is limited. I'm not very creative or crafty, so it has to be something
simple to do. I am a mom of 7, as well, so time is limited. -Michelle
I'd love to hear your ideas and suggestions for Michelle. With "wedding season" fast approaching, I'm sure many of us could benefit by hearing about your frugal but thoughtful wedding gift ideas. Post away!
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We give themed gifts! Like a waffle iron (on sale of course) with homemade pancake mix (recipe in the more with less cookbook), or a homemade cookbook (print fav recipes on the computer and put in 3 ring binder with cute cover) and menu plans with some sort of cooking gadget or fun pan.
I made the favors for my sisters wedding and i also made the invatations for her wedding on my computer
You could put together a photo book for the couple– include baby photos & school photos of each, then show photos of them together. A lot of the digital photo sites have easy programs for photo books where you can just upload photos to the site and then drag and drop to ready-made templates. Artscow had a deal going when I signed up where they gave you a free 8×8 photo book for signing up, I just had to pay shipping for it.
I think a neat and really thoughtful wedding gift would be to ask family and friends of the couple to give advice for the newlyweds and write something nice about each of them and then you will put them all together in a scrap book. This would take time but not alot of money and I think the couple will enjoy these forever.
I recently attended a wedding and had the same dilema….I got to thinking about how I could use my stash of free/cheap stuff for a gift. I spent $5 for a laundry basket and then filled it with items from my stash…toilet paper, paper towels, air freshener spray & candles, laundry detergent, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo & condition, body wash, dish soap, cleaning supplies, etc. I then used some pretty, wide ribbon to tie it up with a big bow on top. Nobody likes to buy that kind of stuff, but everyone needs it — especially when you’re just starting out!
I’m a newly-wed (March 15, 2008) and thought I’d share a few ideas that I enjoyed receiving.
1. My sister gave me hand-crafted Thank-you notes as a shower gift. These don’t have to be super-complicated! Find a rubber stamp that says “Thank You” and repeatedly stamp small pieces of white/light-colored paper. Glue these onto printed paper rectangles and glue that onto plain white notecards. You can buy those at Hobby Lobby, Michael’s and probably other craft stores. Embellish w/ a bit of fuzzy yarn and there you go!
2. Purchase a storage container (laundry basket, plastic bucket, etc) and fill it with household necessities such as cleaners, kleenex, toothbrushes, toothpaste, dusters, cleaning clothes, dryer sheets – whatever you can think of! I’m doing this with the “extras” I find on sale or while “CVS-ing” for a couple getting married this summer.
3. Same as above but purchase food staples you know she & he will enjoy. My wedding shower with my mom-in-law including everyone contributing a “pantry item” – very helpful to us as we were just starting out!
4. Gather family recipes and print them onto cards for her to take to her new home.
It may be that these ideas are “too frugal” for your sister. Sometimes we want to do something a little nicer for those close to us, and that’s perfectly understandable. Maybe someone else reading this will benefit though!
What about a recipe book or box? You can use your computer to make a simple booklet-maybe with some pictures from over the years?
Or, purchase (or make) a simple recipe box with matching cards. Send the cards out to friends/family members of the bride and ask them to contribute a few favorite recipes and give them back to you to be put in the box. This is especially fun for a family member if you can have some traditional family recipes like Grandma’s pumpkin pie!
My sister-in-law compiled all the family favorite recipes from my husband’s side of the family (it was his sister) and put them together in a recipe book for my gift.
Perhaps your reader could get all the recipes from her family and put them together. Since she isn’t crafty, she could have the “owner” of the recipe to write it out in their own handwriting. How cool to have “Grandma’s Pound Cake” recipe handwritten by Grandma herself?
Just an idea!
If you have some prescriptions that could be transferred using some RX Transfer coupons, you could use those to build a few of those up from Target or something and combine them on one gift card. At no cost to you, you have a wedding gift that any newly married couple could use!
My sister-in-law just got married and I made her a gift basket. I spent $25 to buy towels and a few cleaning utensils and I filled the rest of the basket with CVS freebies or cheapies. The basket was beautiful and very useful. It contained: Three bath towels, one hand towel, scrubbin bubbles automatic shower cleaner, another new scrubbin bubbles gadget, febreeze candle and Glade plugins. It was a hit!
Gift baskets always are among my favorite gifts for almost any occasion. They are simple to make and can cost as little or as much as you want. Since the couple will be setting up a new home, you can do a basket with things they will need – detergent, soaps, towels, shampoos, etc. Or it can be more luxurious such as gourmet foods and drinks for a “night in.” The possibilities are endless – a game night basket with favorite games of theirs – Scrabble, Trivial Pursuit, snacks, etc., a Spa night basket with bubble baths, towels, scrubber, etc. They’re fun to put together and can be inexpensive, too.
I’ve used this idea several times with great success…
A few months before the wedding, I contact family and friends of the couple asking for beloved recipes, either old family recipes, easy things to learn or recipes that they know the couple enjoys. I make sure to definately include the mothers and sisters if possible.
While I’m waiting for recipes to come in (which sometimes takes some prompting or reminding), I shop around for a small notebook. You can usually find them at the dollar store or on clearance at craft stores. Purchase one and cover it with pretty scrapbook paper. Embellish it with what you have on hand and add some ribbon to the spin… Maybe even a ribbon and charm as a place holder.
Make dividing pages by pasting in pictures of yummy dishes from magazines, and making tabs that stick out. I usually include: appetizers and drinks, soups and salads, breads and sides, entrees, and desserts. Sometimes I also include a take out section if I know the area where the couple will be residing. Take out section can include names of restaurants, phone number and street location, and favorite dishes.
Include recipes as you receive them and sprinkle a few of your own in as well.
I’ve never personally done this,but I have seen it done before. Take your favorite recipes and type them out, take them to an office supply store to get bound. This way the new bride will have tried and true recipes from family, and a personalized gift. The possiblilites are endless as far as how you do it. You could include it in a gift basket with pot holders, kitchen towels, utensils…anything kitchen related.
One of my absolute favorite wedding gifts was a basket of goodies left in our hotel room on our wedding night. We had been so busy visiting with guests and such, that we didn’t have much to eat at the wedding. The basket had crackers, cheese, fruit, cookies, drinks, and maybe candy? – can’t quite remember. But it was a FANTASTIC surprise, as we were pretty hungry when we got to the hotel. Good luck!
This is a bit different for a gift idea, but if you think your sister would appreciate it, then it’s not that expensive, although it would take some time. I made my sister-in-law a coupon binder and gave her some duplicates of my coupons. I also put some coupon tips and website in there for her.
I love to giveaway gift baskets but for a wedding I use a laundry basket and fill it full of household items. You can always find household items at great prices by using coupons. When you buy something for yourself just by an extra one for her.
Years ago my Mother began framing the bride and grooms wedding invitation and giving it as their gift. I have picked up on her idea and have started doing the same. I pick up a nice frame (definitely under $10) that goes well with the style of invitation and add a piece of scrapbook paper etc. behind the invitation to pull everything together. This is a link to one similar to what we have put together but not ours.
http://www.quillingbysandrawhite.com/sitebuildercontent/sitebuilderpictures/wedi58.jpg
It’s cheap, easy and more importantly something they will probably keep for a lifetime! All in all, you could really do this on the cheap!
Check out my blog. I picked up 10 NICE frames at a local thrift shop for under $20 this past weekend. I could definitely use one of them for a project like this.
~Lindsay
Passenger Seat Kind of Girl
http://passengerseatkindofgirl.blogspot.com/
My dear friend was married in October, and I made her a cookbook. This is my post about how I did it.
http://savinsome.blogspot.com/2008/10/frugal-but-meaningful-wedding-gift.html
What about doing freezer paper stencils on some solid color tablecloths for holidays and do matching placemats and napkins?
Maybe an array of holiday centerpieces for her table? You can decorate candles SUPER easily and cheaply
Or something like this : http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?ref=sr_gallery_12&listing_id=20224313
I like to do a “date night” bucket. Look for a nice bucket, popcorn, soda pop glasses (Dollar Tree had coca-cola glasses), and then get a video store gift card=instant date. Another idea is a pasta basket. I get a nice big ceramic pasta bowl, some pasta, sauce, a nice checkered dish towel, pasta spoon, etc. I like to think of things that make life fun and easy for a new wife. I also have gotten an apron in the Walmart craft section and stenciled (for example: “Cafe Jennifer” or whatever the ladies name is) onto it. I think if both bride and groom liked to cook, you could do 2 aprons and perhaps a cookbook from a discount bookseller. I once received a big laundry basket with spatulas, towels, measuring spoons, and much more! I think most things came from the $1 store, but they were everything a girl needs to start her kitchen and I was thankful. I think that doing a theme makes an ordinary gift lots of fun to put together and to receive. Looking forward to all the other ideas people share.
one idea that is thoughtful is to frame the wedding invitation and give that with maybe a nice scrapbook of your sister thru the years (childhood to now) make sure to leave some bank pages at the end for them to fill with their own pics of their new life together.
You can always get a recipe box or a little notebook and fill it with some of your favorite recipes. This is a gift that is good for both her and him!!
)
One of my favorite gifts I recieved when we got marreid was a cookbook put together by one of my sister-in-laws. It has recipes from our church and family. This has been very nice since I moved 2500 miles from home! Some of these recipes are now are favorites. She took a white 3 ring binder and decorated the outside. Inside she seperated it with dividers into catergories and people emailed or gave her the recipes. She then typed them up and printed them out, hole punched them and put them in the book. I have since made 2 books for friends who got married. Some of the recipes are heritage recipes passed down from generation to generation. Also at the bottom of the page if there was anything special about the recipe or a special note she included that. My mom and different family included favorites!!
What a coincidence that I just barely ordered materials for TWO different wedding gifts and I only spent $21 (and that included shipping!) There’s a website where you can order vinyl lettering and make your own tiles or boards, or you can just order them already made (although they’re a little more expensive that way). You can make them very personable if you want, with last names & all that. There are SO many different ideas at this website, and SO many Great gift ideas! Good luck. Here’s the website: http://www.vinylcraftlettering.com
I once filled a cooler full of everyday items that people need when they are getting started or moving. Items such as paper plates, cups, bowls, paper towels, wash clothes, etc. You could easily fill it with anything you think they might need!
I have started framing each person’s wedding invitation. I never feel right throwing an invite away, but I’m never sure what to do with it either. So, I frame it in a nice frame from Target and give it to the couple. Its quick and easy on my part and everyone has seemed to like it!
Some people don’t like to give perishable weddings gifts, but the best response I ever got to a gift (raves, actually) was when I put together a basket of food for a new couple. Some people never even get to eat at their reception, so putting together a basket with wine (or sparking cider), salami, crackers, french bread, etc. gives them something to eat either on their honeymoon, or in their room on their wedding night. The friends we did this for mentioned it for months after. They were so thankful to have it, and they didn’t have to pay for room service.
I’m a photographer so often I find a print that I think they might like and get it processed and then getting matting and frame that look appropriate. I’ve even been known to shoot the wedding or engagement photos.
I’ve also made gift baskets of all the little piddly thing that people never get but need. You’d be surprised what you can put into a nice wicker laundry basket for cheap!
When my husband and I were married I was given a cd cookbook that my aunt made of all of her recipes. This was frugal and it helped us out with those first years of cooking- also it means more being homemade.
Great question! I am anxious to hear answers. My older sister is getting married and I have the same question. My only issue is that she does not want gifts-openly asked for money and is having a “green back” wedding shower. Maybe readers could offer what is acceptable as a monetary gift-anyone know? Thanks!
Oh, btw, my only thought on frugal gifts would be to really watch clearance sales for items that she may need. I love Target clearance-last year I bought a turkey roaster for only a few dollars and it was originally over $40. That could help a great deal with budget. Good luck!
My favorite wedding gifts are super simple!
I get a nice basket from the dollar store and fill it with the following:
2 nice coffee mugs
instant hot coco (or instant coffee, like the international coffee house flavored late type things)
a cheap bottle of wine
and some lube
some times I even get some travel sized lotions or shampoos and gift card for dinner or something
I never spend more than $20 and every one I have given one to loves it… its like a nice little care package for the honeymoon!
~A~
One of the best wedding gifts I got was a caddy with cleaning supplies (Windex, Pledge, rubber gloves, paper towels, etc). I still use it. I have also seen laundry baskets filled with cleaning supplies given as gifts. It is perfect for someone starting out in a new household. And of course, any self-respecting couponer knows how to get cleaning supplies for pretty cheap!
If the newlyweds just moved into a new house, how about painting some of the rooms for them? They buy the paint and rollers, etc. but you do the labor. They take the kids for the day or if they are old enough, they help. If painting is not your thing, substitute with gardening, etc.
We were in the same predicament this last year when I needed to give two wedding gifts. I put together a homecoming welcome gift basket. I filled it with cleaning products, glade air fresheners, etc. Of course, if you play the drug store games, you quickly accumulate a nice stash of these kinds of items–it was a very nice gift and something that was useful to the new couple.
I remember when I first got married and the sticker shock I experienced when I went to the grocery store the first time because I needed all those initial cleaning products to get started:)
It seems everyone is appreciating practical gifts these days–something they can really use and this fits the bill perfectly!
My suggestion would be to give her a couple of used cook books. I received two basic cook books when I married, over 25 years ago, and I still use them to this day.
Photo books!
You can use snapfish, walgreens or any number of places to create a photobook. Include pictures from when you were kids, funny stories and remember whens. . .
I did this for my sister when she got married. It had family picts in and stories of her, my cousin and I.
A very personal gift and they are pretty easy to make. Google coupon codes wherever you make it and find some money off!
One thing I have done for wedding gifts is to cross-stitch a sign that said, “(first line)Jones Home (second line)est. 2009″. I made a checkerboard border around it. Although the skill level is beginner, it still makes a nice finished project. Put it in a nice frame, perhaps with a mat in a complementary color.
Another thing I have done was to print a Bible verse on the computer, using a nice font. Using high-quality scrapbooking tagboard, colored ink and a nice frame, made a finished project that looked like some of the things I had seen in Christian bookstores for around $30.
I almost never get rid of picture frames, so I can usually find something nice to use for my projects. Of course, if I didn’t have something nice to use, I would go ahead and spend the money on a nice frame, because that can make or break the project.
Well … if you have a Dillard’s nearby, they are currently having an extra 30% off their sale items. Much of it is 70% off already. You can also shop online. Lots of home and dining/kitchen items that might make for good gifts. I found a beautiful serving tray there today marked $9 with an extra 30% off of that.
I just gave my newlywed brother and sister-in-law a bag FULL of couponed toiletries, household goods, and dry goods. They were so surprised and still remark every time they see me what has recently been used. Sample ideas from their giant box (I even wrapped most of them just for kicks…maybe tacky but fits my family to a T):
CVS finds:
Deodorant (his and hers)
L’Oreal Lip gloss
Toothpaste galore
Febreeze Air Effects Air Freshener plugin w/refill
Spices ($0.75-$1 at CVS, great fillers)
Body wash (St. Ives)
Grocery store coupon finds, almost all doubled/tripled coupon purchases:
Cookie/cake/brownie mixes and frosting (bought with Betty Crocker coupons)
Other baking supplies – baking powder, cornstarch, sugar etc., from tripled coupons
No-stick spray
Seasonings
Shout spray
Windex
To cap this all off, I ‘splurged’ (by which I mean paid full price and used a free shipping code) at TasteBook.com. I made a cookbook consisting of recipes from both sides of the family (I had emailed contributors and asked them for their very best recipes). It was really easy to do, and the cookbook itself was $38. The newlyweds were very pleased to have access to all the family recipes in one location (and I had included pics of past dishes in the recipe page layouts).
So…maybe $20 total invested in the box of goodies, plus $38, under $60 for a memorable and very practical wedding gift. If you have no time or inclination to skim off your coupon stockpile for the box of goodies, the TasteBook idea is still low-effort and stylish for under $40!
A nice set of thrifted (or new) clear glasses can be a cheap purchase. Add an etched monogram or last initial with etching cream, and you have a classy but easy/inexpensive gift. An example tutorial is here: http://www.wikihow.com/Etch-Glass-with-Etching-Cream, but there are others, and videos as well.
I forgot to put how I wrapped the cast iron skillet. I used one of those clear plastic bags that you can find at any craft store and some LO Christmas curling ribbon.
A cookbook is ALWAYS nice! Church cookbooks are usually available in any area and very budget friendly AND the recipes are usually “tried and true”.
For our wedding, a good friend of ours gave us a basket with hot pads, wooden spoons, a spatula and then a really nice small collection of cookie cutters. It was an inexpensive gift to put together, but well thought out and we use all of those things all the time. I think about her whenever we make sugar cookies and use the cookie cutters.
For younger people who have not set up a home before I have created a basket for them-usually a laundry basket. This is also easy if you stockpile yourself. I can go through my stockpile and give them a nice gift that might cost them $100, but because I purchased the items for dirt cheaper or free it cost me very little. I give them laundry soap, dish soap, shampoo, soap, other personal care items, etc. Also I give things for the kitchen as well-flour, sugar, and other non perishable items that I have stockpiled. Then I make a big bow and put it on the basket.
For someone I know who is frugally minded, but young and hasn’t set up a house before I’ve also included many extra coupons and a coupon organizer for them.
Good luck and congrats to your sister!
I love to create a homemade cookbook using a 3-ring binder and typing up or copying our family favorites. I then also pick up a few of our favorite kitchen utencils (on sale) to give with the book. It gives them a great way to start their own collection of recipies by easily adding to the binder as they are starting their own family.
I’ve done:
a bottle of red wine with my sangria recipe attached on a pretty card
an Italian dinner – pasta, sp. sauce, bottle of wine, loaf of Italian bread or cheese (parm-reg can sit out without problem)
I’m not sure if anyone would want to do this or not. I was just kind of proud of this gift! I found out about one of my husband’s friends wedding and was a little nervous about a gift because we had had some unexpected expenses and the budget was very tight. Thanks to money saving blogs like this one, I was able to score household items for super cheap to free. I took a big basket that I had recycled and filled it to the brim with candles, air fresheners, dish detergents, sponges, dusters…just everything that you could think of. It was huge!! I wrapped it with cellophane and tied a big bow on. It made a beautiful gift. They were so thankful and every time we see them they make sure to tell us that they are still using things form that gift and how much they appreciated it. The best thing was that I added up the value of the gift it they would have bought all of that themselves…it would have been well over $200. I spent $7 total. Thank you Crystal!!
I love giving a favorite cookbook or homemaking book. These can be bought in bulk and given as needed. I also like giving a jarful of towels (or anything!), which I posted about long ago here:
http://be-it-ever-so-humble.blogspot.com/2007/12/jarful-of-towels.html
For a family member or good friend, the very best gift might be your time in preparation. Can you (and your kids!) put together table decorations? Or get there early on the wedding day and set up chairs and tables? What about taking charge of the gifts after the wedding and making sure they get safely to the new couple’s house?
For some people, giving a couple of collage photo frames and a coupon for an afternoon spent together creating them might be a good gift.
Do you or your husband have a skill that could be useful? Perhaps you could offer to paint their first (non-apartment) home?
What about a window box, complete with flowers and a watering can?
Hope some of those are helpful!
I LOVED getting recipes for a wedding gift! I still use the ones I received at my shower in 2001! A nice collection of ‘tried and true’ recipes would be welcome by most new wives.
In October, we attended the wedding of couple in their late 30s. They didn’t “need” anything so we got copies of Created to Be His Helpmeet and the Five Love Languages and placed them in a plastic reusable box. The couple really liked the idea, nothing fancy and definitely books that change marriages (of people of any age!)
1. “Coupons”, or an RSVP for a “future date”, for a home-cooked dinner or perhaps a Saturday breakfast. If you wanted you could get a basket from the thrift shop and add in items such as a bottle of sparkling grape juice, some chocolates (obtained free from one of the deals?), and candles (also free from one of the drug store deals?).
2. A starting supply of cleaning products, good smelly things (candles, plug-ins, etc.), and the like. This could be from your stockpile. I’ve done this before and included the web address to this website and some of my other favorite money saving/couponing sites.
3. If she is the type to be willing to coupon, you could start them out with a supply of coupons or a year’s subscription to the Sunday paper, an organizer, and offer to mentor her in starting along this frugal path. It would be fun to hang out together and they would learn a great skill.
4. I keep my eyes open for tool deals. Hardward stores in my area have a monthly deal (or several if you have a Menards) where you can get a rebate. It will take so out of pocket at first, but you get the money back. Then you could put them all in a tool box. This works especially well for non-basic items. Things like crow bars, stud finders, levels, etc. You could also include hammers, screwdrivers, etc. as you find them if you don’t think they will get them.
5. If you have a good thrift store, you could search there for an unusual or pretty dish. Include a recipe and the starting ingredients.
6. Look at TJ Maxx or Marshalls for deals. I just found that mine has a discount section. There were some really good prices on nice kitchen items – skillets, pans, etc.
It does require some creativity, but making a Guest Book for the couple’s new home is a fun gift to give that is useful and personal. Whenever someone comes over to the new couple’s home for the first time, they sign the guest book and leave a little message. I have so many friends that have done this and they love to look back and see who all came to visit them during their first year of marriage.
If you do the whole ‘cvs’ thing, you could put together a great ‘getting started’ basket of free to you items. By going off of what I have gotten free lately, you could make a very nice basket including febreeze candles, softsoap liquid soap, laundry detergent, various cleaning supplies, tooth brushes, tooth paste, paper plates, towels, candies, ect.
You could put everything into a laundry basket and wrap it in tulle. It might not be the most romantic gift you could give them, but it sure is practical and inexpensive!
When I got married my sister gave me a large laundry basket full of household stuff. Pantry items like flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, etc. Some canned goods, laundry soap etc. It was full of things. It was great. These things can be a big expense when starting out and this helped me out a lot. I think if you started doing something like this early you could find items on sale and with coupons. You could also stretch the expense out over a period of time and take advatage of sales. Another idea is to put together a family and friends cookbook. Gather family favorites, those that carry memories etc and put them together in some sort of a book. I hope that helps.
I recently gave a $25 gift card to Bed, Bath and Beyond as well as 10 coupons to there for a gift…with an explanation that you can use up to 5 coupons per transaction, etc. The coupons were really good too–$5 off, $10 off and 20% off your total purchase. I figured that was a good gift because it could really save them a lot of money even though it didn’t look like a ton at first.
Couple things- Maybe make up a gift basket with a soup in a jar or you could buy say a bear creek mix at the grocery store and cookies in a jar with some nice utensils? What about a memory recipe book with ingredients from when you were growing up with her? Some nice recipes with shared experiences the two of you had.
My husband and I buy the game “Lost Cities.” We order a bunch at a time from an online game store. Then whenever someone we know gets married, we just pull one out of the closet. It’s the best two player game out there, and we love sharing the fun! I think each game is usually about $13… so it’s not too expensive for hours and hours of fun. It’s not very “fancy,” but everyone we have given it to has loved it.
I’ve read the following idea: Put together a box of 2 pretty dessert plates, 2 forks, maybe a tablecloth, some candles (you get the idea), maybe a CD of the couple’s wedding music, anything to bring the day back. Then label the box “Open on your first anniversary.” The idea is that they use the “kit” when they eat the wedding cake that they’ve saved in the freezer.
Alternatively, you might do something similar (a “package” gift) for their first Valentines Day, first Christmas or heck, even their first St. Patty’s or Arbor Day! If you plan ahead you could get a ton of great items at after-holiday sales.
A tree or flowering bush would also be a great gift if they’re going to be moving into a house right away.
If you are a stockpiler you could provide the newlyweds with a nice stock of products they will need for their home. A nice gift basket or a hamper full of goodies I’m sure would be a total surprise from the routine wedding presents they will receive.
As a college student, I was always strapped for cash, but a lot of my friends were engaged/getting married, so I started this little collection and used to make picnic sets for wedding presents. One year toward the end of summer, Wal-Mart had all their summer dishware (you know, the plastic stuff that looks great on the patio table) on clearance (I bet you can find this stuff at dollar stores too – or drug stores if you have a bunch of ECBs to blow). I bought a few packs of four place settings each. They came in bright colors and included cups, plates, bowls and sturdy plastic (not disposable) flatware to match.
I also shopped the sales and Michaels coupons for baskets. Most weren’t actually picnic baskets, just pretty baskets with plenty of room. I bought oilcloth or waxed cloth or flannel lined plastic tablecloths from the dollar store and lined the basket with it so it could be folded over the stuff inside, breadbasket style.
Then I filled the baskets with setups for “lunch for two” – two matching sets from the clearance dish sets, a bottle of wine or sparkling cider, a disposable camera, and a cheap vase with a fake rose in it for fun (these were dollar store items – they had fake water that held the rose in and weren’t really that pretty but that wasn’t the point). The tablecloth/liner could be used as a picnic blanket.
I think I spent about $25 per setup, it would have been more like $17 without the camera. It doesn’t take any craftyness, just a little bargain shopping. Everyone loved it. For one friend, I included a book of love poems that I’d found at a used bookstore, for another, I threw in some cheese and summer sausage that I’d been given and I knew it wouldn’t go bad if they didn’t investigate the gift right away.
One of the best gifts i received at my wedding was not the beautiful crystal platters or the silverware etc. When we came home from our honeymoom there was a beautiful (laundry) basket full of goodies.
I had so many practical things in it. Cleaning supplies, paper goods, there was also food inside. We were so hungry and hadnt had time to stock the fridge. We were able to use the spaghetti supplies and cook up a quick dinner followed by homemade chocolate chips. Not sure if this idea will work for you but we loved it!!! If you are a coupon shopper you might be able to fill a basket fairly cheaply
For my little sister’s wedding shower I collected a couple recipes from each friend and family member and printed them out in a book. Have people write down what is meaningful about the recipe or memories of get-togethers when you enjoyed the food together. You can get as creative as you’d like in the presentation.
One of my favorite wedding gifts was a particular cook book. The book normally costs around $30.00. I have found that I can get a new copy on Half.com for $10 – $15, including the postage! It has been my standard gift for the last several years and I’ve had many brides specifically tell me how much they have used the cookbook! This fall I actually found a brand new copy of the same book at a used book sale! I took it as a special gift from the Lord as I had a wedding that month that I had not purchased a gift yet! We have lots of weddings and it has been great to find something that is economical yet appreciated! So my advice, think about what gifts you have enjoyed, ask the Lord to show you a good source for the item, and think outside the box! Gina
My friend, when she got married her mother-in-law to be gave her a cookbook with al her fiance’s favorite recipes in it. I thought that was a neat gift.
I don’t know if you would consider this simple or not, but a collection of family recipes compiled all in one book (a 3 ring binder if your really really frugal or printed and bound by a local printer) is an excellent gift. If you need more recipes than what your family can give you, ask your friends to email you their top 3 recipes and give them categories so you don’t end up with 10 chicken enchilada casserole recipes. It could take some time to compile but you could easily do this over time. Create your skeleton document and then just cut and paste as recipes come in your inbox.
1. If they are staying somewhere special on their wedding night, arrange to have a bottle of champagne, box of chocolates, or other romantic treats waiting for them. You could also order breakfast for them.
2. A cookbook or a subscription to a cooking magazine, or put together a binder of your favorite recipes from your personal collection.
A friend of mine gave a basket full of things like cleaning and bathroom products. She also included things to stock a pantry. A lot of these things were freebies she had got at CVS. Also at one of my own wedding showers, my grandmother made up a basket filled with spices and baking stuff.
A frugal wedding gift we have given on multiple occasions is a “stock the medicine chest” gift. This works best if you have advance notice of the wedding (like 6 months) to give you time to use all the great deals at CVS, Walgreens, etc.
The sky is the limit with the variety available out there from toothpaste and toothbrushes to pain relievers and allergy meds. Buy a reasonably priced tackle box keeping in mind what you’ve bought and go to town. Don’t forget a dollar store first aid guide and a thermometer. We have received much thanks for this type of gift.
If you are a couponer (CVS, Walgreens, etc.) you can easily put together a gift bin. I purchase a nice handled clear plastic large bin from Walmart for approximately $6.00. Then I fill it to the brim with every household item I get free (razors, shaving cream, toothpaste, toothbrushes, OTC medicines, cleaning products, paper towels, toilet paper, cleaning wipes, laundry detergent/softener, make up, gum/candy, trash bags, ziplocs, tissue boxes, lotions, bath soaps, shampoo/conditioner and more as the list is endless) Honestly what newly married couple wouldn’t love to have their bathroom, laundry, and kitchen filled with these types of products. They are all sooooo expensive. I even get the card and bow from CVS for free (with ECB’s of course).
Whenever I give this gift the recipients are blown away and think I went WAY over the top to help them set up their new home together.
Hope this helps.
I don’t know how frugal you would consider this, but we give wedding gifts that will help grow the marriage and not just furnish a home.
So we’ve given things like a new Bible with the inscriptions from close family on the inside cover, the book Love and Respect by Emmerson Eggerich, and for my brother in law and his bride we gave a Weekend to Remember gift from Family Life. We also try to write a letter of encouragement to the bride and groom (my dh does the groom letter and I do the bride letter) we want them to know that we are here to support them for years to come.
My husband is a pastor and we’ve just seen too many marriages (in the church) not make it because there was no real support and when the couple hit hard times they didn’t have anyone to turn to. So, we no longer give stuff – they’ll get plenty of that from others.
Angi
well. my thrifty wedding gift is crafty, but I’m sure you could do it! I take their wedding invitation, and do it up kinda like a scrapbook page and frame it. You can see some that I have done here : http://www.scrapbook.com/myplace/index.php?mod=galleries&u=31592&type=3&page=1 just look for “scrapped and framed wedding invitations”.
I thought some of the best gifts were the practical ones. Gift cards to grocery stores, Items to set up our home such as towels, toilet paper, cleaning supplies. My mom gave us some very soft white sheets and they are by far our favorite sheets we got.
Since I started couponing a year ago, I have gotten quite a few cleaning products for free or just a few pennies. I love to give a gift basket full of cleaning items to a new bride. You could even throw in one or two free air fresheners to top it off.
How about collecting recipes from your family and friends for a home made recipe book. My friend recently showed me one she had received when she got married. The neatest thing was that each recipe was written by the individual donating the recipe and signed by that person as well. My friend pointed out how much she loved having recipes from her loved ones in their own handwriting.
When my husband and I got married in June my sister was pretty much in the same boat. I told her I did not want a gift, she was already my MOH. However she insisted, so I told her the only thing I wanted for a wedding present was her help. She made sure that all of the gifts made it to my house, she followed up with the tuxedo rental place that following Monday because all of my groomsmen worked and took off that Friday before. She also purchased some and helped cooked the food for my rehersal dinner. She made sure that all of the out of town guests were taken care of after we left the reception and she helped with getting our left over food donated to the local woman’s shelter. It’s the little details that really helped on the day of the wedding.
One great idea would be that if she is taking a honeymoon, while she is gone take her guest book and stuff, address and stamp the envelopes , you can do the same with thank you cards. Take a seperate paper and list each gift and it’s giver, that way when they come home from the honeymoon, all they have to do is open the card, write the thank you’s and put in the mail. She will probably need help organizing her gifts and home once she returns from the honeymoon, or when they move in together.
Your time is way more precious than anything you could ever buy.
We are going to a reception tomorrow and I decided to make a cleaning basket for the bride and groom. I went to the dollar store and purchased 10 name brand cleaning items (including: hand soap, dish soap, Ajax, furniture wipes, scrub brush, air freshener, etc), purchased a small waste basket for $1, used recycled plastic grocery bags to stuff the bottom of the basket, arranged the cleaning products nicely to fill the basket, and then tied the waste basket with ribbon. Total cost = $11. I wish I could post a picture. It looks so cute. It is a cheap and very functionable gift!
I’m really interested to hear what others have to say. I went to a wedding last fall and didn’t have a lot of money for a gift but I bought a really nice frame (about $30) for a picture of their choice. But I was pretty embarrassed at the wedding when my gift was only one of three or four and all the rest were envelopes. I wondered if it wouldn’t have just been better to put $30 cash into a card.
This might be more appropriate for family weddings than other relationships, but you could compile a “family” recipe album… gather together recipes from your mom and siblings – and maybe even reach out to her future-in-laws. You could either put all the recipes on cute recipe cards (which you then tuck into a photo album – the kind with plastic sleeves to keep them protected) or go to a site like http://www.blurb.com and create a printed book with photos of past family celebrations. I would love to receive a gift like that.
Using coupons, freebies, CVS, and sales you could “stock” her pantry for her new home?
When I got married 15 years ago, my sister presented me with a recipe box containing recipes from everyone in our family. Several months before the wedding, she sent 3 or 4 blank recipe cards to each member of the family and asked them to write out their favorite recipes. Everyone included their name and the origin of the recipe on the card.
Many of the recipes were the traditional family gathering favorites. This gift cost my sister very little, but it is priceless to me.
A great but thoughtful idea is giving them a framed poem. Somehow obtain a beautiful love poem, possibly scripture infused (John Piper..maybe?) and printing it from a computer on beautiful paper (I buy those scrap booking papers at Michaels or JoAnnes, about .35-.55.) Then buy a frame to your liking at either Ross or Marshalls (they’re cheaper, less than $10 or you might have a frame on hand.) And then cut the paper to size and center the poem inside. Sometimes I like to buy ribbon and glue it around the poem to frame it even more, or buy dried flowers at the craft store to accentuate it. This makes such a lovely gift and one that means more and is very inexpensive on your finances.
If you want to get really creative, you can buy two sheets of paper and use the two to compliment each other and use them as the matting to frame the poem. You can do this idea as well with pictures you might have on hand of the couple.
Trust me! They will love it!!
I often find myself unable to afford the many many $50 wedding gifts. So, I’ll make thank you cards for them. They’re going to need a lot of them…so, depending on how close they are and what not, I’ll make them a couple dozen handmade cards to give out to their friends and family after the wedding.
We started to give our friends puzzles or board games when we were in college and couldn’t afford a china place setting. We con’t to give puzzles (usually 1000 piece ones) even after we could afford a little nicer of a gift because we got such good feedback from our friends. Most of our friends have said that not only was it a good learning experience to see how they worked together while doing a puzzle but also they enjoyed the fact that it was something they could spend time together doing. I know my husband and I have learned a lot from each other about how we think, problem solve and do things by working puzzles together.
My MIL made me a recipe box full of recipes from her family and that special things my husband liked. My friend made me a “recipe journal” of tried and true recipes that she loved. I thought this was a great idea and have used both of these many times. As a mother of 7, I am sure you have some great recipes for a new family!
I always give a stack of books at wedding showers ~ the books I wish I’d read *before* I got married:
Total Money Makeover by Dave Ramsey
Created to Be His Help Meet by Debi Pearl
Sink Reflections by Marla Cilley
Sheet Music by Kevin Leman
I order them from Amazon and typically get free shipping (for orders over $25). If I have extra money and/or I’m close to the person and want to spend more, I also get them Saving Dinner by Leanne Ely and maybe a few others.
Someone framed our wedding invitation and we still have it up to this day.
A very memorable but frugal gift could be framing her wedding invitation. You can easily use a Michael’s or AC Moore 40% off coupon for the frame or shadowbox frame and any matting and do it yourself. You said you’re not very crafty, but I’m sure you can do it! You could also layer it on a nice sheet of scrapbook paper to add some color, hot glue some silk flowers or greenery, and even add a wedding or engagement photo of them inside.
I am a frugal mom of one (soon to be two!) and I love making stationery for new brides, particularly with their new initials. Please visit my website for ideas, and know that I am happy to work with other frugal moms on price payment plans or discounted prices for large orders!
http://gabrielsgoodtidings.blogspot.com
Some of my favorite wedding gifts were the simple ones…
The ice cream gift….a set of 4 matching bowls, an ice cream scoop and various toppings (hot fudge, caramel and sprinkles)
The wine gift…2 fun matching glasses, corkscrew and a bottle of wine
Date night gift…snacks (box of popcorn, candy, etc) and 3 or 4 DVDS and/or games.
Picnic gift….picnic basket with tablecoth, picnic supplies, etc.
Baking gift…baking pans and utensils with cake mix, sprinkles, frosting, chocolate chips, cookie cutters, etc. You could also include an oven mitt.
Or buy a serving dish from the registry and then include a recipe for one of your family’s favorite meals and some of the non-preishable ingredients for it.
These were just so much more meaningful and creative than the stuff I registered for. Maybe she could have each of her kids pick out a kitchen towel or kitchen utensil for her sister. I really like the idea of picking something fairly inexpensive off the registry and then adding to it and personalizing it.
all new brides could use help with finding great recipes- how about a tastefully done homemade recipe book with all of the tried and true recipes that you have found and used over the years? You could print out the pages or use index cards in a photo album.
One idea that I always loved was to give two dessert plates and two Champagne glasses in a box with a tag that says, “Do not open until 1st Anniversary.” Because a lot of couples save the top tier of their wedding cake for their first anniversary, it’s a little “cake kit.” And you can find dessert plates and Champagne glasses in any price range, so it’s a good frugal gift.
A kitchen basket of utensils, a collection of your favorite recipes (maybe in a nice bound book or scrapbook-type album) and some homemade baking kits (like those that MSM did for Christmas) would be nice for a couple that is just starting out. You can find inexpensive but good quality utensils at outlet kitchen stores or even the Dollar Store. I can’t wait to see what other ideas are out there – wedding season is fast approaching!
I made an apron. Also included some handmade(by me) “gourmet” kits of food (one in particular was skillet lasagna) in reusable containers. I adjusted the amount to serve just 2-4 people since it is just the two of them. I also included the recipes to make these kits themselves later. If you don’t sew or aren’t very crafty, you could purchase something that you’d use to cook these items in or something to serve them in.
Basket of pantry items to help get them started (baking theme or canned goods theme?)–good idea to include some of your favorite recipes too. Maybe a thing of spices (not commonly seen in spice racks you buy). Bucket of cleaning supplies. Laundry basket w/detergent and such. First aid kit. Lifetime supply of free toothpaste (just kidding or not)
restaurant.com constantly has great sales for 70 to 80 percent off their gift certificates. You can look for restaurants in her and her fiance’s area and buy them a few. If the price is really right, buy 5 or 10, print the certificates on nice off-white stock, and place in a 8×10 colored envelope. Write them a note in the card saying that these are for “your upcoming newleywed date nights,” or something to that effect. Make sure you read the details for use of the certificates at the stores. Try to find ones that can be used any day, and don’t require them to spend too much in order for the couple to redeem the certificate.
If you want to beef it up even more, keep a lookout on amazon.com for discounted and clearanced pots and pans. You can then address the card in a different way: “new cookware for when you want to make your own meals, gift certificates when those meals go awry” or something silly like that.
I recently did the gift certificate thing for a couple for Christmas and they were so excited.
When we got married, one friend who was pretty broke gave us ballroom dance lessons as a gift, and that was something we REALLY needed for the first dance.
One of my favorite gifts to make (and I am NOT crafty at all) for $10 or less…
1. Make a list of as many words you can think of that apply to the person/people/occasion. Make it a LONG list, at least 25 to 50 words.
2. Go to http://www.wordle.net and create a personalized “word cloud” using the list you made. You can play with the fonts, color schemes, orientation, etc.
3. Print out AT LEAST THREE COPIES (because you’ll want extras in case you mess up when trimming or mounting it)
4. Find a cute 8×10 or larger frame at Goodwill, a yard sale, or other inexpensive location
5. If necessary, paint the frame.
6. Put your word cloud in the frame (and if you have a tiny little bit of craft skills, you can add a mat that complements your creation)
Voila! You have created a very meaningful, personal gift that anyone would be proud to hang on their wall for years to come. These are my go-to gifts for almost any occasion. For Christmas we redecorated my daughters’ room. I created one for each of them that featured their name, plus several dozen words that remind me of them…things like “love”, “joy”, “daughter”, “sister”, “brilliant”, “kind”, etc. These framed word art creations are the centerpieces of their room, and they love them. We also made one for my dad, and put it in a very large (poster size) frame, along with my children’s silhouettes in a custom-cut mat. I think it was his favorite gift we ever gave him.
If you are a much of a cook or have family that is, fill a recipe book with some tried and true recipes that you know she will love. Recipe cards and a binder can both be gotten at Hallmark for under $20 and probably even cheaper somewhere else. That paired with a necessity kitchen items (timer, handtowels, wooden utensils) would be a practical and meaningful gift.
I got married a little over a year ago, so I can help out a bit here. First of all, if they’re registered at Bed Bath and Beyond, don’t buy anything without a 20% off coupon. Same goes for Macy’s and probably many other stores. Right there, you can buy an item worth $50 for example, and save at least $10 without much effort!
http://moonburst37.blogspot.com/2008/08/diy-friday-photo-letter-frames.html
This post has a great idea on pictures that would be personal and relatively cheap. I highly recommend checking it out!
I can give you a couple favorite gifts we got. One was a pretty plate that had a bunch of fondue mixes with it (we had already received a fondue pot at the shower). Another great gift were monogrammed towels. The towels themselves were from Macy’s but it felt very special to have our monogram on it. I think you would be suprised how including something a little extra makes the gift so much more memorable.
Finally, you say she’s your sister…the more personal the better, here! Make her scrapbook of tips on love from all your family members. Make her a photo album on Shutterfly of pictures of her and her fiance growing up. I know these can seem scary if you’re not crafty, but they really don’t take much time at all!
Good luck!
-Kristi
The gifts that really stand out to me from my wedding turned out to be practical and frugal presents but they have been some of the most useful!
1. Bucket of Cleaning Supplies- two different ladies gave these to me, filled with everything from Windex to Clorox to Comet. They also contained dusting cloths, cleaning rags, sponges, dish soap, etc. If you coupon this can definitely be very inexpensive and a young bride starting out really needs these items!
2. Canning Supplies- I received a case of Mason jars, the Ball Blue Book, Jar Lifter, and canning salt! This gift was very useful to me because I had no canning supplies of my own and was growing a garden that summer!
3. Homemade Cookbook- One of my mother-in-law’s dear friends made me a cookbook, this particular one she made in an 8 x 8 scrapbook and decorated the pages with cooking themed paper and stickers. She put the recipe and a picture of the finished dish on each page! That was the most thoughtful gift I received and I use it often! (I have also taken a spin off this idea and given recipe boxes as gifts filled with my favorite recipes!)
4. Signed Picture- My husband’s grandmother purchased a large picture frame with a white mat in it and had our wedding guests sign the mat during the reception.She put a picture of us in the frame with the mat and gave it to us as a gift! It was fun to read what our guests had written to us when we received it! We have it hanging in our master and it is a great reminder of our special day and those people close to us who shared it! I often glance at it and read a note or two!
If their wedding invitation included a photo or a cute poem she could purchase a frame and put the invitation in the frame. I had a friend give me that and it was one of my favorite gifts, it could be as costly or inexpensive as you wanted to make it. My wedding invitation had a photo and a separate sheet of velum with the words to “our song” on it. My friend used a frame with multiple openings, put our picture in the center with the invitation and velum in the other openings. She printed out our names and the date and put it in the other opening. BAM! Super easy, way memorable gift.
Frame their wedding invitation- match the mat with the bride’s colors, or use any fabric left from alterations from the bridesmaids dresses to make your own mat. It is simple, thoughtful, and should be reasonably inexpensive.
My sister recently got married, and this is what I gave her:
A Crock Pot from her registry list (on sale for $17)
A beautiful blank journal
Then, I filled in some of my favorite recipes, Crock Pot or not. We are going to pass the book around to my other sisters and our mom, to fill in as well!
Already, she has called me several times to ask advice about making some of the recipes.
Also, I like to make themed baskets, such as a pizza pan, rolling pin, pizza dough mix, a jar of sauce, pepperoni, etc. It makes a pretty presentation, they have a meal that’s easy to put together, and it’s inexpensive!
I am a practical gift giver and receiver. If I cannot use it then I do not want to maintain it. That being said, Pyrex is about as practical as it gets and fairly inexpensive. You might be able to find pieces here and there at thrift stores and garage sales and come up with a nice collection. Vintage Pyrex and Oven King ware is always fun. New Pyrex is reasonably priced as well and found at Costco and Sams. Also, making something sweet out of the invitation is a nice way to preserve it and make it into decor for their new home.
For a few weddings, when money was tight, I would buy a picnic type basket and put in it “picknicky” things. I put a tablecloth, plates, cups, snacky food, and stuff like that. I have also done a “gift basket” with breakfast for two stuff. Pancake mix, syrup, waffle mix, a cute tablecloth, a bowl, mixing spoon, etc. I have gotten a lot of compliments on both.
Sometimes I have made the couple a food basket that includes what they might need for a pasta dinner or pancakes. I have also made up a cleaning “basket” that included trash bags, cleaners, etc. Consumable gifts are great because sometimes as a young couple we receive more stuff than we have room for and everyone eats and cleans. Another idea is to compile your favorite recipes and household tips for the bride, or make her a scrapbook of pictures and memories. A gift can also be wrapped in some kitchen or bath towels that they need. Instead of buying a card, you could write a blessing for the couple.
Hope this helps!
I recently went to a wedding where I gave an inexpensive casserole dish, and a small brass trivet with the following note attached:
This gift comes with some needed explanation: I am giving you:
1) A casserole dish (with laminated card to attach to the bottom): This is something I started doing after receiving many meals and trying to return all the dishes. Now, I collect casserole dishes (usually from yard sales – you know me) and when someone is ill, has a baby, or suffers a tragedy and I give a meal, I always give the dish as well, with the suggestion that it be used until the need arises to pass it on to the next meal recipient. It doesn’t even have to contain a casserole; chicken breasts, with baked potatoes and veggies work just as well.
2) Recently, I realized that after 25 years of marriage I have very few items left that were wedding gifts. I treasure the few items that have lasted, and so have given you brass trivet in hopes that it will be with you for the entirety of your very long marriage.
3) The last thing is completely intangible and is just a bit of advice. Seek God. First, believe He exists, look at nature, for: “without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him.” Hebrew 11:6. If you ever want to reach me, my email is XXXX.
Card:
Please do not return this
dish to me. Use it as you
like until the occasion
arises to give a meal.
Then pass it on.
I’ve done a couple of things:
Made a scrapbook and matted specific spots for them to insert their photos. They loved not having to do all the cutting and pasting.
Got a laundry basket and filled it with TONS of free or cheap toiletries, cleaning supplies, etc. I got rave reviews on that one and the people said they are going to do it for future weddings they attend.
Get a basket at a thrift store, fill it with two nice wine glasses (can get cheap at Target) and a bottle of a wine that is bottled about five miles from our home. I tell them to pop open on the first anniversary.
All gifts have been very well received.
One idea that I’ve seen done is to make a “pantry starter gift”. You can put almost any non-perishable food in a decorated box, along with recipes written on colored card stock or decorated index cards. You can also make homemade mixes to go along with it, making it more personal. One of my favorite mixes to make is:
Quaker Square’s Famous Oatmeal Cookie Mix
You mix together in a cellophane bag or other bag:
1/2 cup sugar
3 cups rolled oats (I use old-fashioned)
1 tsp. salt
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking soda
Mix thoroughly and put in a nice clear bag. Close bag with curling ribbon and/or twist tie.
On your card stock write:
Quaker Square Famous Oatmeal Cookies
*Oven 350 degrees
*Beat together:
3/4 cup veg. shortening
1/4 cup water
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
*Add cookie mix and mix well. (Can add some raisins if desired.)
*Drop on greased cookie sheet.
*Bake 12-15 minutes.
Attach card to the bag.
A pantry gift can be done tastefully and will be much more useful than China : ). Obviously you can use your couponing and bulk deal strategies to make this inexpensive. Hope you find something that will work for you!
One of our favorite weeding gifts was 2 beach towels and 2 beach chairs. It was creative, fun and definitely something we needed and used
Another great gift idea that I haven’t seen mentioned yet is a punch bowl. This is something that people aren’t likely to buy for themselves and they’re really fun to have for parties. My husband found me a brand new punch bowl w/ a silver base for $3 at Goodwill. A just-as-good idea is to buy one from an antique or thrift store (or Goodwill!); even at the antique stores they are often only $15-20.
Also, I’ve seen STACKS of incredible cookbooks like the “New York Times Dessert Cookbook” or Mark Bittman’s “How to Cook Everything” at closeout stores. For under $10 you’ve got yourself a fantastic $40 cookbook.
I like Katie’s comment just above. When my husband and I got married this past year, some of the neatest presents we got were books — and not just cookbooks! Some people thought about books we might like and we got quite a selection, from rare-ish leather-bound volumes that speak exactly to our interest to a few books friends picked up for cheap online (or free elsewhere!) and gave to us because they KNEW we’d love them! This doesn’t work for everyone, but it worked great for us, because we are book lovers.
Our family loves to give a new BIBLE to the couple.
You could make her a quilt, or buy one from someone. That is always a special gift.
I make them if you are interested
sundstromheather@hotmail.com
You could get three nice bowls, two small and one larger. Write their names on the two small ones and then write Popcorn on the big one with a paint marker. Add a box or two of popcorn in the package and they are ready for Movie Night at Home!
you can also get a casserole dish and etch in their new last name on the dish. there are lots of tutorials on how to do that. add to it one of the cookbook ideas and you are good to go!
Overwhelmingly a basket of household goods seems to be the suggestion! AND I agree, its a great idea, I think its a great Shower gift.
My favorite wedding gift (as in take to the wedding and give it there), is to make up a Honeymoon Love Snack. As was mentioned previously, often the bride and groom don’t actually get to eat a lot at the reception because they’re busy talking with people and fulfilling the traditions of the reception.
I make up a gift bag (not a basket, so they don’t have to cart it home), or cover a cardboard box inside and out with pretty fabric. I then fill the bag/box with a few homemade goodies (e.g. cookies, brownies), salty snacks, candy items, fruit, bottled water or other favorite beverages (if you know what they are), and maybe some microwave popcorn. Then I also try to include a few $$’s worth of quarters for the hotel vending machine, just for a fun extra.
To insure that they couple actually BRINGS the gift with them, I usually tell someone who will be helping the bride/groom get ready to leave the reception area, or if you know they’re get-a-way vehicle, you can leave it on the hood, so they’ll be sure to see it
It’s always been a hit with people and its very inexpensive to make since the items are things I’ve made or gotten with other “deals”.
However, this doesn’t work if the couple is leaving right away on a plane….you have to make the bag MUCH smaller, but they’re sure to still appreciate it since most airlines don’t give out food anymore.
It has always been a big hit
We had 7 weddings last year and 8 this year, so I’ve had to come up with frugal ideas. I’ve been making 1 year anniversary packages. I buy 2 dessert plates, 2 champagne glasses, and 2 forks. You can find all these items at Walmart and spend less than $15. I put pretty ribbons around the glasses and forks. Sometimes I add a bottle of champange. They are all set for their 1 year anniversary. All they need to do is add the frozen wedding cake.
One of the wedding gifts that we got and loved was seasonal decorations, ie: Valentines,Easter, 4th of July, Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas. When you are just starting out this might not be something you could spend extra money on, however, if planned right, the giver could hit after season sales and score big!!
The other idea I saw at the last family wedding was a black and white collage of the couples last name done from pictures of each letter, then spelled out. The giver had taken a picture of each letter from a place around their hometown and then framed them. You could pick up a floating frame and save big with such a personal gift.
How about a Maid Service once a week or twice a month for a month to give the Bride and Groom some quality time together. Some places have hourly rates and others have a rate per visit. Not an expensive gift, but a thoughtful one!
I hope this doesn’t sound silly but I have found that you can usually find something on their wedding registry on sale if you check it occasionally and often it comes out cheaper than a homemade gift would. Add in an extra 30% off coupon (or whatever one the newspaper has) and it’s even cheaper. And they get something they really wanted.
In regards to my comment about a maid service. Here is a link to Molly Maid’s Gift Certificates:
https://www.mollymaid.com/MainGiftCert.aspx
I would suggest a cookbook. Or maybe a bible that would be their “new” family bible. Or if you have a nice photo of the couple or just a photo that they look good in, doesn’t have to professional or posed, you get one printed and put it in a “nicer” looking frame at walmart. Pictures i think are thoughtful, memories.
Two things that I have done in the past that were well received:
-I supplied a box of pastries from the bakery I was working at for the bridal party as they were getting ready (home baked would be great as well)
-On etsy.com -the vendor name is Elephanie,she makes personalized wall art- with initials, names etc. for very reasonalbe prices.
My favorite thing to give is a container full of gift wrap and bows. All occasion stuff, usually that I can buy on the cheap. Newlyweds can always use that stuff.
My Matron of Honor gave me a basket of cute stuff to open the week of the wedding. Each day had a poem and a gift – sunglasses for the honeymoon, a stress ball, etc. It was so fun to open a new gift every day! On the wedding day, she gave me a hat box filled with pairs of different colored candles and a poem with a reason to use each: 1st night home, 1st dinner with company, 1st promotion, 1st baby, 1st fight. Very cute!!
For my wedding 13+ years ago, my aunt and uncle got us something small off of our gift list(Glass mugs) and rootbeer, and an ice cream scoop. We had friends that got married just 2 weeks before us and we had them over alot for Rootbeer floats on the weekends. Which we were thrilled about the gift. But on our one year anniversary, my aunt and uncle sent us a money for us to go out to dinner on our anniversary. My hubby was in college and I was the only source of income. This was such a wonderful surprise. And when I thanked them, they said they had someone do the same thing for them on their wedding ($20 gift or so.), then money for the anniversary dinner. Out of all of my gifts, this is the one that I remember the most.
Personal Creations has some lovely personalized wedding gifts at reasonable prices. A frame with their wedding date or something else to mark the occasion maybe? Or if you know where they are going for their honeymoon, you could call ahead to the hotel and pre-pay for their breakfasts for a few days.
I think a great gift is a nice recipe box or some sort of holder, with your favorite recipes included. maybe a nice cookie sheet and supplies to make a good cookie recipe…Or nice oven mitts, something like that. If you could gather some family classic recipes that would be cool too, At least I would love that! Good luck
I would want it to be memorable. Here are some ideas:
~Do you have something that belonged to a cherished relative, like your grandmother? If so, give it to them with a thoughtful letter on why you’d like them to have it.
~Will they have a home with space to plant? If so, give them some of your perennials?
~Give them a work day: help her with thank you notes, help them paint their new home, help them move.
~What about a candlelight dinner kit–candles, candle sticks (found extremely cheap at thrift stores), and a beautiful table cloth and/or cloth napkins (also at thrift stores)
~This one, I just love. We did this for my mom. Take a ton of pictures at all the events surrounding their wedding. Take pictures of things that aren’t even that memorable. Then, download them onto one of those video frames. You can get them relatively inexpensively and this would be so much fun.
~Camping gear makes for great presents and can usually be picked up relatively inexpensively this time of year (since it’s cold most places!). As newlyweds we could only afford vacations if we camped. See if you can get a bunch of people to chip in on a tent. Check ebay for great deals.
The most important thing to remember is that your gift doesn’t have to be expensive. It just has to be from the heart. It could just be a poem that you wrote, placed in a pretty frame. Or a framed letter of well wishes to the couple.
I just thought of another one: how about contacting all of your relatives to write them relationship advice, well wishes, etc. Then place them in a pretty book. I would be this would be hilarious and a tear-jerker all at once!
Best wishes.
For my family & close friends I always give a perpetual calendar (sometimes called Birthday Calendars). I contact each of the couple’s mothers and get immediate family’s birthdays and anniversaries. Then I completed the calendar. As a newlywed, it was crucial to know the new in-laws important dates!
I found mine from a Stampin Up demonstrator (about $7 each). BUT I’m sure you could just buy a regular 2009 calendar and fill in the dates. (Or make one on a photo site)
you could gather recipes that are classic to your family and put them together in a cute box or binder. then leave room for her to gather her own recipes to fill in.
For my family & close friends I always give a perpetual calendar (sometimes called Birthday Calendars). I contact each of the couple’s mothers and get immediate family’s birthdays and anniversaries. Then I completed the calendar. As a newlywed, it was crucial to know the new in-laws important dates!
I found mine from a Stampin Up demonstrator (about $7 each). BUT I’m sure you could just buy a regular 2009 calendar and fill in the dates. (Or make one on a photo site)
I know cookbook has been mentioned several times. I made one at: http://www.cookbooktree.com/. It was very easy! You don’t have to order the book (but you can if you want). You can just print out the PDF file and put it in a binder.
You can also ask relatives and friends to add their recipes. It’s easy and takes all the ‘work’ out of it.
HTH,
Pamm
I’m not sure about what kind of gift to get them but if she is doing a lot of the wedding prep herself (decorating, invites, etc.) I bet she would gladly welcome some help. I know I would’ve! She’s probably got loads of small things that need done and not enough time to do them in so a helping hand would probably be appreciated.
Darcy
Sorry if this is a repeat. How about a personalized welcome sign for their new home. Contact a graphic design place, pick our your font and what you want it to say and the size then stick the letters to a painted and distressed board.
One of our wedding guests picked up a large handful of rose petals from our wedding (either off of the tables, or from the petals that were thrown on us as we were leaving). Then, she framed our wedding invitation and placed the rose petals around the edge. It’s a beautiful momento of a memorable day!
This one requires some planning in advance, but if I know I am going to a wedding or bridal shower of a young couple just starting out during the year, then about a week after Christmas I go out and buy Christmas decorations on sale. I then put those in a red and green rubbermaid tub, that is also on sale, for additional storage. One year I got my sister $150 worth of Christmas decorations as a shower gift for $35 with a little planning in advance.
I think this idea was on a wedding registry website for awhile – maybe Williams Sonoma? Anyway, just take a bunch (5 or so) of long handled stainless cooking utensils (whisk, spatula, etc. – usually a few bucks each at Target or Walmart) and bundle into a “bouquet.” Tie together with a thick long white ribbon and bow.
Mine was done later, but after my little sister got married, I took a tile board, cut up one of her wedding pictures, glued it on, and poured varnish on it. It doesn’t require craftiness, or a lot of time (depending on the type of board you choose), and can be done for about $15. The finished product was beautiful, display-worthy, and personal.
One of the gifts that we received in celebration of our wedding was actually given to us long after the wedding.
We went on a week long vacation immediately after our wedding so I hadn’t been grocery shopping in a while. We had all our dry goods but nothing fresh.
We had given our spare apartment key to my maid of honor so she could bring in our gifts while we were gone.
Instead she got several of our friends and my parents together (most of my friends are still in college = poor) and filled our refrigerator with basic fresh food items plus some fun things we wouldn’t normally buy ourselves. It was so nice to not have to worry about shopping immediately just so we could have milk and veggies.
Because we are all so thrifty when it comes to grocery shopping, figuring out how to grab a few more items while at the market is not difficult nor is it expensive.
We’ve given the gift of fresh veggies and foods to some our newly married friends and they in turn have given it to others.
I LOVE books so I try to add a book with my gifts. For weddings, I often include a copy of The Five Love Languages by Gary Chapman. Everyone that I know who has read that book said it has made a difference in their relationship – positively. The book itself is very reasonable…if you write a nice inscription and couple it with some of the ideas above (like a pretty framed copy of their wedding invitation) it would make a lovely, thoughtful gift.
i have a standard wedding gift that i give to everyone. i buy white/ecru towels cheap (from WalMart or such). close friend/relative, i get two bath, hand, wash towels; not as close, i just buy two bath towels. then i take them to my local monogram shop to be personalized with their initials. either just their last initial or the last initial in the center with both of their first initials on either side in a three-initial monogram format. if you do some research at places they might be registered, you can find out their bath/bedroom colors and coordinate your present. towels ($10-12) and monogram ($14-18); total (around $30) for nice personalized gift…
Maybe to go along with some of these recipe ideas you can freeze a few meals for her. In portions for two.
This doesn’t necessarily promote frugality, but I hosted a Papmered Chef party and through the purchases of guest prior to and at the party was able to get several things free that I intended to give as wedding gifts.
I search with swag bucks. You can get gift cards. I am 20 and just got married last year. A gift card is always great, you can earn star bucks cards yumm every one loves a good coffee.
http://swagbucks.com/?cmd=sb-register&rb=244696
As a recent newly wed (October) I second all of the gift basket ideas. We got a gift basket from one of my maid of honors and while it did not cost her alot, she put a lot of thought into it and made it fit us.
I recently gave a friend of photobook I purchased through shutterfly with a great discount code that she loved. It was easier to make than a scrapbook. I also made a recipe scrapbook for another friend with recipes we used to make together and some of our favorites.
Lastly, I often give the Joy of Cooking to newly weds too. It is an awsome book and I can often find it on sale. It is well worth the price!
This is something someone told me although I’ve never quite done this before but it’s a neat and possibly cheap idea if you find sales. I guess in the East Coast it’s called “pounding” or something like that? It’s where a group of people would bring a pound of something (probably more like baking items or grains or beans) and collect the items together, with the idea of stocking the newlyweds’ kitchen. In some cases this might not work out but I can imagine if someone starts out with a bare kitchen, they would really appreciate a pound of beans, rice, flour, sugar, baking soda, to start their pantry. I would think if this is a wedding gift, you can put the pounds of items in a gift basket and make it more personal.
Candace! I want to buy you chocolate! We’re not even pregnant, but I know how I’m telling the grandparents when we are!
My girlfriend made me a candle like http://www.ehow.com/how_2235768_decorate-candle-wedding-invitation.html for a wedding gift. I cherish it to this day. That candle along with our unity candle gets lit every year on our anniversary.
It’s not really too “frugal” per se but easily customizable.
I like to take plain old cash–pick your amount and denominations–say anywhere from $30 to $50–or less, whatever! I get a mix of bills–a couple of ones, some fives, a ten, a twenty (again, whatever!). Then I iron the bills on a low setting to give them a “fresh” crisp look.
Then what I’ll do is make cartoon bubbles and put smart alecky “marriage advice” comments from the dead presidents. Things like “Never soak your wooden teeth on your wife’s drinking glass” (Washington); “Even if your wife is truly insane, never go to bed mad.” (Lincoln); Don’t chop down your wife’s cherry tree (Washington); etc. I attach the bubbles to the bills using a removable adhesive you can buy at any big box craft store in the scrapbook aisle–so they can peel it off and spend the $!
I’ve had two reactions to this gift: People either love it (one couple framed the bills!) or people think I’m nuts (but that’s OK!).
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