When the gifts are being opened, watch the bride and groom’s face as they open their fourth toaster oven, sixth set of steak knives, and twentieth set of wine glasses (none of which match the other nineteen pairs). The frozen smile on their faces will say it all – thank you but what the heck were you thinking when you bought this wedding gift… don’t you know us at all? Unusual wedding gifts are more welcome than you might think and if you dare to give the unexpected, you will be rewarded with genuine smiles from the newlywed couple that will make your heart warm.

What about T-shirts that say “GROOM under new management” for him and “It’s All About ME” for her. Wrap the t-shirts up inside two huge heart shaped helium balloons that they must pop to get their gifts – what fun and how unusual!

“Mr. + Mrs.” Bathrobes with a gift certificate for a couples massage in the comfort of their own home would definitely be high on the list of unusual wedding gifts. However, any couple would enjoy this romantic extravagance, especially after all the stress and exhaustion planning the wedding.

If you make wine or know the couple is a lover of wine, how about a two section wine carry bag in shocking pink and a wine gift set. Top the gift off with two bottles of unusual or rare wine and a bunch of funny bride and groom wedding party bottle holders. The rare and unusual wine, perhaps from Australia, South Africa or Chile will be appreciated, the wine carry case can be kept as a keepsake and used over and over again, and the fun bits are just for laughs!

If the couple is saving to purchase their first home together, how about bride and groom piggy banks, filled with lucky pennies to get them started. This is an inexpensive way to do up a fun and unusual wedding gift that the couple will enjoy and you will be proud to give. If you don’t want to appear like a cheapskate, include a “dream home” donation check. Who knows – maybe if the piggybanks are out at the wedding and reception, other guests will follow suit and the lucky couple will be well on their way to that new house down payment!

Don’t let anyone tell you that unusual wedding gifts are a bad thing – especially at large weddings and most especially if the couple does not have a bridal registry and you are left to your own devices to find the perfect wedding gift – choose something unique, unexpected and wonderful!

No matter what brand or fancy knobs it has, you can only use so many wedding gifts that come in the form of toasters, crock pots, blenders or other small appliances.  Wedding gifts are some of the trickiest things to purchase in the realm of gift giving as the givers want to be practical, but they want their offering to be appreciated.  Even with registries, redundancy is unavoidable and every wedding has at least one bachelor Uncle who had his secretary or girlfriend pick out a gift the afternoon before, or worse, the morning of, making repetition almost a sure bet.

How about giving wedding gifts that the bride and groom might actually use?  Sure, they will use the toaster or blender, but chances are, if they receive three, two of them will end up being: Re-gifted, stored in the attic or end up in a yard sale at some point.  By thinking “outside the box” and focusing on practical gifts that every young couple will eventually use, you can make sure that what you give will be appreciated and remembered.

When you think in terms of practical gifts, as opposed to one or two major items, you also are helping them (whether they know it or not) to prepare for their life together.  Practical wedding gifts not only will be used over and over, they also will show the newlyweds what they need to purchase on their own at some point to ensure they can handle any household task that comes their way.  There is nothing wrong with buying that toaster, but no couple can live on toast alone and virtually no one needs more than one toaster at a time.

An urban 1 section wine carry bag in faux black or pink leather filled with 2 bottles of chardonnay would be an excellent gift that is surely to be used and enjoyed. How about premium java vacuum traveler mugs in his and her colors. Other possible ideas include a silver plate and leather travel clock for the couple on the go, or a crystal cube photo frame for the sentimental duo, filled with photos of their time together.

One wedding gift idea is to give the couple tools or other household project items that will inevitably come in handy.  Every household, even for those who rent, needs from time to time a hammer, set of screwdrivers, flashlight or a wrench.  A box of indispensable items, like light bulbs, tape (duct, electrical, scotch and painter’s will do), screws, nails, crazy glue (or some other stronger than usual glue,) and emergency candles will come in handy repeatedly.  Put them in a small utility toolbox and your friends will be prepared for whatever household project, from hanging pictures to painting rooms to dealing with loss of power during storms comes their way.  One tip, this gift is always appreciated, but make sure that you are not giving them something they already have (a carpenter, for instance, is likely to have tools and likely to have preferences regarding what are the best brands.)

The kitchen is another place to focus your wedding gift choices.  Everyone will think about the big items (toasters, microwaves, etc.,) but what about the small everyday items that most households lack until they have a few years under their collective belts?  Giving the lucky couple everyday kitchen gadgets, like mixing bowls, storage containers, a hand held can opener, cork screw or Starfish Wine Stopper will help them delay the “I cannot believe we do not have that” moment that everyone experiences. 

Other practical gift ideas include a consortium of cleaning supplies, such as an all-purpose cleaner, glass cleaner, sponges, dish washing liquid, a bucket, mop, broom and dustpan are all items that will be used and appreciated.  Bathroom items are also useful.  Create a gift basket of pain killers, cold and flu medicine, cotton balls, swabs, band aids, soaps, hand cream, shampoo and conditioner and you have given the happy couple a collection of gifts that will be useful over and over.

You can always adhere to their requests per their registry and with some couples, if one or the other is picky, that can be the smartest option.  Gift cards to popular department, home improvement and electronics stores are also popular.  If you are truly stumped, cash is a last resort, but will come in handy over the honeymoon and in the first couple weeks of married life.

Wedding gifts do not have to be tricky or extravagant.  In fact, practical gifts will be appreciated repeatedly.  By using your life experience, you can give them gifts that will be used and appreciated as well as teach them what they need to have on hand to be prepared for virtually any situation.