Comments on: Yet again, using AskMe as a Personal Shopper.

Question: Yet again, using AskMe as a Personal Shopper.

anastasiav — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 19:32:17 -0800

Yet another use of AskMe as personal shopper - please help me select a wedding gift:

The groom is a friend of mine with whom I have stayed close through correspondence but whom I've not seen in person in a couple of years. Bride and Groom are both [reform, fairly liberal] Jewish. Both love to cook, but groom has significant food "issues" that make gifts of food inappropriate. Groom has a pre-teen daughter from his first marriage. Both Bride and Groom have recently sold their houses and are combining households currently in a rented space, until they can find a new home to purchase together. I don't know the Bride at all, really, so I don't have a sense of what the "style" of their new home might be.

What I'm looking for: something small, but that could emphasize the blending of two families into one. $100 range.

By: la petite marie

la petite marie — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:04:52 -0800

Are they registered anywhere? If you're not sure and don't want to ask for some reason, you can just search for their names at various online store sites.

By: anastasiav

anastasiav — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 20:22:28 -0800

I've tried about a dozen likely suspects and have found no registries.

By: cali

cali — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:29:20 -0800

No registries implies a plan, for example they may be registered with a travel agency. I'd get in touch with the mother of the groom or best man and ask.

By: la petite marie

la petite marie — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 21:40:41 -0800

I've tried about a dozen likely suspects and have found no registries.

Hmm...I had a friend who just married the guy she's been living with for a couple of years. They're both in their late 40's, so they both had a lot of stuff, and didn't feel like they wanted to register to get more "stuff." I tried to beat an idea out of her, but she wouldn't budge. I even asked her sisters, and she told them the same thing and they had no idea what they wanted/needed. So I ended up getting a gift card to Bed, Bath, Beyond, where they can get anything. I much prefer getting an actual gift that I can put some thought into, but not knowing what they need (and them not telling me), it was the best I could do, and I'm sure they'll use it. Actually, after I gave it to her, she said "well, it would be nice to get some new [towels, dishes, etc.]" so I think they will use it to "refresh" some of their things.

By: LobsterMitten

LobsterMitten — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 22:00:41 -0800

Game? Croquet set or similar; might be a nice family thing if they have some outdoor space and the daughter is over a lot.

If you were willing to do gift card, you could do a gift card to Zingerman's Deli in Ann Arbor MI - they do delivery of all kinds of great gourmet stuff. Groom could choose something that doesn't trigger his issues. Another sort of generic gift, but nice for a foodie, is a set of spices from Penzey's Spices.

By: Flakypastry

Flakypastry — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 04:38:59 -0800

They will not be using any of the kiddush cups, etc. from the previous weddings, so assuming that they will be having a Jewish ceremony, you could go that route.

Alternatively, you can give something like this , a keepsake album with the "ani l'dodi" theme for storing their wedding memories. We received something like that, and it was nice for keeping the napkin, invitation, guest list, etc.

By: matteo

matteo — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:31:32 -0800

I'd give them a nice Megillah

By: anitar

anitar — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 05:34:23 -0800

My default wedding gift is usually a rice cooker, unless you know they have one already. You could get a very nice one for 100 bucks.

By: francesca too

francesca too — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:07:31 -0800

I gave a friend who was not registered a picnic backpack. She loved it.

By: hydropsyche

hydropsyche — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 06:55:38 -0800

We've been getting people board games. Like the croquet suggestion above, this is especially good for a blended family. Apples to Apples and Carcassonne area fun for groups and parties and easy to learn.

By: brina

brina — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 09:37:29 -0800

You could get them a nice mezuzah. Even if they're not observant, mezuzahs are nice little homey additions.

By: brina

brina — Mon, 03 Sep 2007 09:45:59 -0800

Oh, also, the Jewish Museum has a lot of great stuff, including this gorgeous wedding glass mezuzah, into which the bride and groom would insert shards of their smashed glass along with a scroll.