If you're willing to put in some time and effort, you can create a truly special gift that the bride and groom will cherish.
Personalised Hand-Painted Ceramic Plate
A steady hand and a little artistic flair is all that's required to hand-paint a personalised plate. Find a ceramics-painting studio and choose a nicely-shaped platter, vase or serving bowl. Then use a writing-tipped bottle of paint to completely cover the ceramic with the names of famous couples—Harry and Sally, Antony and Cleopatra, Romeo and Juliet. Be creative—if the bridal couple are science fiction fans, write 'Han and Leia' or 'Tom and B'Elanna'. Then, nestled among the other names, write the names of the bride and groom. Use a different colour for contrast, or 'hide' the name among the rest if you prefer.
Alternatively you could create a wedding plate decorated with the details of the wedding (date, time and place) and stick-figure drawings of the bride and groom.
Herb Pots and Seeds
If the couple is moving into a new house, it is likely they will not have an established garden. Put together a set of herb pots complete with bagged potting mix, seeds, fertilizer and herb scissors. For plants that take longer to establish, such as rosemary, a cutting may be a welcome addition. Live plants should be delivered after the honeymoon, however, or the gift may not last long!
Gift Basket
For a gift that keeps on giving, make a basket with individually-wrapped gifts, which are labelled for specific occasions. Ideas include:
- Fancy dried pasta, 'For the first night you can't think what to cook for dinner'
- A small bottle of champagne, 'For making up after your first fight'
- A box of chocolates, 'For when you finally get around to dry-cleaning your wedding dress'
- Movie tickets, 'For the first time you say 'my husband/wife' without thinking about it'
A Childhood Recipes Cookbook
If you have scrapbooking or computer design skills and are friendly with the families of the bride and groom, you can create a gift that will be truly treasured. Ask the couple's parents for favourite family or childhood recipes; then write or print them out and display them beautifully as a cookbook. The recipes could be calligraphed in a ready-made book, or typed and professionally bound; either way, include spare pages so the couple can add their own recipes. For an extra-personal touch, ask for anecdotes about each recipe to add to the book.
The Gift of Scrapbooking Skills
Ask the bride and groom if they would like you to put together their wedding album as your gift. Professional albums are very expensive, and many brides will lack the time or skills to make their own after the wedding. Alternatively, the couple may prefer you to make them a scrapbook with photos from their honeymoon, or even make them a childhood memory scrapbook with old photos.
