Readers Question: What to gift the Bride and Groom?

They are getting the best gift ever (each other) plus they are throwing a huge party and want to include you in the celebration, do you go empty handed? do you take a bouquet? Rs. 500 shagun or Rs. 1000?

Its tough for the guest specially if the bride and groom are choosy (Every bride and groom today ARE choosy). Its more tougher when its your friends wedding, what do you gift your friend when there relatives are buying them things worth your 3 months salary.


Well even if your a close relative or a NRI Aunty that last saw the bride when she was still learning to walk or the grooms best buddy its always a tough choice, so here are few ideas and tips and tricks to help you out:

Close Relatives

If your really close like real maasi or chachi or mami then you should pretty much know what to gift the bride and groom! You have known him/her since they were in chaddies! However if you still have no idea what so ever or haven't really been around to much then here's a list of things :

First define your budget I have had close relatives that spend 5,000 and some that spend 50,000 or more. Well those on the higher side better take the bride and groom with you! If your buying something so expensive then let it be of thier choice.

For the more normal budget people here are some tips :

1. A good saree or Anarkali's today start at Rs. 5000 and above, its always better to receive 5,000 or 10,000 in cash then in a garment the bride may or may not like.

2. If you think giving out cash is crude then gift cards are a great way! I got a gift card of Rs. 5,000 for westside, I loved it, I mean its like you can buy anything you want (within limit ofcourse ) and you don't have to pay.

3. Jewelry : Many close family love to give jewelry and its almost a custom, you don't have to go and buy huge stuff, tiny diamond pendants, rings, earings, etc. come within a range of Rs. 20,000 , my mama-nanu gifted one tiny little diamond pendant that I have been wearing everyday! My best friends parents came me a ring which again I wear always.

4. If you have a family heirloom, then it would be the most treasured gift!


Brothers, Sisters and Cousins

No matter what you buy as a gift it will never be as treasured as the memories you create for them, your probably the same age group, your parents are already buying them gifts, so you don't really need to do anything, but as a token of your love there are things that you can do that they will treasure for ever..

1. Pick up the camera and record! Became the official backstage video person and record everything that went on into making this wedding, the 'I cant find the perfect shoe how can you expect me to get married' drama by the bride to the 'Can't I just attend the office for one hour in the morning of the wedding, very important meeting' declaration by the groom. Tie up with a brother or sister from the other side so in the end you will have an inside video from both boy and girl side.

2. Good with photography? Aren't we all (thank you facebook), well amateur, but we still are. Invite the bride and groom to a beautiful park or just drive them over to old ruins, carry some props and click away, your creating memories for them. Even if they hire a professional candid photographer later, they will always have your pre-wedding shoot pictures with them too.

3. Create a collage from baby to a bride (or groom) , or do both together like bride and groom when they were babies, then I am sure we all have pictures of us dressed up in manali or shimla as a flower girl and Daku or radha and krishna. Just put similar things together. picture of the groom in school with picture of the bride in school, got it?

4. Secretly plan a Flash dance! Get all the elders involved, dont tell the bride and groom

5. Have a fun day at a water park or an amusement park get all the brothers and sisters and cousins together and have a fun day out!

Best Friends

You are in a tough pickle. What do you gift your best friend when he/she is so different from you. (why are we friends again?!)

1. Get all the friends to do this: Get everyone to click a picture of themselves each holding up one letter of the word congratulations (or whatever you like) and then just collage them all togther.

2. Arrange a Date, plan everything, the place, the decor, the food. Don't tell the bride and groom, shhh.. just tell them to get ready and surprise them when you leave the two alone for the perfect date.

Ofcourse if you get utterly confused then just go buy his and her perfumes.

PS : No bed-sheets please! Everybody knows your just passing on a Diwali gift...