Wedding Gifts from Bride to Groom

As you select special wedding gifts for your maid of honor, bridesmaids, flower girl, and parents, don’t forget about that most special someone on your list!

In many circles, it is common for the bride and groom to exchange gifts on their wedding day. Gifts are often swapped prior to the actual ceremony, either at the rehearsal dinner or by way of a messenger on the wedding day. Other times, brides and grooms may exchange gifts sometime throughout their wedding day, or even at the close of the evening when the two find themselves alone at last.

Any gift of jewelry or something like a handkerchief can become a precious part of your wedding day. Your groom can tuck a hanky boasting a personal message from you into his pocket, or he could surely wear a watch, necklace, cufflinks, or other piece of jewelry on the big day. Think about the message and sentiment you are hoping to achieve, and that, along with the cost, should guide your decision.

On a Budget

Bottle of your favorite wine and a love letter
Customized calendar with pictures of the two of you
Handcrafted blanket or afghan
Mixed CD of your favorite songs and a love note
Money clip
Personalized hanky
Photo album or scrapbook containing many of your favorite photos and some he hasn’t yet seen
Photo frame
Poetry book
Soft and fuzzy bathrobe you sewed yourself

Safe and Traditional Picks

A necklace or bracelet if he wears jewelry
A new watch
Cufflinks
Gift basket of all his favorite things
Men’s jewelry / keepsake box
New leather wallet, inscribed if you wish
Something to use on your honeymoon, like brand name sunglasses or fun outdoor equipment

Classy and Customized

An engraved pocket watch
Crystal photo frame for his desk
Gift certificate for an adventure of a lifetime – scuba diving, skydiving, hot air balloon rides or something else up his alley
Personalized golf balls for the golfer
Poem display plaque with some sentimental words

Technology at Its Best

Digital camera
Digital camcorder
Flat-screen TV
GPS system
iPod or MP3 player
Portable DVD player
Video game system
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Sask. will require officials to conduct same-sex marriages

The Saskatchewan government has decided to tell its marriage commissioners that they must perform same-sex marriages if requested.
Justice Minister Don Morgan said letters will be going out Tuesday to the civil servants who perform non-religious marriages.
The move comes following a Saskatchewan Court of Appeal opinion last week on possible changes to the Marriage Act that would let some or all commissioners opt out of marrying gay or lesbian couples.
The provincial government said it wanted to balance the equality rights of homosexuals with the religious rights of its marriage commissioners.
However, the court said the government's proposed compromises were not constitutional, forcing the government to make a decision.
"We understand that among our civil marriage commissioners are people of strong beliefs who live their faith daily," Morgan said in a news release. "We had hoped there might be some way to reconcile their right to religious freedom with the right of same-sex couples to marry. That's why we made this court reference.
"However, the Court of Appeal has clearly ruled that civil marriage commissioners must perform ceremonies for couples who meet the legal requirements. That includes same-sex couples."
One option the government had been mulling over would be a system modelled after Ontario's, where there's a separate list of marriage commissioners for same-sex marriages. The Appeal Court asked a government-appointed lawyer about that system, but also noted there's no guarantee it could survive a constitutional challenge either.
After the law changed in 2005 and marriage commissioners were asked to perform same-sex marriages, some refused or quit.
A human rights complaint was also launched against a marriage commissioner who refused to conduct a same-sex marriage.
The government said the requirement to perform same-sex marriages applies only to civil marriage commissioners and does not affect religious ceremonies.
At least one marriage commissioner said last week the government would have to fire him if it expected him to perform same-sex marriages.
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