Real Life MMD: What gift should I buy for my nephew's wedding?

Cimscate

Most couples either have a wedding list or ask for money towards their honeymoon these days, have they not given you any idea what they want? I have lots of nieces and nephews who have got married over the last few years and personally think £25-£30 is perfectly acceptable.

Ebenezer_Screwj

Send a cheque for whatever you can afford

comfortandjoy

A tree for the garden - will grow as the marriage grows, helps the planet and is a permanent reminder of you xx

dgp1000

I would not buy anything like art or something similar whatever the price. Chances are your taste will not be theirs and whatever you give will end up in the Charity Shop. I'd go along with the charity idea something like Farm Africa or something amusing they'll remember you for. Either way you can pay as much or as little as you like and it will be obvious you've put a lot of thought into it - which is what counts. Sending a cheque/cash just shows you can't be bothered and draws attention to the amount.

Eloise80

For a fun and different present, you could think about a food hamper of local specialities if you are from a different area to the bride and groom. That's what I did for some French friends of mine whose wedding I attended this year. It cost under £40 and I put in a real mix of things, like bottles of English cider, shortbread, chutney and so on. I also made them a tiny wedding cake (i.e. an iced fruit cake). I had some presentation issues, as it had to travel quite a distance, but managed to wrap it all up in Union Jack paper which I found in John Lewis. This went down really well - it was completely unique and really different from all their other gifts, and they are still eating the contents!

manfatheans

If you're in any way creative you could make a gift e.g. draw/paint a picture or if you are handy with a camera, take a beautiful photo and have it made into a canvas. Really cheap and personal too.

soniabristol

How about naming a star for them to remind them of their special day. It's only £20 but it is personal and unusual and usually comes in a nice presentation box etc. there are quite a few companies that do it so just google it to find one you like.

smashedcrab

My daughter couldn't attend her grandad's wedding, so after the ceremony I took loads of pictures of the bride & groom and then took my camera over to my daughter's.

She proceeded to print out the best picture (an informal photo of the happy couple leaving the church being showered in confetti) on photo paper at home, put it in a discounted 'two for one' offer photo frame from Tesco, wrapped it up beautifully in shiny paper with ribbons and a lovely bow and brought it with her to the reception in the evening.

It took about half an hour to make from start to finish, and when she presented it to her grandad and his wife she insisted they open it immediately. They were both totally delighted and incredulous that they had a beautiful, personal picture of their wedding actually on their wedding day! They have never forgotten it, it has pride of place in their home, and best of all, it only cost peanuts!! :rotfl:

Back then I didn't have a camera phone, but now it would be so much easier as I could send the pictures over the internet.

You could always get a photo from one of the attending guests and create a picture soon afterwards, because I'm sure the bride & groom won't even notice if you don't give them a gift on the day, and a present received a few days later will probably feel more special than if it were lost in the mound of presents they receive on the day!

Oh, and don't forget to fill the package with confetti!

kadison

There are a lot of good suggestions here, I particularly like the one of enclosing a cheque and saying "please enjoy a meal out on your honeymoon" etc.

TBH some people can afford extravagant gifts, I personally think £30 is a good ball-park for a wedding gift, though if your budget is smaller, there are lots of ways of making it look like you spent more.

A handmade card is always nice, and something put together with love would mean a lot more to me personally than just money, someone mentioned a food hamper, I think that'd be an excellent idea, you could probably find a basket in a local charity shop or ask on your local freecycle group for one or a sturdy box, then just use shredded paper (if you have a shredder) at the bottom, cover with crepe paper, put the food on top, buy some cellophane and a ribbon from a florist and hey presto!

Yabusame

When you call your nephew to explain why you can't attend the wedding, I'd suggest you explain your fnancial situation too (you don't have to go into details). Then, you can buy whatever you want for them.

I think that talking to him first is the key.