Till Death Do Us Part: Fall Weddings
Did you know that September and October are the most popular months for a wedding in 2023 (and most years according to The Knot)?! Perfect weather and perfect colors, the trees are going dormant, but love is coming alive! Fall weddings are amazing. I might be biased, though. My husband and I got married September 30th – I called off all the plans for our small-ish wedding and we eloped in the woods of the state park with great friends as our best man/maid of honor and another great friend officiated for us. It was BEAUTIFUL. We went out to dinner and dancing with friends afterwards. We celebrate our 7th anniversary this month and, in a few weeks, we’re headed out of state to be best man and bridesmaid in my brother-in-law’s wedding.
Enough with the romance, let’s talk wedding gifts! I have a love/hate relationship with registries. They can be a great, specific guide but it can also be impersonal and overwhelming. I will spend a little time at the end of this post giving you some pointers if you do choose to gift from a registry, but for this post we’re going rogue and I’m going to give you some wedding gift ideas that don’t generally come from a registry.
A Couples Massage. This is especially a great gift if the love birds are not going on a honeymoon in the near future. Honeymoons aren’t feasible for many people these days… hello kids, finances, travel restrictions, life…. and this makes a great gift (it’s still a great gift if they’re going on a honeymoon!). I scour Google reviews to find a great spa near the couple (even better if I can visit it in person to pick up a gift card so I know it’s not a sketchy “happy ending” kind of place.
Wedding Flower Preservation. This is more on the expensive side depending on the service you use and requires planning + a more intimate relationship with the couple/bride as you have to ship the bouquet/boutonniere within 24-48 hours typically. There are different techniques, but I just LOVE the dried, styled, and framed ones like White Poppy Presses does. Here is a more affordable DIY option that comes as a kit from Soul and Soil and creates a beautiful ring holder incorporating the couples wedding flowers.
Here I am going on about photos again… a polaroid + pictures from the wedding day in an album. The couple will likely have spent a great amount of money on a photographer for their special day and a good photographer will capture all the big moments + the details. But, some candid photos of the experience as a guest is always a great memento for the couple and gives them something to look back on every anniversary. Bring the polaroid plus plenty of film and a polaroid album with you to the wedding - snap photos throughout (food, dancing, friends, the couple, the lights, the sunset…) and put them in the album. Leave the polaroid camera and album with all those beautiful memories on the gift table at the end of the night.
Custom Home Sign. Ex: The Marsh Family Est. 2016 - there are a TON of options for different styles (modern, farmhouse, edgy, wilderness, etc) from makers on Etsy and many are reasonably priced. Sometimes there are local makers you can easily find on Facebook, too! I love the ones from maker Woodland Shanty on Etsy. Just make sure to double check on the last-name status because this is 2023, people, and every situation is different (& we don’t support the patriarchy here).
Solo Stove. Have you seen these things? They’re pretty awesome. We have one out on the deck and we spent a lot of time as a family sitting around it, roasting marshmallows, eating smores, and talking with one another. It’s well contained (so we can have fires even here in windy ND), can be transported, and very easy cleanup. It makes a great gift - especially for newlyweds in the fall/winter. Solo Stove is always having great sales, too!
A Yeti Cooler or set of Yeti wine tumblers (these can even be personalized with engraving) makes a great gift for lovers of travel and adventure.
Another great gift for a couple who loves adventure is The Adventure Challenge. The kids and I did a Christmas themed family adventure challenge a couple years ago that was gifted to us and it was GREAT. They make a few different couples versions (some PG, some more R-rated) but their original “Couples Edition” is a best-seller. There’s also a travel version, and even a “mini dates” edition. This is a great gift to inspire adventure and connection.
Let’s talk registries…
A wedding registry can be great if the registry manager(s) keeps it updated and there’s a variety of price points. Sometimes items on a registry are way over your budget, sometimes it’s already been completely bought out, and sometimes you’re just looking for something a little more special or personalized.
First and foremost, it’s okay if a registry gift is not in your budget. Don’t feel bad! A nice card with a handwritten sentiment to the newlyweds is always beautiful and meaningful - add a high-quality candle (I highly recommend The Goodside Company - I just put in my order for a couple of her fall scents Sweater Weather and Cinnamon Rolls) for a little extra but still affordable!
Second… it is okay to shop outside of a registry.
If a registry is already bought out, use the registry items as inspiration for other gifts. Did the happy couple have the coolest new air fryer on their registry? A 3-month subscription to something like Home Chef could be a great gift. A beautiful new set of pots and pans on the registry? Find the matching measuring cups/utensils/accessories.
Go in together on a bigger ticket item! If it’s your best friend getting married and there’s a whole group of friends, pool together your money for one of the pricier items on the registry! Registries are very fancy these days and couples can request money towards their honeymoon or even toward the purchase of a house - a great gift to go in on as a group.
A gift does not need to be gifted on the day of the wedding and most registries are active for up to 12 months after the wedding.
Best Wishes and Warmest Regards,
Em
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