Planning the Perfect Wedding Gift List

Congratulations on your wedding! With the big day coming up, there's no doubt you have been considering the tradition of wedding gifts. No matter the sort of bride or groom you are, you are surely missing something that is necessary for you to start your new life with your significant other. This gift guide is designed to help you remember the things you may have forgotten in order to embark on your new life.

For Those Needing the Basic Wedding Gifts

If you are just starting out, there are a few necessities you must keep in mind. You will need a dinner service, or a cutlery set. Remember, you should have a 6 or 8 place setting. It's bad news to ask for too small of a set only to find you have to try to add unmatching pieces later.

Wedding Gifts For Those Wanting an Upgrade

Couples who haven't lived together before can combine their possessions and have a pretty substantial set-up. These couples probably need outdoors gifts. Lanterns, deck sets, barbecue grills, planters, and even garden heaters are good ideas for this couple.

Gifts For Those Who Have Everything

Those couples that have been living together for a few years probably don't need much in the way of traditional wedding gifts. Consider Experience Vouchers. These are like coupons for experiences you probably haven't had, but may like, such as scuba diving lessons or a hot air balloon ride, complete with champagne.

For Those Starting Over

Some people have been married before, but are seeking a fresh start with someone new. For this couple, it's important to bear in mind that, no matter how many times you say you don't want gifts, people still want to and will buy them for you. In order to avoid piles of useless gifts, go ahead and make a gift list.

Five Tips for Your Gift List

1. Make about a third of the gifts on your list cost less than $25 each. Break down large sets so that no one feels responsible for purchasing the entire thing.

2. Make sure to focus your list. If you really want a mixer, make sure you list a high-quality one so you don't end up with three low-quality mixers.

3. When making a public gift list, find a company who has an online registry so that the access is available to everyone, and the list is simple to update as guests purchase gifts for you.

4. When asking for sets, bear in mind that "limited editions" will be virtually impossible to add to at a later date. Opt for a standard line so that you can add to your collection as is necessary.

5. Don't ask for too much. Guests are highly put off when the bride and groom ask for too much.

Wedding Gift Checklist

Here are some things to remember to include in your gift list.

• Pots and pans
• Cutlery (For sets like this, try to get it broken up into pieces so that multiple guests can purchase the gift. This is vital, since you will likely need a 24-piece set, as it caters for 6 people.)
• Crockery (The same rules apply here as with cutlery)
• Kitchen Appliances (If you're missing vital kitchen tools like a blender or a toaster, add them to the list. But make sure to only add these items once.)
• Glassware (Sets of champagne flutes, tumblers, and tall highball glasses are considered necessities, so add them to the list. Wedding etiquette states that 6 glasses is the proper number to receive as a gift.)
• Kitchen knives (Every kitchen needs a good, sharp set of knives.)
• Bed linens (Most people find that having 2 sets for the master bedroom and 1 for each other bed in their houses is optimum.)
• Pillows and Duvets
• Bathroom essentials (Towels of all sorts are always needed in a new home.)
• General lifestyle (Ask for things you find you need that aren't always considered, like picture frames, mirrors, rugs, or wedding day memorabilia.)
• Garden necessities (Ask for an outdoor set-up: table, chairs, lanterns, planters, a grill for barbecuing. Consider what you'll need to have a good time outside.)
• Electronics (It is now common to ask for DVD players and TVs on a wedding gift list. Keep this in mind if you are in need of electronics.)

Hopefully, this list has helped you in planning your wedding gift list. Good luck!

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