Alternative Wedding Gift Ideas
Summer is now officially over, and gone with it is the traditional wedding season. Couples would gamble with the British summer weather and hope that their big day wasn't marred by rain. But now it seems that the weather isn't the main determining factor when it comes to choosing when to get married. Because of the economic recession, price is playing a more important role than ever before and not just for the happy couple-to-be.
According to a recent survey, wedding guests are cutting back on the amount they spend on wedding gifts. 73% of people questioned said they had cut the amount then spend on family members by at least 10%. It is not surprising really as it's not just the buying of the gift. There is the wedding day outfit, for women this can be particularly expensive because they normally buy a new dress for each occasion; then there is the transport, accommodation and now guests have to buy their own drinks, because the free bar is long gone. Oh and add to this the cost of the stag or hen do and you are looking at a pretty tidy sum, which, when times are hard as they are at the moment, means compromises need to be made. Hence the reduction in the amount spent on wedding gifts.
So what options do you have for saving money but not offending the bride and groom with your Scrooge-like character? If you have a skill you could offer your services at the wedding and reception. Photographers, DJ's, florists and caterers are expensive but necessary, so if you can spin a few records you will not only be adding a personal touch to the music selection but you will also be saving much needed cash for the bride and groom.
Charitable donations are now becoming one of the most popular wedding gifts. Giving money to charity is harder when we ourselves don't have as much as previous years so this clever idea means everyone is a winner.
Finally, you could opt for good old fashioned flowers. Every woman loves to get flowers any day of the week but very few get them even on special occasions so buying a bouquet of flowers or chipping in with friends to sort out the table arrangement will definitely go down well with the bride. Interflora for example have a fantastic and affordable selection of wedding flowers on its website, with roses being the most traditional and symbolic, so you don't have to spend a fortune.