What's the best wedding present

[Another Bill C.]

you've seen? In a couple of weeks, I'm going to be best man at my son's wedding. I'm retired and living on peanuts so I can't lay out a whole lot for a gift. I would like to get something really nice for maybe a couple of hundred.

[Robb]

1. Wallet

I got a good friend and his new bride a super-cheesy wallet, and filled it with gift cards to restaurants in their town, phone cards, Target, that sort of thing.

...And I also filled it with amusing photographs of the two of them. :)

[Castilleja]

5. I think that is a really cool idea

Mind if I borrow it! I like to get the highest threadcount sheets I can afford, or the best plushest towels I can find. But your wallet idea is a good one.

[Superfly]

2. Forget the present and give $$$

Out of the dozen or so wedding presents we received last month, 8 are on sale on Ebay.

[LuLu550]

3. a beautiful picture frame

for their wedding photo

[SOteric]

4. Usually pretty well received...

Unless their religion varies, I like to give Christmas ornaments as wedding gifts. It's not the standard gift, and most couples starting a home together don't have much more than one or two sentimental favourites from their childhood. There's at least a few places in every large city that sell ornaments year round, and many places online.

[LuLu550]

7. I've done that as well

and it is a good gift for those who celebrate...

[Mandate My Ass]

14. Christmas ornaments are great

My best friend gave me a glittery heart ornament when my husband proposed to me (in July!) and it's always the first ornament we put on the tree each year.

[donco6]

6. I'd vote for the money and a card with . . .

. . . a heartfelt message for your son. That would mean the most to me.

[grannylib]

8. Card and cash

and don't strap yourself - give what you can without breaking your bank or feeling guilty!
Write some memories about your son, write some hopes and dreams for him and his new bride, tell him how proud you are of him and how much you love him...
Make sure you have the photographer get a picture of just the two of you, and one of you with the two of them, and display them proudly...
And love the daylights outta any grandbabies you wind up with!

THAT will be a great gift!

[HereSince1628]

9. gift certificate for marriage counseling,

It is the kind of present that will be appreciated in year 4.

Really, and you can just tell the person on whose side you sat in the chapel...to cover yourself at the reception I suggest giving any gift that REQUIRES both parties to make it work. Like a text on tantric (sp?) sex.

[Feanorcurufinwe]

19. I second that emotion

but they shouldn't wait for year 4. Marriage counseling is most effective before the problems start, or get bad. Learning to be married is not easy, everyone can use some help.

[kodi]

10. i always give crystal. a vase or sculpture or the like, but always crystal

wedding gifts are usually to honor the bride.

why, because guys dont give a damn about 23 different kinds of salt and pepper shakers, and i dont know many women who consider a fishing pole or outboard motor a neat wedding present.

but most women do seem to like and appreciate crystal objects alot.

go for crystal. the objects are beautiful.

[geniph]

11. Do they have a house?

I like to give nice things for the house that it doesn't have - an engraved knocker for the door, nice tuned windchimes, things that make it THEIR house. Plaques with both their names, stuff like that.

[Missy Vixen]

12. The best wedding present we received

was a copy of a FAX.

One of our guests faxed the Wailing Wall in Israel and asked for blessings on our marriage. These faxes (and now, e-mails,) are stuck in the crevices of the wall; the faithful take them out and pray over the various requests.

I don't know what your religious faith is. DH is Jewish, I'm not, but the kindness (and the thought behind it,) made me cry like a baby.

I think it cost the woman who did it $1.00.

Another creative present would be to get an enlargement of a photograph of the happy couple, get a nice mat to fit, display it at their wedding. Encourage the guests to write signed messages on the mat for the bride and groom; they'll be able to frame it and hang it in their new home.

Here's my last idea: Write your son and daughter in law a letter to put in their card. Tell your son and daughter in law how much you love them, how much they mean to you, and how being able to stand up for them is the greatest day of your life. They'll use the cash, but the letter will be treasured (and no doubt, tearstained and well-read,) for the rest of your son's life.

Congratulations to them, and congratulations to you, that your son loves you so that he wants you to stand up for him. You are surely the richest man in the world!

Julie

[JVS]

13. I give clocks

For them to measure their happy time together.

[LonelyLRLiberal]

15. Nice large crystal vase and send cut flowers

when they come home from their honeymoon. You can send cut flowers on various occasions during the marriage - remind them of the original gift. Make the vase large enough to hold a good-sized bunch of flowers - like gladiolas, tall roses. If you have a Tuesday Morning, TJ Maxx or Marshalls in your area, you can buy a really nice vase at a good price. Congratulations.

[rucky]

16. Espresso Machine n/t

[Catshrink]

17. Cookbooks...

depends of course on their ages. But a couple of really good classics is good. I've done combos of a cookbook and stock pot or baking pan set.

[cally]

18. Some of my favorite gifts were

things that someone had made or had been in their family for awhile. One Aunt made a wedding album. My mother-in-law made a flower arrangement. My parents gave me a family heirloom. My best friends gave an assortment of massage oils. None of these cost much money, but we treasured them.

[Nailzberg]

20. Earplugs!

Sorry, couldn't resist.

[dofus]

21. Find out if they're registered anywhere.

You'll have to ask the bride or her mom or best friend. That way they'll get something they actually want, and the bridal registry keeps track of what's been bought so duplicates don't happen.

But I think the wallet idea is a really good one.

[soothsayer]

22. a case of young port wine

in 25 years or so, it'll be fantastic (and worth alot more)

(then hope they stay together long enough to drink it together)

[Rabrrrrrr]

23. Ice cream maker!

No one seems to give them as gifts, but they're wonderful.

Or original Rabrrrrrr Art, if I may self-advertise - or any other fine art, really, that has a personal touch - perhaps a painting you make, or a photo you took, or something from a friend or artist you know they really like. Art can be tough, but when it works, it's a great gift, esepcially if they will be moving in with each other in a new space for the first time and don't have much furnishings or art for the wall.

Or get a blank book, then at the wedding and reception pass it around for people to write thoughts to the couple in.

You could put disposable cameras on each table at the reception and put a note telling the people at the table to take pictures of themselves and the reception, etc., and that they should leave the cameras with you and then you take and develop them and give the pictures to the couple. Friends of mine did this for their own wedding, and it was really cool, but it would be a great gift - and not terribly expensive - if the couple aren't doing it. That way, you can almost guarantee a photographic record of every guest and what THEY found interesting/fun, instead of the rather formalized photos that a professional photographer would come up with.