12 wedding presents your friends will actually want
Not another toaster
If George Lucas is planning a new Star Wars movie about a young Jedi in training, he might want to consider setting it within the ultimate test of physical prowess and mental strength: the Big Fat Indian Shaadi Season. What better way to sharpen the reflexes than by dodging Monty chacha who keeps challenging everyone to a round of vodka shots? Hone mind control skills by resisting Minnie maasi‘s pleas to meet her neighbour’s dentist’s single son who is “very handsome, beta. And settled in the US.” But one thing Jedis don’t have to worry about, but you do, is buying wedding presents without going broke. The Force is limitless, but your savings account isn’t. Especially if it already took a beating during Diwali.
Allow us to be the Yoda to your Obi-Wan Kenobi, with 12 ideas for wedding presents, depending on your budget. Whether the happy couple lives out of a rucksack or have put down roots in a new apartment, this curation of well-planned wedding presents will help you stay liquid for longer.
You could also use this list for future anniversary gifts, birthday presents or even secret Santa (provided you pick your work BFF).
12 wedding presents for every kind of budget
The travel junkies
Under Rs 3,000: Bluetooth speaker
For newlyweds who love the great outdoors, with a side of Adele. This Bluetooth speaker is waterproof, portable and can turn even a train compartment into a raging nightclub. Although, we aren’t sure how much their fellow travellers will like that.
The best part though about this speaker is that it comes with a clip-on option. Just hang it off a backpack or belt loop and they don’t have to worry about losing it.
Under Rs 5,000: Apple air tag
One of the most underrated Apple products, the Air Tag is an easy way to keep track of belongings while you’re on the go. You could attach it to your keys or your phone or just slip it into your bag and you will be able to track the location of the item at all times through the Find My app. The personal yet functional cherry on top is that Apple is offering to engrave the air tag.
Every time the newlyweds return from a vacation with their minds relaxed and their luggage intact, they will thank you.
Splurge: Go Pro
Are the newlyweds borderline adrenaline junkies? Is their idea of a relaxing Sunday going on a 5-hour trek through wooded areas that look like the set of a Ram Gopal Verma movie? We have just the gift for them- the GoPro Hero 9.
This action camera shoot 5K video and 20MP photos, allowing you to relive your adventures over and over again. It’s waterproof to up to 33 feet, and it has stabilisation for all adventure sports junkies. It’s also compatible with over 30 mounts, has a detachable lens and two screens.
The couple that does everything together
Under Rs 3,000: Intimacy game+Kinky truth or dare
Newly married couples could make use of these kinky games to spice up their suhagraat and all the honeymoon-y nights that follow.
The Intimacy game consists of 125 cards that each have a question and an action printed on them. You draw a card, follow the instructions and be prepared to get to know your partner on a whole new level. This game is designed to act as a communication catalyst for the newlyweds.
Pair the intimacy game with kinky truth or dare to take the spice levels from jalapeno to bhut jolokia. Skipping the traditional ‘spin the bottle’ routine, the kinky truth or dare game consists of 100 racy dares and questions on 50 double-sided sticks. This game will prompt the newlyweds to explore and experiment with seductive and blush-worthy challenges.
Under Rs 5,000: Wooden cheese board
Are your giftees Masterchef hopefuls? Do they love entertaining and cooking Gordon Ramsay-approved dishes together? They’ll appreciate this wooden cheese board that comes with three metal cheese knives.
The beauty of this cheese board is its versatility. Not only can it be used to cut and serve various kinds of cheese and other appetisers, but it can also be used as a chopping board. It’s easy to clean and ideal for a couple that hoards recipe books.
Splurge: Two Fitbit watches
With a sleek and sophisticated design, a 5-day battery and the ability to track not only a person’s steps and calories but also their sleep pattern and breathing, the Fitbit Luxe is made for the health-freak couple that works out together every day.
The Fitbit Luxe has more features than we have fingers. It’s swim-proof, can track a woman’s menstrual cycle, does everything a smartwatch can and helps boost workouts by buzzing every time you enter your idealised heart-rate zone. It also has an in-built stress management score, encouraging you to level up your self-care game with guided breathing sessions.
Gifting newlyweds a set of matching Fitbit watches will ensure they’ll thank you every time they hit the 10,000 steps sweet spot or are sore after a death-came-early couple’s workout.
₹10,999 (price for one)
The couple that’s setting up their new house
Under Rs 3,000: Bar Box
Help the newlyweds set up their bar (so you and everyone else can take advantage of their gifted liquor.
From Sunday pitchers of margaritas to pre-gaming with LITs, this kit has everything an amateur bartender needs. It comes with 10 stainless-steel pieces of bar equipment and a durable wooden stand. As a bonus, this bar box also comes with three cocktail premixes to your giftees hooked onto mixology.
Under Rs 5,000: Dinner set
If you’ve grown up in an Indian household, then you know that quality crockery with a pretty design is more than a bunch of plates and bowls. It’s an investment. One that stays in storage until it’s time to entertain a few fancy guests, but still an investment.
The LaOpala Sovrana Moroccan gold dinner set is adorned with an elegant white and gold floral design. It comes with 33 pieces — 1 rice plate, 6 full plates, 6 quarter plates, 6 soup bowls, 12 veg bowls and 2 serving bowls.
This is the kind of dinner set you use if the queen ever comes over for a meal.
Splurge: Dyson Air Purifier
With its slick design, the Dyson Air Purifier won’t dampen the aesthetic of your giftees’ new home, and they will be glad to breathe easier.
This air purifier also has a night mode, a cooling fan for the summer and is asthma and allergy-friendly.
The artsy couple
Under Rs 3,000: Glass organiser
Shopping for a couple that needs every surface in their house to look like something out of an Architectural Digest shoot can be nerve-wracking. This glass organiser bridges the gap between classy and functional, allowing your decor-obsessed friends to keep unnecessary clutter at bay.
Handcrafted by artisans, it’s can be put to use in nearly every room in the home, from being a stationery holder in a home office to providing safe refuge to makeup brushes, eyeliners and chapsticks on your dressing table.
Under Rs 5,000: Planter+ Set of cushion covers
Did the newlyweds turn into plant parents during the lockdown like the rest of us? Gift them a non-conformist home for one of their baby ferns.
Pair this tribal-patterned planter with a set of five cushion covers that can add a pop of colour to any room.
Splurge: Echo Dot
Wrapping up our list of wedding presents, the Echo Dot can do more than answer your questions about weather forecasts, control the lights in your house and track your Swiggy order. The little sphere can also stream anything you want using voice commands. From podcasts about true crime and conspiracy theories to listening to millions of audiobooks, the Echo Dot will allow the newlyweds to give their Netflix subscription a breather.