Wedding gift lists benefit both giver and receiver

EVERY season is wedding season nowadays, but there’s something about spring and summer — probably the slightly better chance of good weather — that sees the invitations drop like confetti through the letterbox.

In them you’re likely to find a gift list, and while it may seem a little cold and impersonal, if not a little mercenary, there are great advantages to it for the gift-givers and receivers.

For the bride and groom it guarantees they won’t get five toasters in colours that clash with their kitchen décor, and for the buyer it takes the leg-work and angst out of shopping for someone whose tastes may differ considerably from those of the recipients.

Couples should start compiling their gift list early, so nothing that is needed is forgotten. Then there are two options: registering with a shop where there is the added value of receiving advice on how to choose and then being let loose in the shop with a bar code scanner, which is easy and enormous fun; or you can create a list of your own, including as many retailers as you wish from real shops and on-line options.

The larger the wedding, the more variety price-wise should appear on the list, as guests will have different spending power. The scale of gift and amount you spend depends on how close you are to the couple — intimate friends and immediate family will spend much more.

Consider having four price points: Under €50, €50-€100, up to €150, and above €150, but make sure you also have a few items such as kitchen equipment for under €20 so that colleagues and neighbours who are not attending the wedding can give a token gift.

Beyond the practical items, there’s an opportunity to get things you’ve always longed for to finish your house or a single room. You can be self-indulgent and have some luxury items you wouldn’t necessarily buy yourself, delicate china and crystal stemware being examples.

With an increase in our appetite for home entertaining, the bone china dinner service remains in fashion as a wedding gift, though how much use it will get once dinner parties give way to baby food preparation is uncertain.

So consider an everyday service that can be added to over time, that’s practical but will look lovely laid out. Do state clearly on your list how many cups, plates, and bowls you need, so a guest with a smaller budget can buy a contribution to the service.

Items such as food processors are always in demand and not necessarily something you would buy for yourself, as they tend to be pricey. Unlike the dinner service, long after you’ve stopped the dinner parties they’ll continue to be useful for everyday use and the baby food mentioned earlier.

In recent years, non-traditional gifts have made their way onto the gift list. A nice set of luggage for the honeymoon and even the luxury of a new television set or aspirational coffee machine for the couple who love their barista-style brew, are becoming the norm.

Think of the gift list as an opportunity to buy something big like a fridge or a new cooker and give guests the option of making a financial contribution towards it so no one is under pressure if these items happen to be the last things left on the list.

It’s also good to have some on-line options for guests travelling to the wedding from abroad, but don’t err too far in the direction of these and forget about real shops.

Older guests, especially ones who are not tech savvy, and those who like to see and touch what they’re buying, will prefer to choose something in person on the high street and enjoy the pleasure of delivering it by hand to the couple.

For the gift-giver, vouchers are another option. They may sound a bit impersonal, like giving cash, but chances are the couple will think of something after the wedding that they wish they’d included on their list and your voucher will come up trumps.

* Next week: Moody florals

Art of giving

A new trend in wedding gifts has friends clubbing together to buy art — a great alternative for the couple who’ve already kitted out their house.

Sheelah Moloney, of 2020 Art Gallery, says: “Choosing just the right wedding gift has become a difficult area to navigate. Cash gifts can be impersonal, particularly for someone close, but art is a unique keepsake.

Consider first of all if the couple likes abstract or representational art. Is there a colour relevant to the wedding theme or their interior décor, or do they have a place or item special to them?”

If they’re art aficionados, vouchers could pay for a piece by a favourite artist. .Echinachae Purpurae by Julie Beckett, mixed media on board (€1,550 at 2020 Art Gallery)