7 Wedding Gifts That Will Earn You Your Thank You Note
Need help navigating a wedding registry? Or, worse, buying a gift with NO registry? Have no fear, The Persistent is here!
It’s official: Wedding season is in full swing. And we love celebrating love in all its forms, especially when there’s a party involved. But there’s one major question to consider besides who to bring and what to wear – and that’s what to get the happy couple.
If you’re lucky, the couple has a registry and will tell you exactly what they want and need at different price points. Sometimes, though, all the registry gifts have already been purchased, there’s no registry – or you just feel like being a little creative. What then? That’s where we come in.
With years of wedding celebrations between us, The Persistent staff and contributors came up with a list of wedding gifts that you can’t go wrong giving. From cold-hard cash to something handmade, to a purchase to make cat owners’ lives easier, there’s something here for everyone.
You’ll never go wrong when you gift a couple a gorgeous, generously-sized bowl. I’m partial to either ceramic (preferably with a timeless Italian design) or classic wooden bowls made of maple, which age so beautifully, and I often gravitate to products from The Vermont Bowl Company. They are so simple and pretty that when I’m not using them for salad or pasta, I keep them out on my kitchen counter filled with lemons or other fruit. And since the bowls can be pricey, I’ll often buy “seconds” that have tiny flaws that only the manufacturer can see. — Paula Derrow, features editor
Honestly, the best wedding gift you can give a couple is money in a personalized card with a thoughtful message. There's a reason why so many cultures around the world have traditions of giving the married couple money and why those traditions have endured. Most couples now live together before marrying and are probably a lot lower on time and opportunities to spend it together than they are lacking Le Creuset cookware. Write them a touching note about love and add that you want them to spend the cash on a weekend away together or a spa day, and be done with it! — Holly Baxter, contributing writer
When my husband and I got married a year and a half ago, the item on the top of my list wasn't bone china or Waterford crystal—it was the Litter Robot. As NYC apartment dwellers, the promise of a stink-free litter box that only required once-a-week scooping felt like a pipe dream. And even though we put the $700 Litter Robot 4 on our registry, no one bit – of course. Who would want to buy a litter box as a wedding present? When I expressed disappointment to a friend/cat lover, he said, “Let me pay for half as my wedding gift." We covered the other half ourselves, happily. Tacky? Maybe, but we never again argued over taking out the cat litter and that's a marital win! — Blair Smith, contributing writer
No matter what I give someone for a wedding gift — and it’s usually cash — I try to include something handmade. A personalized card, framed photograph, or other crafty keepsake makes the happy couple think of the special time in their lives when they got married. A friend made beaded friendship bracelets for my wedding in 2024 that still live in my jewelry box, and I returned the favor for her earlier this year. It’s a fun tradition! — Han Goldstein, social media editor
The best wedding gift is a date night out! If they have kids, dogs, cats, or goldfish — watch them! And if you can afford it, throw in a gift card for dinner, a movie, a show, or a night of bowling. If you can’t, swap houses for the night. You watch their kids/pets; they go to your house where they find a beautiful meal on your table. — Meredith Maran, contributing writer
My mother in law gave us the most beautiful silver platter. She brought an engraving pen and invited all the guests to sign it as a moment from the night. I love that idea! — Katherine Dykstra, contributing writer
I’d recommend anything that is personalized for the couple. You can custom frame the wedding invitation, get their first dance song framed, or get a “star map” of their wedding date. A dear friend had silhouette paintings of me and my husband from our wedding ceremony made. — Cristina Tudino, contributing writer
Over to You.
Is there a wedding gift that you’ve given or received that you think everyone should know about? Send it our way at hello@thepersistent.com and we may include it in an Instagram post! We'll be back with more recommendations next Friday.
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