We've all experienced that slightly uncomfortable, mildly stressful situation; you received the wedding invitation and have officially marked the date on your calendar, you are excited for the couple. The next big question is: What do you give them?
As you look forward to the event, suddenly you have thousands of options in stores around town and countless pages of blank-ish options online. But a wedding is not a blank event, it is the celebration of two people joining to live their lives together. And why shouldn't your gift feel special?
At Inox Artisans, we believe wedding gifts should be more than a functional object: it should be something the couple will keep for a while. Something that becomes part of their memories, the spoon they use for their morning coffee, the platter where they serve their Thanksgiving turkey, the knife with which they cut their anniversary cake.
This guide is here to help whether you are looking for that impressive big gift or a small, thoughtful alternative. Here are a few wedding gift ideas for the bride and groom, and these picks are for those who appreciate handmade items.
Top Unique Wedding Gift Ideas for the Bride and Groom
Choosing a perfect wedding gift is about striking a balance between something that they will use and have significance, and something that looks attractive out on the counter.
Below is a selection of our favorite wedding gift ideas that cover each style category, from the modern design couple to the rustic farmhouse couple.
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Beautiful Flatware for Every Meal
Silverware is one of the most classic wedding gifts you can give, but it doesn't have to be out-dated. In fact, a good-quality flatware set is going to be their most used utensil on the table.
Instead of giving them functional, but plain sets they can buy at a big box store, give them something with personality.
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For the Modern Couple - The Jason Rustic Nascent Steel flatware collection provides a cool, industrial appearance while feeling hefty in their hand
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For the Lovers of Warmth - The Sundance Copper flatware collection interacts with light to bring a warm, rosy glimmer to the table setting that shines in candlelight.
Gifting flatware is also symbolic. The couple will inevitably share countless meals and conversations over a lifetime.
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For the Modern Couple - The Jason Rustic Nascent Steel flatware collection provides a cool, industrial appearance while feeling hefty in their hand
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Wooden Bowls and Trays for Serving
For a couple that enjoys hosting, serveware is a nice gift. It isn't some plastic bowl to serve some chips. It is something that is beautiful, and appears like art.
A nice serving tray in heavy grain wood or a stunning bowl in acacia wood invokes great warmth to a home. These serveware pieces are excellent for when you pass the bread at dinner, serve a large salad, or merely display on a coffee table for decoration. Wood is so much more preferable than ceramic because wood will not break and gets better over time. Wood, with each use and love, will deepen in color and character.
For Dessert and Coffee Lovers
Dessert has an air of romance. It signals a meal's conclusion and provides us the chance to pause and enjoy our sweet treat.
- The Cake Set - A heavy, nice cake server, and knife set is a fun sentimental favorite. It guarantees they won't be cutting their first anniversary cake with a plain, old steak knife.
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The Coffee Ritual - Add a coffee (or demitasse) spoon set. These tiny, nice spoons add detail and specialness to their morning coffee, or after-dinner espresso. A detail that had a little luxury that they likely wouldn't buy for themselves, but a perfect gift.
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For the Couple Who Loves Cheese Boards
It seems we have come to an era where "dinner" becomes a bottle of wine alongside a beautiful cheese and cracker board. For many households, this is their go-to night of entertainment.
Help them create the ideal board by starting with a board— either a smooth marble tray, or a rustic wood board. Then, add the tools that enhance the experience: a proper cheese knife set (with separate knives for hard and soft cheeses) and a set of olive spoons. You have now transitioned the simple snack of cheese and crackers into a truly sophisticated experience.
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For Couples Who Enjoy Drinks
If the couple enjoys creating cocktails or mocktails, enhance their home bar. No more cheap tools hidden in a drawer; give them barware that is respectable enough to be displayed.
True copper mule mugs are beautiful gifts. The way the copper coldness immediately frosts when ice is placed makes it a feeling that glass just can't create. Joe them with a hand-forged jigger or a set of long-handled stirring spoons, and it is a gift that screams "celebrate".
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Salad Servers They Will Love
Salad servers are the underappreciated friend at the dinner table. So many times, hosts present a beautifully constructed salad, and must accompany it with two regular forks because they don't have the right tools.
Imagine a pair of lovingly, hand-forged salad servers with beautiful handles inspired by twigs or twisted iron. These beautiful salad servers span the transition between the kitchen and the dining room. They are heavy and balanced in the hand, and introduce a certain elegance to the simple act of serving greens.
How to Choose the Best Wedding Gift for Couples
Choosing a wedding gift can be difficult. It's not just about your budget, but how much you put into it. How do you choose whether to buy a copper mug or a silver spoon?
Choosing a special gift from the Inox Artisans product line can be simple with these tips -
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Consider What They Enjoy Doing
Before you add anything to your cart, consider how the couple lives.
- The more Formal Hosts: Do they enjoy entertaining sit-down dinners with tablecloths and candles? A complete flatware service or a formal carving set would be perfect.
- The more Casual Hosts: Do they enjoy more casual nights with friends in the backyard, patio or at the cottage? The charcuterie set with cheese knives would be perfect.
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The Drink Makers: Is the bar cart the focus of the home? Copper mugs or bar tools would be something they would probably appreciate.
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Handmade is Always Special
A wedding celebrates two truly unique individuals. That also should include their gifts.
This is why handmade gifts come across as exceptional. When you offer a piece of Inox flatware you see the small variations in the hammering. You see the texture that is due to the hand of the artisan. These little “imperfections” are a sign that was made by a hand and not a machine. There is a character that can’t be present in a mass-produced gift.
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Functional and Elegant
Gifts that would truly be useful for the couple while being beautiful enough to stay out on the counter are the best gifts.
For example, a serving spoon with a textured, black antique finish. It is a tool, of course, it scoops a potato; but it is also in a sense a sculpture. Not every gift will end up in the back of their cabinet as clutter - your gift will become an indispensable part of their daily life.
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Gifts that Endure
If the couple appreciates tradition, consider materials that endure. Stainless steel, copper and wood are timeless materials. A set of 18/8 stainless steel flatware, for example, can last a lifetime and be used for decades to honor the commitment of marriage, unlike the plastic gadget that may last only a few years.
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Gifts that Stand the Test of Time
If the couple loves tradition, but unsure what to buy them, look for items that last. Stainless steel, wood, and copper are traditional materials that transcend time. Unlike a plastic gadget that may not last past a few years, a set of 18/8 stainless steel flatware can last decades, and maybe even a lifetime. What a lovely gift to honor the commitment of marriage.
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Build Your Own Basket
If you are thinking you may not know what to buy them individually, why not have a theme? There are typically ways to combine Inox Artisans pieces into a fabulous gift basket!
For example
- "Date Night" basket - A wooden serving tray filled with fancy crackers, a jar of olives, a bottle of wine, and a set of our olive spoons and cheese spreaders.
- "Morning Coffee" basket - A bag of local coffee beans, two ceramic mugs and a set of our copper coffee spoons.
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Don't Care When You Shop
If you are worried you had to shop at the last minute and are unsure what to buy, don't worry! The beauty of artisanal goods is that they have that feel, look and quality about their goods, as though you spent months scouring antique markets for the perfect object, though you ordered it online 2 days ago. You can't go wrong with a great set of salad servers or gifting a boxed cake serving set.
Conclusion
When you're searching for the perfect wedding gift, it is nice to remember the gift and the story you are providing is what matters most. You are providing more than just an object; you are providing a wish for their future home.
You are wishing them laughter at meal times shared together. You are wishing them slow, quiet mornings with coffee on cozy weekends. And you want to wish them a home full of friends, family, and beautiful things.
Whether it is a personalized keepsake, a gift basket on a wooden tray, or a set of forks that they will take with them each move and every milestone; the best gifts meet the couple in their journey.
Make your gift meaningful. Browse the Inox Artisans collection of handmade gifts to find a piece that is equally as one-of-a-kind and lasting as the love you are honoring.
FAQs
Q: What is the best wedding gift for a couple who seems to have everything?
A: Upgraded essentials they'll use for entertaining regularly. If they're a couple living together, you'll likely know their basics. Instead, give a beautiful set of demitasse spoons, copper mule mugs, or excellent cheese knives to upgrade their entertaining experience.
Q: Is it okay to buy a wedding gift that doesn't come from the registry?
A: Yes. In fact, if you've put thought into it, items like a cake server or pretty wooden serve ware are often more appreciated than another generic, multi-use appliance that you can get on the list. There is something more personal about well-made, quality goods.
Q: What is a good luxury wedding gift, while being on a budget?
A: Keeping in mind that the quality of a gift is more valued than its size, you can look for smaller artisanal pieces. For example, an olive spoon, a hand forged serving spoon, or sculptural salad servers are small piles of money but can feel hefty/elevated and can look more expensive than they are.
Q: What makes a wedding gift an "heirloom"?
A: Durability and timeless design. Items you'll see in your future, because the material will last longer than a lifetime. You'll want to look for heirloom materials that can withstand, such as 18/8 stainless steel flatware vs. the gadgets that can break with the slightest misuse.
Q: How do I choose a gift if I don't know the couple's decor style?
A: Neutral is your best bet. Wood or metal keeps your gift safe for the couple without knowing the decor. Examples include a natural wooden serving tray or stainless steel flatware, that can really work in the home regardless of being modern or rustic.
