How to Make the Most of Your Wedding Gift List

Wedding gift lists are no longer a taboo subject and it is very common now for married couples to provide their guests with one. Most guests attending a wedding in this day and age will more often than not expect to buy a present for the couple and they would much prefer to know they are getting something that you want.

The best way to set up your gift list is to do an electronic list and there are plenty online which offer this service whereby you can pick gifts from multiple retailers and add them all to one easy place where your guests can choose from. Whichever way you decide to do the list you can’t actually start until you decide what it is you are going to put on it…

We have some ideas for different gift lists if you are struggling for what to ask for and need a little bit of inspiration and want to make the most of this great wedding aspect! We also have tips on making a wedding gift list if you’re unsure where to start.

The Practical Gift List

Use your gift list wisely and think of things that will actually be beneficial to you and your partner. Being practical isn’t boring – it’s clever; so if you need spoons, ask your guests for spoons! This is a great opportunity for you as a couple to get lots of essentials ticked off your list and your guests will be more than happy to do so.

If you and your partner are planning on moving house, or are soon moving in together, include household necessities. Homeware is something that people love to buy, maybe it’s something to do with the fact that every time they come to your house they can say, “Oh that’s what we got you!” But in all seriousness, things for the house can really add up and this is a great cost to save on by handing over the reins to your guests.

The Experience Gift List

As a newly married couple, after your wedding you and your beau will want to spend every minute of every day with each other and what better way to do so than to engage in an array of fun days out. You can theme your guests list to ‘experience days’ and ask them to give your gifts in the form of activities, tickets and events to keep your first marital year busy and exciting.

Days out don’t have to be expensive and could come as cheap as tickets to a show at your local theatre, or a £20 voucher towards a day at the spa. These types of presents are super fun for you and also rewarding for your guests as they get to see pictures and hear stories from the day out that they bought for you. This can make for a very cool photo album of your first year together and will always be a reminder of your fab guests and all the kind gifts they got for you.

The Honeymoon Gift List

With all the expense of the wedding itself, some people aren’t able to afford a honeymoon straight afterwards, or even at all. Gift lists are a great way to raise funds for a post-wedding getaway and guests are usually more than happy to donate. You can set up a honeymoon gift list for people to give money towards a honeymoon and add a description outlining what your honeymoon dream is.

This is a really nice way for your guests to give gifts as they are free to contribute as much or as little as they wish and this is well suited for wedding attendants as some are willing to give more than others but it eases the pressure. Once the wedding is over, you can use the money to book a nice little getaway for yourselves or add to the budget and go all out to celebrate married life! Don’t forget to check out our honeymoon check list before you travel.

The Crafty Gift List

Why not have some real fun with your guests and make an outlandish request – each guest has to MAKE you a gift for your wedding. This is the perfect idea if you and your guests are crafty types. You can even ask them to bake cakes and other treats to contribute to an amazing dessert table at your wedding!

If you really can’t think of anything you want, or you just don’t want your guests to fork out on presents, this is a fab idea for you. It also means that every gift you receive will be personal and meaningful and you may even shed a tear with your husband whilst opening them.

The Big Gift List

Similarly to the honeymoon idea, guests are usually more than willing to chip in towards larger scale gifts. Don’t be afraid to add more expensive presents to your list as people will usually club together and split the bill for a larger item.

A lot of people enjoy parting with money to go towards a really nice big present for someone, and it also eases the pressure on each guest having to individually pick a present without having to spend a fortune. This idea is great for items such as TVs, nice pieces of furniture, or even that amazing bag-less hoover you’ve been wanting for ages! You as a couple may also feel that you are getting more from the gift list with less items, but better quality.

The ‘Your Presence is Our Present’ Gift List

This is ideal if you are getting married abroad and want as many of your nearest and dearest there as possible. Make an announcement to your guests in the invitations that there is no need for wedding presents.

A lot of people may be less willing to fly for a wedding if they feel they have to buy a gift on top of the travel costs so eliminate this worry from them by making it clear there shall be no gifts. What better gift can you have than to get married in your dream destination, and have everyone that you want to be there? If your guests know that their present to you is their presence on your special day, they may feel better about the cost of travel.

If you’re still searching for the perfect gift list idea, why not read our list of green wedding gift list ideas?