Getting Married and Moving Away- What to Do with Gifts

Last time I posted about bridal registries and the things to consider when you are making your gift list. Now, what if your situation is just a wee bit complicated? What if your plans include moving away right after you get married? Now gifts will of course be really appreciated if you’re simply moving to the other town but what if you are moving somewhere really far away and you can’t really bring much with you? Here are some suggestions that might help you with your wedding gift dilemma.

A gift list is still in order. Actually it is even more important in cases like these because you have to really let people know what you can and cannot bring with you. However, since the list might be shorter than usual you might simply want to include a short note and list in the invitation instead of going out of your way to enlist the services of an online bridal registry.

You have several options if you are moving somewhere far away.

1. Cash and Gift Certificates – This are the easiest to bring. When requesting gift certificates though make sure they’re online certificates or GCs that have stores in the location you are going to. If you are moving somewhere like Papua New Guinea chances are that you won’t be able to use your gift certificates there so you’ll be left with the cash only option. It would be a good idea to take a picture of the “gift” you buy with your “wedding money” when you get settled down and send it along with your thank you notes.

2. Charity – Charity is always good. Instead of asking for gifts for yourselves you can request people to give cash or pledges to your favorites charities. This way you don’t get burdened with gifts you can’t bring along, you don’t feel shy about accepting the money, and you get to make the world a better place.

3. Fun stuff – You can ask people to give you pictures of you and your other half that they have, a silly or erotic love poem, a couple’s book or video, or some other small things you can bring and enjoy.

4. Use Online stores – If you really want to get gifts you can also use an online store that delivers you wherever you are headed. This way you will have all your gifts waiting for you at your new home.

Perfect Wedding Gifts

It is not always easy to find the right gift for the happy couple. Most of the guests are playing a guessing game, trying to figure out which items you may need and what items you aren’t likely to have yet. Nobody wants to give you the exact same thing as another guest. It is a bit of a pride issue that each person wants their gift to be unique and appreciated by the bride and groom.

Unless the bride and groom signs up for a registry, the guests are in the dark. You can ask the couple what they need but that does mean that you may end up having to give a gift that cost more than you planned.

So what are the best possible gifts?

The number one answer: money. Money is the most versatile kind of gift anyone can give the bride and groom. Some people feel that it is an impersonal gift but really, it can be one of the most thoughtful gifts. We all know that the bride and groom are spending a lot of money on their wedding. A gift of cash (or even a cheque) can help them recover their expenses. They can use it on their honeymoon or they can use it to buy any appliances or furniture that they don’t have in their new home yet. The bottom line is that they can use it to buy what they need.

Keep in mind that it is considered a no-no for the bride and groom to ask money so be discreet in how you give it. The Chinese have a nice way of handling it. They have beautiful red envelopes that you can put your gift in that look so elegant.

Sometimes it doesn’t feel right to give the gift in cash even when you know that the bride and groom need it. Rather than give them the cash, why not have a chat with your bride and groom and figure out where they want to go. You can then pay for their hotel room, for example. That will be one less expense for them and it is still a place of their choosing.

There are a hundred places where you can get gift certificates for them to use. Some of the best places to eat or stay in use this system because they know that their guests love their restaurant or resort so much that they will want to give their family and friends the chance to experience these places for themselves. So if you know a place perfect for the happy couple, don’t be shy and get them gift certificates so that they can enjoy the place.

If the place that you’d like to send the bride and groom to doesn’t have gift certificates, you can always create your own. Most establishments will allow you to prepay or charge the reservation to your card. You can just specify the details on the certificate you create for the happy couple. It will then feel more personal than just handing over cash.