Low-budget wedding gift for the couple who has everything?

Question

I'm going with my boyfriend of almost four years to his brother's wedding. The bride and groom are like family to me, and we want to do something special for them, but we're students with hardly any money. They already live together and have all the typical newlywed stuff like toasters and wine glasses. They already have the money to buy anything they want anyway, and gift cards seem lame. Ideas, please!

Answer 1

Date night.

Get a collander and a pasta ladle. Fill it with spaghetti or tortellinis, sauce, spices for the sauce like galric and onion powder. A box of awesome cookies, coffee, creamer, sugar for dessert. That kind of thing whatever their fav. meal and desert is make a kit. Include a nice candle and a gift card to rent a movie or two at Blockbuster.

I've also done the same thing where we go buy a big bean/stock pot and fill it with everything you need to make a southern dinner like black-eye peas, spices, jar jalapenos, cornbread mix. Then we take a mason jar and layer it with all the ingredients for something like a lemon bar or include a pair of baby pecan pies. Clear cellophane bag with a pretty card that has the recipe/instructions and a nice bow. His family up north loves it and it only runs about 40 bucks if you get a really nice pot.

It might not be the most exspensive gift in the world but it's thoughtful. I undertand about being on a budget. I'm a student myself.

Answer 2

Why not do something sentimental!?! Think of something they enjoy doing and play off of it! I had a friend in a similar situation before and they actually gave the gift the bride and groom cherished most! They put together a cookbook for them!
They compiled all of their favorite recipes, typed them up and put them in a binder inside protective sheet covers. At the bottom or on the next page (depending on space) they added a note about why they enjoyed the recipe so much, or a story about why the recipe made them think of the couple. They had done alot with the couple, several dinners and such, so they included photos of them together and included captions about how this was the night they ate this recipe...
Or for a couple I knew when I was I college, I knew they enjoyed camping, so I got them something I knew they didn't already have but that didn't cost alot of money either!
You could also give them a "Gift" certificate (you create on your computer) that entitles them to a dinner and games (or movies) with you and your boyfriend! It can say that on the night of their choice, you will have them over for a home cooked dinner and games! You can add that they can choose the meal, or that you will surprise them!
You could do a honeymooners basket! Get some chocolate sauce, some cans of ready whip, a bottle of wine (the Yellow Tail is good and inexpensive) o even champagne, two wine glasses (cheap also), you could buy some cheap handkerchiefs and attach a note that says, be creative with these-blindfolds, hand ties, etc!, honestly just be creative and think fun! This is a very inexpensive way to give a cute gift! I must say, I wouldn't put this out on the gift table, I would stow it away in their getaway car or with their luggage before the reception starts or at some point during the reception!
Be creative and remember that as long as you put thought into it, then no matter what, they will appreciate it, especially since you're dating the groom's brother! I know they will understand the money situation, as most people have been in that situation at some point in their lives!
And who knows, maybe your money situation will be a litte better for their one year anniversary and you can get them another gift then! But odds are, as long as you put thought into the gift, they will love it!
Good luck and have fun!

Answer 3

Do you have a nice photograph of the four of you together? You could frame a copy of that nicely. Or ask the parents for pictures of the happy couple at similar stages of their lives (baby pics, first day of school, junior prom, etc.) and put them in a nice album. Leave a page for their wedding portrait.

Do either of you do any handcrafts? It's nice to get handmade things from the people who love you.

Write them a long letter about what they mean to you, individually and as a couple. I guarantee you that while it won't cost more than the price of a sheet or two of paper and an envelope, it will be a priceless treasure.

Arrange to make a special meal for them when they come back from their honeymoon.

If they garden, get them a small rosemary bush to plant and grow. Rosemary stands for remembrance and love, is a mighty tasty herb to cook with, and is a very hardy plant.

Most importantly, use your imaginations. If you look around with your eyes properly open, you'll find something meaningful to give them that doesn't hurt your pocketbook.

Answer 4

You aren't being rude by registering. It's not like you're holding a gun to anyone's head and forcing them to buy you a gift. Gifts are always optional even when you register. Registries are just a chance to let everyone know what you could use, and what your style is. If you don't register you'll still get gifts and you probably won't like them. Have you seen the Christmas commercial with the Grandma grinning over the origami set that says "Teens love it?" It's a good warning about what happens when you don't tell people what you want. You're going to end up with a lot of ugly vases or strange and unnecessary appliances ("I bet she doesn't have a counter-top egg cooker!"). Don't feel the need to choose the least expensive option either, pick out what you want. People will buy what they can afford, and if they can't afford anything on your registry they'll give you money.

Answer 5

A set of bowls. You may call these mixing/baking bowls. There are three of these, the large bowl, the medium bowl, and the small bowl.. Get a really nice set, there is a nice Cottage Grove set for $19.99. Shop around and make sure they are new and gift wrapped, which you can do yourself or with your boyfriend.. The largest bowl should be as large as you can find in the color you like. Don't give outrageous colors, give colors like yellow, or gold. In the South, a famous "home=warming" gift was set of these bowls, they were beige with a few stripes near the top. The yellow bowls with the blue stripes, i did find earlier.
Online, you can find a zillion sets of inexpensive bowls, and she will appreciate these, get the best you can for the money, including S+H, and they will use these for years. It is a good family gift, with a low budget. Good luck finding the bowls.

Answer 6

Do you have any special pictures of them or mementos they would enjoy? Putting together an album for them is super cheap and usually more appreciated than something you could find in the store, anyway. The best gift I ever gave was a talking photo album I found. You were supposed to record things about each photo page. Instead I got all the close friends at this girl's graduation party to record a personal message to her. Years later, it is still one of her most prized possessions, because it is one of a kind. Don't know if you could find something like that, but who wouldn't love that kind of gift?

Answer 7

Put together a spa kit. Complete with Bubble Bath, candles, Bath salts, wash cloths, lotions and massage oil. It is practical and something they can use to treat themselves and help relax after the wedding! It is actually cheaper to put something together by going to Big Lots Walmart or Ross or the dollar store than buying it. I suggest going to Ross first, they have neat baskets and boxes and you can find some spa stuff there. Other than that I have always had luck at Big Lots finding nice looking stuff and use Walmart to fill in what you don't have already! Or you can make your ouwn Bubble Bath and Bath Salts and all.
Good luck!

Answer 8

How about if you put their invitation in a pretty matt and frame? Shouldn't cost more than 25 bucks. My sister gave me the same for my wedding ten years ago and it's one of the few gifts I still treasure to this day.

Answer 9

My favorite thing to give and receive is gift cards, because I do have everything I need! I don't want a bunch of junk! Mostly, I like to give gift cards/certificates to restaurants or bed and bath stores. If you know where they are going on their honeymoon, you can choose a restaurant in the area.

Answer 10

One things that I like doing it putting together a personlized Cookbook. I put recipes in there that I like, family recipes.I decorate it to personalize that person I am giving it to.

Another gift idea that I like and recieved at my wedding was old family dishes. One close friend gave me some of her nice old serving dishes it meant so much to me to receive something that she treasured and now I can treasure.

I found that the personal gift I revieved meant soo much more to me than the fancy store bought gifts.