What to give as a wedding gift?
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Since I used to be a wedding photographer they already "asked" for my services (which means free). Rule number one: don't ever do family. Plus his mom is the "crazy" one of the family. It wouldn't be a good situation. some of the other cousins have already married and I said no.
leckey wrote:
some of the other cousins have already married and I said no.
erm.... not to each other, I hope.
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
If you don't give a gift that is one less thank you card they have to write.
A man said to the universe: "Sir I exist!" "However," replied the Universe, "The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation." -- Stephen Crane
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You could do what I'm going to do for my friends' wedding, buy them a tea set. I'm still trying to decided between the cherry blosum tea set http://www.japanesegifts.com/adtea.asp[^] and the phoenix and dragon tea set http://www.enjoyingtea.com/phdrjtease.html[^]. I generally think that gifts that are related to food or drink are generally the best if they are something that people would love to have but won't usually buy for themselves. Plus you can generally stuff some extra stuff into the package[^] to really make them go gaga. Just remember that if they both enjoy beer that giving them too large mugs and a keg probably will get you weird looks. Not that I ever did that.... :-O
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
leckey wrote:
4. Food for the weekend: about $50
Is that for one person? Assuming breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3 days, that's about 5 bucks a meal for 1 person. Might want to bump that budget up a bit, unless you're relying on fast food. Or maybe restaurants are cheaper in SD, haven't been there in awhile... As far as a gift, give them something whacky that sits around the house and everytime they see it, they remember you. Or something unique they might not use everyday, but when they do they think of you. Some of the best gifts we got, we're the ones that weren't on our registry.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
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leckey wrote:
some of the other cousins have already married and I said no.
erm.... not to each other, I hope.
Christian Graus - Microsoft MVP - C++ Metal Musings - Rex and my new metal blog
Who cares? It's South Dakota, after all, and it stays in the family :cool:
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist -
Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
leckey wrote:
1. kori's tux rental: $100
When I was 21 my parents (along with the rest of the family) chipped into get me a full Prince Charlie style Highland Dress[^]. Moving Cultures: Would it not be cheaper, in the long run, just to own the Tux?
* Developer Day Scotland: are you interested in speaking or attending? My: Website | Blog
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leckey wrote:
4. Food for the weekend: about $50
Is that for one person? Assuming breakfast, lunch and dinner for 3 days, that's about 5 bucks a meal for 1 person. Might want to bump that budget up a bit, unless you're relying on fast food. Or maybe restaurants are cheaper in SD, haven't been there in awhile... As far as a gift, give them something whacky that sits around the house and everytime they see it, they remember you. Or something unique they might not use everyday, but when they do they think of you. Some of the best gifts we got, we're the ones that weren't on our registry.
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
It's more than enough if you hit the supermarket and the frying pan :) I spent half a year with a friend on a $18/day average for both of us - and most of that went into gas and reparing keeping the car running
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist -
It's more than enough if you hit the supermarket and the frying pan :) I spent half a year with a friend on a $18/day average for both of us - and most of that went into gas and reparing keeping the car running
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighistpeterchen wrote:
It's more than enough if you hit the supermarket and the frying pan
That's true, a loaf of wonderbread and bologna goes a long way. I could probably live on corn-nuts for a good week if I had to, especially if they were Nacho or Picante flavored. :-D I was assuming she was on the road and going to a wedding where you get sucked into going out with people, and even if you only order a salad, the bill is split equally, so you end up getting screwed.
peterchen wrote:
I spent half a year with a friend on a $18/day average for both of us
Yeah, I did that once too, it was called college. :) Bit longer than half a year, but we survived!
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
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peterchen wrote:
It's more than enough if you hit the supermarket and the frying pan
That's true, a loaf of wonderbread and bologna goes a long way. I could probably live on corn-nuts for a good week if I had to, especially if they were Nacho or Picante flavored. :-D I was assuming she was on the road and going to a wedding where you get sucked into going out with people, and even if you only order a salad, the bill is split equally, so you end up getting screwed.
peterchen wrote:
I spent half a year with a friend on a $18/day average for both of us
Yeah, I did that once too, it was called college. :) Bit longer than half a year, but we survived!
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
Steve Echols wrote:
going to a wedding where you get sucked into going out with people
Absolutely. I wondered that too, but hey, there's a wedding, they can stuff their bellies and pockets!
Steve Echols wrote:
it was called college.
Eh ;) But I truly believe we saw a bit more... I know no other developed country where you can see as much, and get around on so little.
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist -
Steve Echols wrote:
going to a wedding where you get sucked into going out with people
Absolutely. I wondered that too, but hey, there's a wedding, they can stuff their bellies and pockets!
Steve Echols wrote:
it was called college.
Eh ;) But I truly believe we saw a bit more... I know no other developed country where you can see as much, and get around on so little.
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighistpeterchen wrote:
I know no other developed country where you can see as much, and get around on so little.
Seeing the stuff is free, but getting there will cost you now. Kind of sad really, because it's usually not where you're going, but the journey that gives you the most memories. Sigh...I remember road trips where we didn't worry about the cost of gas, more the cost of food and booze. Ahhhh, nostalgia....
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
How about a case of condoms? Since 50% or more of American marriages end up in divorce, why complicate things by bringing kids into it too early.:-D
"...a photo album is like Life, but flat and stuck to pages." - Shog9
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Since I used to be a wedding photographer they already "asked" for my services (which means free). Rule number one: don't ever do family. Plus his mom is the "crazy" one of the family. It wouldn't be a good situation. some of the other cousins have already married and I said no.
My boyfriend is an amateur photographer (a very good one though, he got barred from a couple of competitions because someone thought he was a proffesional) and has his own 'war stories' of wedding photography....
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When we got married the minimum cash gift we recieved from family was around $100. On the other hand a crystal picture frame is a generic gift that works for any wedding.
Andy Brummer wrote:
On the other hand a crystal picture frame is a generic gift that works for any wedding.
I think crystal picture frames are totally naff and I'd be pretty pissed off if I received a pile of them for my wedding (in the vanishingly small chance I ever have one).
Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
leckey wrote:
And I'm also bitter about the drive.
Ouch..
-- Behold, for I am THE CORRUPTOR!
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
leckey wrote:
So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive.
You only live once. Try to enjoy it. Marc
Some people believe what the bible says. Literally. At least [with Wikipedia] you have the chance to correct the wiki -- Jörgen Sigvardsson
People are just notoriously impossible. --DavidCrow
There's NO excuse for not commenting your code. -- John Simmons / outlaw programmer -
Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
A nice, but simple, wall clock. Seriously. It's one of three wedding gifts we still have after almost 21 years. (Our blender is another and my wife came up with another one the other day, but I don't remember what it was.)
Anyone who thinks he has a better idea of what's good for people than people do is a swine. - P.J. O'Rourke
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Okay, in two weekends my husband's cousin Michael is getting married. Currently he and his fiance live and work in eastern SD where I used to live--a 2 hour drive. The bride to be is originally from western SD and hasn't lived there in several years. However, they decided to get married out in the Black Hills where she is from. So all of his family and a good portion of hers have to travel out there. Koris is in the wedding so we have to spend an additional night out there. So far I caculate the following for the wedding: 1. kori's tux rental: $100 2. 3 nights of hotel: about $300 3. Gas there and back (a five hour drive each way): about $100 4. Food for the weekend: about $50 So we are shelling out $500+ for this wedding so I really don't want to give them something expensive. And I'm also bitter about the drive. Any ideas? If we give cash, how much?
Unless you are in touch with the gift registry nearly anything you buy may be a duplicate so either find out where the registry is (which is designed to solve exactly this problem you're having) or if there isn't one then cash is always welcome because they are probably teetering on the edge of bankruptcy as most marriages seem to be needlessly expensive these days. In terms of gifts if you have a choice first set out how much you're going to spend, then find the absolute highest quality gift you can buy with that money. Since our wedding 8 years ago the only things that stood the test of time were the really high quality items. One thing that we did for our wedding is went to a local art gallery and bought some nice paintings by local artists as gifts for the best man and bridesmaid that might be an idea for a wedding present if you have any sense of taste about art (no dogs playing poker). -- modified at 11:36 Thursday 10th August, 2006 Oh, and if you have any connection at all to the wedding party then it's probably much more expected that you will be buying a requisitely bigger gift.
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peterchen wrote:
I know no other developed country where you can see as much, and get around on so little.
Seeing the stuff is free, but getting there will cost you now. Kind of sad really, because it's usually not where you're going, but the journey that gives you the most memories. Sigh...I remember road trips where we didn't worry about the cost of gas, more the cost of food and booze. Ahhhh, nostalgia....
- S 50 cups of coffee and you know it's on!
Those days, gas was as low as 72.9ct/gallon.. :cool:
We are a big screwed up dysfunctional psychotic happy family - some more screwed up, others more happy, but everybody's psychotic joint venture definition of CP
Tree in C# || Fold With Us! || sighist -
Andy Brummer wrote:
On the other hand a crystal picture frame is a generic gift that works for any wedding.
I think crystal picture frames are totally naff and I'd be pretty pissed off if I received a pile of them for my wedding (in the vanishingly small chance I ever have one).
Asynes yw brassa ages kwilkynyow.
Steve_Harris wrote:
I think crystal picture frames are totally naff and I'd be pretty pissed off if I received a pile of them for my wedding
That was the point. On the other hand they are cheap!
and of course [they] outsource their technical support to a land where English bears little resemblance to the language I speak - Christopher Duncan
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I agree with Andy above ... I thought somewhere you mentioned you were a photographer at some stage - so take a camera and put something nice together so they'll remember the special day (your time and thought and expertise is more precious than raw $$) 'g'
Only if your relatives have taste. The same brother in law did the same thing for his cousin that he did for us and she hated them and loved the crappy ass photos her friend took and ran through some blur filters and clip art borders. Then again she got her brother who builds displays for an art museum to build a display for her thomas kinkaid painting.
and of course [they] outsource their technical support to a land where English bears little resemblance to the language I speak - Christopher Duncan
