Groomsmen Gifts for the Non Brahs Out There?

April 21, 2009 8:11 PM

I need ideas for modern groomsmen gifts. My groomsmen don't really smoke, drink, golf, or wear french cuffs, which eliminates 99% of the results for "groomsmen gifts" from Google. Mainly our common interests include coffee, photography, design, and vaguely geeky 30-something interests (1980s Spielberg/Lucas movies, Tron, Atari 2600, Apple products). (We're not the kind of geeks that wear the term with some sort of goony pride, so ThinkGeek is right out. So are things like knives, flashlights, and AirSoft toys) Any ideas?
posted by entropicamericana to shopping (44 comments total)

I got my groomsmen Swiss Army Knives that had their names engraved. I know you said no knives, but most dudes appreciate a good SAK.
posted by Simon Barclay at 8:19 PM on April 21

How about a cool-looking tie? You could get variations on a theme (same image different color, related images etc), there's a lot of options on Etsy (example) and as a bonus they could wear it in the wedding, which is a common theme in bridesmaids gifts I think.
posted by fermezporte at 8:22 PM on April 21

A Moleskine notebook with an awesome cover or a custom design lasered on?
posted by liketitanic at 8:23 PM on April 21 [2 favorites has favorites]

Maybe you could get someone to etch a message onto a French Press, Aeropress, or stainless steel Thermos?
posted by cabingirl at 8:24 PM on April 21

Is there a coffee of the month club? Box of Lego? ummm... a design/photography coffee table book with a note in the front from you (and your wife-to-be?) explaining how awesome each of them is as a friend? Engraved iPod shuffle? Lamy 2000 pen?
posted by socratic at 8:26 PM on April 21

Why not get them some really good coffee? If you want to give them a keepsake, maybe get some nice mugs too. We had custom mugs made as our wedding favors (could dig up the website if you're interested in this, memail me) and several people have commented on how much they like using them because it reminds them of our wedding and how much fun it was. I imagine this goes double for people in the wedding party.
posted by crinklebat at 8:27 PM on April 21

What about iPod shuffles, engraved with personal messages, and loaded with meaningful songs from your wedding? The last generation refurbs are only $39 now, here.
posted by charmcityblues at 8:27 PM on April 21

Boyfriend chimed in with tattoos.
posted by cabingirl at 8:29 PM on April 21

We picked an individual gift for each person that helped with our wedding instead of getting them all the same kind of thing. It was more our style to give gifts that were a reflection of our friends' individuality rather than being common to own wedding, but I know that's not the usual thing to do.
posted by girlhacker at 8:30 PM on April 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

Multi-tools or leathermen
lcd photo albums
posted by bottlebrushtree at 8:30 PM on April 21

Based on your suggestions -- off the top of my head:
- Lomo cameras (holga type)
- awesome type/graphic design coffee table book
- french press or bialetti espresso maker, with frother
- nice wallets (i.e. J fold)
- nice knife - I know you said no knives, but a sweet, single-blade or small leatherman or swiss army is almost always well-received
- nice headphones
- nice ties (i.e. jack spade or something)
- unique letterpress poster for each of them, or 20x200 print framed, or Tiny Showcase
- charger stations for all that digital crap at home
- messenger bag or camera bag
- Bodum beer glasses (double walled so they don't sweat on nice furniture)
- bodum coffee mugs (ditto) and burr grinders
- nice beer steins
- stemless wine glasses (maybe with a nice wine opener)
- ecospheres (the glass orbs with plants inside)
- netflix for the year
- etched moleskins (others out there)
posted by barnone at 8:31 PM on April 21

I got my best man an iPod Nano.
posted by furtive at 8:35 PM on April 21

My brother and his groomsmen were all of a musical bent, so he gave them all harmonicas.

Not so much suggesting harmonicas to you as I am making a "hey, think of something you all have in common and see where that leads you" suggestion.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 8:48 PM on April 21

Engraved stainless coffee travel cup and a hefty Starbucks card. It is the one gift card that gets used immediately around here by all ages. Find a great quote.
posted by kgn2507 at 8:54 PM on April 21

Boyfriend chimed in with tattoos.

No. Jeebus, no. Tattoos are (often) permanent, friendships aren't.
posted by Inspector.Gadget at 8:58 PM on April 21

Tron Addidas
posted by artychoke at 8:58 PM on April 21

This is a bit out there, but maybe buy them (collectively) a pound of this $350 Kopi Luwak cofee and brew it together after you get back from the honey-moon for a guys night? Cuz nothing says thank you quite like coffee fermented inside the belly of an another species prior to being harvested from its feces.
posted by aperture_priority at 9:12 PM on April 21 [1 favorite has favorites]

If you're a coffee geek (or just enjoy great coffee), the best gift you can get your groomsmen is a siphon coffee maker. It's a gift they'll never forget, and it's special--especially if you all like coffee.

Also, my brother got me a nice watch (a Citizen). I wore it everywhere--functional, nice, elegant. When people complimented my watch or asked where I'd gotten it, I'd tell them it was a gift from my brother for being his best man. That was a great gift.
posted by rybreadmed at 9:24 PM on April 21

Big second on the coffee siphon. There's nothing like it. It was the first thing that came to my mind, up list.
posted by Carmody'sPrize at 9:31 PM on April 21

not very sentimental, but- power tools: every guy (or gal) needs a good cordless drill.
posted by TDIpod at 9:42 PM on April 21

Monogrammed/Engraved beer steins to use as frosty mugs.
posted by messylissa at 10:14 PM on April 21

Did you ever watch "The O.C." Seth Cohen gave his girlfriends (yes, he had two of them) "Seth Cohen Starter Kits" for Christmakuh (that will make sense if you've watched the show). I've always loved that idea. Each kit had a book, a movie, a cd, and a few other important items that would get the girls off to a good start getting to know their boyfriend a little bit better.

Thinking back, its actually a pretty selfish gift -- so don't do kits made out of stuff you like. Maybe have one piece of the kit represent each groomsman. Like, if your groomsmen are Freddy, Bob, Josh, Philip, and Buster you could give each of them a gift with Freddy's favorite book, Bob's favorite movie, Josh's favorite album, Philip's favorite XBox 360 game, and a box of Buster's favorite snack cakes (I don't know why - I just imagine that Buster is a bit of a chub).

Or, and this is totally random (and I'm a big nerd so watch out...) you could get them each a really nice mechanical pencil. Like a Rotring 600 Silver and Gold Series or something.
posted by junipero at 10:31 PM on April 21

sorry - clearly i don't know how to make the italics stop working...
posted by junipero at 10:31 PM on April 21

Kind of basic, but I think if they are all coffee lovers that a coffee-themed gift would be both practical and appreciated. Maybe a french press plus a couple of pounds of coffee. Depending on how much you want to spend, you can add in a couple of mugs, a travel french press, a gift card, or what have you, put together nicely in a gift bag (maybe also throw in a bag of chocolate covered espresso beans - yum!). Don't bother with the engraving; it's a nice thought but sometimes can be kind of weird or overkill. Mileage varies on that, of course.
posted by JenMarie at 10:41 PM on April 21

Don't bother with the engraving; it's a nice thought but sometimes can be kind of weird or overkill. Mileage varies on that, of course.

Just to clarify, what I mean is don't worry about trying make the gift really sentimental or anything. I think the gift should be practical, as in they will actually use or enjoy it, plus also being slightly indulgent, as in something they might not buy for themselves. After the wedding, print out some of the photos from the wedding, so they have a memento of the fun times y'all had. Those photos will be the best sentimental keepsake.
posted by JenMarie at 10:46 PM on April 21

I just imagine that Buster is a bit of a chub

Indeed, Buster has been a bear porn star for years. (NSFW)
posted by hippybear at 11:04 PM on April 21

Coffee? Just about any guy into coffee would appreciate a nice burr grinder.

It's both about coffee and power tools. Argh!
posted by artdrectr at 12:18 AM on April 22

A badger brush (the "Edwin Jagger best" is $35 at Crabtree and Evelyn, but not online right now) or a straight razor (this one is $40). Both are hip, practical, classic, fairly inexpensive, and eventually money saving.
posted by bradly at 2:46 AM on April 22

When you say 'knives' do you mean pocket knives or cooking knives? I gave my groomsmen cooking knives, nice sharp German ones, with variations based on personality and food preferences.

You can find vintage prints/actual lobby posters for your shared movie interests. Frame one of them up and you have a nice gift, but I always feel a bit awkward giving decorative gifts to friends.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 5:06 AM on April 22

I got my groomsmen (well, one groomsman and one groomswoman) a 17" Galileo Thermometer and a Weather Ball for their gifts. Cool looking and practical, something most people appreciate.
posted by ralan at 5:51 AM on April 22

For photo geeks, a Lensbaby would make a fun gift that they probably wouldn't get themselves, and you'll get some interesting pictures of your wedding in the bargain.
posted by Caviar at 6:56 AM on April 22

I gave out pocket watches with their initials engraved. They seemed to be a pretty good choice for a number of reasons. Something fun to fidget with, they look cool, and once the novelty has worn off they can easily be tucked in the back of a drawer somewhere without taking up much space.
posted by krisak at 7:19 AM on April 22

Flight 001 has a bunch of retro cameras on sale until tomorrow! Maybe a different one for each groomsman?
posted by kidsleepy at 7:26 AM on April 22 [1 favorite has favorites]

Uh-oh. I am the best man at my friend's wedding this coming Autumn and I hope that if my buddy is reading this thread that he ignores most of these suggestions. I think the coffee theme is fine, but I'm not really a coffee fan and most of my friends aren't either. If you know for sure that they like coffee, then go for the french press--though if they like coffee they probably already have one.

What I would like to receive is something I will have, and want to have, forever. Gift certificates and electronics have too short a lifespan for them to be good "forever" gifts. Great cooking knives (good suggestion) can be passed on to the next generation, as I'm sure could a lot of things. I like the idea of saying to my children, once I have them, "Here is this that I got from one of my best friends on the most important day of his life. We shared our dreams, our hopes, and our fears together and this will always represent the unbreakable bond between us."

I guess my point is that this is a big deal, and it shouldn't be commemorated with a more adult version of a "goodie bag." Your gift should mean something as powerful and as deep as the fact that you are getting married with them in the first place.
posted by alexherder at 7:30 AM on April 22 [3 favorites has favorites]

Let us know what you pick :)

Here are some ideas:

A trip whitewater rafting (be sure to take a group photo and then get it printed & nicely framed)
A photography seminar & a great lunch
You could get a nice wooden box engraved and fill it with various coffees
Camera bags
Design/graphics software
Traditional shaving set (with the straight razor & brush)
Personal coffee mugs (a good quality one with perhaps a neat silloette printed on or a photo you all like)
French press
Messenger bags
posted by ForeverDcember at 7:38 AM on April 22

Old-school Calculator Watches!
posted by unexpected at 7:49 AM on April 22

ForeverDecember: Oh, wow! What a great suggestion! Whitewater Rafting with a nice framed photo!!!!

If not that, something equally groovy and similar? A day at a local amusement park together with Old Tyme West Photos or something? I love the group photo / outing idea! Jeez, it makes me hate the DOMA even more. Now I want to get married so I can do a group outing / photo with my groomsmen!
posted by hippybear at 8:23 AM on April 22

I would recommend handmade gifts tailored to the groomsmen. I was strapped for cash, so I made my groomsman Lego Cufflinks tailored to their specific character. They all wore them on the wedding day, and I'm sure just put them away after that, but it was something small and special and personal.

I would personally shy away from the engraved anything, it's a bit impersonal imo. I think the coffee idea is a start, but as someone else mentioned, if they're already into coffee, they probably have many of the accoutrements you would want to buy them.
posted by ThaBombShelterSmith at 8:30 AM on April 22

I had two groomsmen, and I went shopping on ebay for them. I spent maybe $35 on each; I got one some Boston sports-themed stuff, and the other Beatle stuff (replica ticket of their Boston Garden show, laminated to be a bookmark; miniature Yellow Submarine lunchbox with action figures inside). I don't really remember much of what I got anymore, but they both were awestruck. It comes off as thoughtful, even though you're really just having fun bidding on stuff on ebay, then giving the stuff away instead of keeping it.
posted by troywestfield at 8:34 AM on April 22

"Golf" is not a verb. Get them each a Nikon point & shoot camera.
posted by Zambrano at 10:45 AM on April 22

The Gorilla Pod is a good gift for a snapper.
posted by cameronfromedinburgh at 11:08 AM on April 22

I like the Swiss Army Knife idea, although I would recommend a Leatherman Multi-Tool instead, IMHO

ThaBombShelterSmith those are the coolest cufflinks ever!
posted by radioamy at 11:10 AM on April 22

Nthing nice engraved thermal coffee travel mugs - husband still uses his from when he was a groomsman 10 years ago.. sadly, the mug has outlasted that marriage.
posted by sarajane at 12:05 PM on April 22

Sarajane: Your husband should contact the makers of that coffee mug and tell them that. There's a "Jared" story in there someplace. :)
posted by hippybear at 12:11 AM on April 23