Ah, you’re either just now leaving higher education or getting ready to start a job or graduate school – you’ll have much more time for yourself and hopefully cut back on costs-no more Greek life fees, meal plans or sporting event tickets, right? WRONG. Well, some of those may be true, but now that we are leaving the life of undergrad behind, we enter into a new season- ENGAGEMENT AND WEDDING SEASON.
It doesn’t seem that too long ago you were plotting in your dorm how to avoid Mr. Gray New Balances at a bar downtown or hoping for an invite to parents weekend but these memories will soon be replaced by the sight of fresh cardstock announces engagements, weddings and rehearsal dinners. While these events are a lovely, joyful way to celebrate friends, they often come with the pressure-and bill- to give meaningful gifts that reflect your relationship with the brides and grooms to be.
Take a breath and put down that complimentary clover-infused honey you just got in an ornate box invitation-we’ve got an inspiration list of inexpensive yet thoughtful wedding presents that are sure to get you through wedding season without too much damage to your bank account.
- Wedding Scrapbook- This is a winner for close friends of the bride and groom. Fill the pages with momentos from shared memories and ones between the bride and groom. Think concerts, bachelor/bachelorette parties, notes from bridesmaids, groomsmen and family members. Be sure to leave some blank pages for the new couple to fill. This will likely cost around $30-$35, depending on the materials you choose.
- Wine or Champagne for a Future Anniversary- This thoughtful and unique gift will probably cost around $25. You can consult your local wine shop to find bottles with flavors that will peak around a year or more after the couple’s wedding date. It sends a message of well wishes!
- Smart Home Gadgets- We recommend you go in with a friend for these, but couples are often so overwhelmed with kitchen gadgets and housewares that they forgot about leisure technology items. Cool options are Roku, Chromecast, Apple Tv or even subscriptions to Hulu or Netflix.