Shopping for a newlywed couple can be tricky, especially if they don’t have a gift registry. These days, it’s not uncommon for people to get married later in life and by then, they’ve already amassed traditional wedding gift items like kitchenware and other items for the home, so you’ll have to get creative to hit this wedding gift out of the park. Below are our top five picks for unique wedding gifts for 2021. If you choose wisely, the couple-to-be will cherish your gift as a reminder of their special day for years to come.
Choose Something Personalized…
Everybody loves a personalized gift. Even if they already have everything they need for the home, getting a personalized item as a wedding gift has special meaning. It reminds us of a treasured memory every time we use or look at the item. The next three gifts are perfect for newlyweds, but you can also use our suggestions as a jumping-off point to get creative and personalize something you think they’ll enjoy.
Customized Drinking Glasses
Drinking glasses are a classic present for the happy couple, but when you add customization, it becomes something more personal. Some examples of drinking glass sets are champagne flutes, wine glasses, shot glasses, and beer mugs. Add initials, first names, the newly shared last name, or the wedding date. If they’re not exactly on the same page when they’re drinking, consider a set with a beer mug labeled “King” and a wine glass labeled “Queen”.
Namesake Serving Platter
An appetizer serving platter may not be an item you’ll spring to buy for yourself, but when you receive one as a gift, it’s a welcome item that will be used again and again. The added personalization with a surname makes it all the more special. Giving a serving platter as a gift will help encourage the new couple to entertain family and friends. You can go with a simple wooden or ceramic version, or step it up a notch with fancy marble or slate materials.
Personalized Push Pin World Map
We found a simply beautiful push pin world map on Uncommon Goods that can be personalized with the couple’s first names and the anniversary date of the wedding. Throughout the years of their marriage, they can add a pushpin to anywhere they’ve traveled. It includes 100 pins to mark their honeymoon spot, favorite vacation destinations, or business trip locales. The map features a vintage-inspired design and comes framed so it can be hung on a wall within their home. It’s a wonderfully sentimental piece that will get continued use and might even inspire them to do more traveling.
Stylish Photo Frames
Moving away from customized gifts, photo frames are presents that can become personal when the couple fills them with photos from their wedding. A set of single photo frames can be spread throughout their home while one single combined photo frame can create a centerpiece display for a wall that encompasses the whole wedding ceremony. Nice frames tend to run on the more expensive side, and that’s why they are especially appreciated as gifts. Help your loved ones showcase their new lives together as a wedded couple.
Air Fryer
We couldn’t help but list a kitchen item for our wedding gift ideas for 2021. The air fryer is still a hot item on the market, giving you air-fried foods that are healthier than oil-fried foods due to lower fat content. Throw in frozen meal, frozen french fries, chicken wings, vegetables, favorite chocolate snacks, and more for an easy meal, or you can even make desserts with it. Air fryers are much safer than cooking with a big vat of boiling oil, and they make your fried foods in less time. It’s another item you might not buy for yourself but will fall in love with once it’s been gifted to you. There are different sizes of air fryers available, from small ones that can cook several chicken wings at once, to large ones that can handle the whole chicken.
Choosing the Perfect Gift…
If you’re still at a loss for the perfect wedding gift for the couple-to-be, cash is always appreciated. Weddings and honeymoons are expensive, and your donation will help lighten the load. The average cash wedding gift amount is $100. If you’re very close to the bride or groom, you’ll probably want to bump it up to $150 or $200 for a couple.
You don’t want to be embarrassed with a crummy gift, so no matter what gift you decide on, it’s important to put some thought into what the couple might appreciate. Whether it’s a personalized keepsake or something useful for the home, you’ll want to give a gift that they can look back on to remember how they shared their wedding day with you.
Katie Tejada is a writer, editor, and former HR professional. She often covers developments in HR, business, recruiting, real estate, law and finance, but also enjoys writing about travel, interiors and events.
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