11 Best Gifts If You’re Attending a Destination Wedding

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Someone you love is tying the knot in a far-off location, and you RSVP’ed ‘yes!’ You’ve booked your flights, packed your bags, and you’re ready to celebrate in paradise! But as you prepare to attend your loved one’s destination wedding, you may be wondering what exactly to gift the newlyweds. For picture-perfect gifts for a destination wedding, check out our list below!

Tips for Buying Gifts for a Destination Wedding

Choosing a gift for a destination wedding can be trickier than you’d think! After all, there are logistics to consider, and chances are you’ve already splashed out a pretty penny on airfare and accommodations.

When it comes to finding the perfect gift, these tips will help save you stress, hassle, and maybe even a bit of money.

• Think Small: If you’re planning to bring your wedding gift with you, remember that it needs to be small enough to fit inside your luggage! Furthermore, the bride and groom will also need to transport it home and may have other gifts to transport as well. For a physical gift you plan to give ON the big day, make sure it’s small in size, but big in impact!

• Ship it to Their House: If your gift is on the larger side, refrain from bringing it along to the wedding location. Instead, ship it to their house before – or even after – the wedding.

• Don’t Spend Too Much: Sure, it can feel tempting (or even necessary) to shell out for an extravagant wedding gift, especially if you’re particularly close with the bride or groom. But you’ve already spent plenty on travel expenses, so don’t blow the budget on a gift.

• Consider a Group Gift: Chipping in on a group gift can allow you (and other guests!) to give a more expensive gift without blowing the budget. Reach out to other friends and family who will be in attendance to discuss the possibility of a joint gift.

• Make it Thoughtful: When it comes to a wedding gift, it really is the thought that counts. The perfect gift doesn’t have to be expensive or flashy to be memorable!

1. Honeymoon Experiences

Tangible gifts are always nice, but memories are often nicer! Help the happy couple make lasting honeymoon memories with romantic experiences like a couple’s massage or a private sunset dinner.

These items may already be on the couple’s honeymoon registry, but if not, call the hotel where they’re staying to inquire about available honeymoon services. Hotel staff should be able to assist you in finding the perfect destination wedding gift!

2. Travel Gear

If there’s one thing you know a destination wedding couple will need, it’s luggage! Show them some love with travel-related gifts like his or her toiletry bags, packing cubes, luggage tags, passport holders, or even Apple Air Tags so they can track their luggage wherever it goes.

Be sure to send this type of gift ahead of time, so the bride and groom can use it when they pack their bags for their big day!

3. Cash

When it comes to wedding gifts, we all know cash is king! A cash gift can help a newly married couple start their lives together, buy a home, or fund their dream honeymoon.

Don’t get caught up in how much to give – base the amount of your cash gift on what your budget allows, particularly when it comes to a destination wedding. The newlyweds are sure to appreciate any amount you can give.

4. Restaurant Gift Cards

When the wedding is over and the honeymoon comes to an end, newlywed couples return to the normality of everyday life. Help them amp up the romance and inject some fun into the day-to-day with a gift card to a local restaurant.

Choose a restaurant you know the couple loves, or treat them to a meal at an eatery that holds special meaning for them, like the location of their first date. Alternatively, surprise them with a visit to somewhere completely new!

Newlywed couples are often saving their pennies for big, milestone purchases, like buying a first home. Restaurant gift cards allow them to indulge in a date night, guilt-free.

5. Registry Gift

If the couple has a registry, consider buying something you know they want and need. Choose a gift that fits your budget and rest easy knowing it will be well-received.

As a bonus, a registry gift will likely be shipped directly to the couple’s address, eliminating the need to transport it to the wedding yourself.

6. Personalized Travel Map

If there’s one thing destination wedding couples have in common, it’s a love of travel! And what better gift for the globetrotting couple than a personalized travel map?

One part home decor and one part travel journal, a personalized map will help the bride and groom track their travels, check off those bucket-list experiences, and plot their next adventures.

7. Honeymoon Romance

For the couple who has everything, try a thoughtful gesture like flowers, champagne, or a gift basket delivered directly to their honeymoon suite.

Some of the best gifts for a destination wedding are items they can enjoy during the event! To arrange a gift delivery to their room, contact the hotel where the couple is staying and inquire about gift packages. Hotel staff will help you explore your options and choose the perfect gift!

8. Personalized Homewares

Personalized homewares are a surefire hit for a personal and sentimental gift. Choose a gift that can be displayed or used in their marital home, and that celebrates this new chapter of their life together.

Personalized or monogrammed doormats, coasters, cutting boards, dishware, and bath towels are just a few of the many personalized gifts you can find just by browsing the internet. When shopping, be sure to take the couples’ hobbies, interests, and lifestyles into account.

Big-name stores like Pottery Barn and Crate & Barrel are a great place to start, while Etsy offers an endless array of personalized gifts.

9. Honeymoon Gift Basket

As the big day approaches, the bride and groom are sure to be splashing out on last-minute wedding necessities. What’s more, they’re so busy managing all the wedding details that they’re likely to forget the smaller honeymoon essentials! Ensure they have everything they need for their honeymoon with a thoughtful honeymoon gift basket.

Fill the basket with items tailored to their chosen honeymoon destination. For example, include sunscreen, bug spray, beach towels, and sunglasses for a tropical beach honeymoon. Be sure to deliver the basket to the couple ahead of the big day, so they can bring it all along on their honeymoon.

10. Wine/Spirits

For wine connoisseurs, aspiring mixologists, or avid home entertainers, a gift of high-quality wine or spirits will always be appreciated.

For an especially thoughtful gift, buy a bottle that hails from a place that means something to the couple. Try a bottle from their honeymoon or wedding location, or a bottle that comes from their hometown. Alternatively, select several bottles for a highly useful gift basket. Be sure to deliver wine or spirits to the couples’ home instead of transporting them to the wedding.

11. Something Thoughtful

If you’re especially close with the bride and groom, chances are you’re familiar with their hobbies, interests, and lifestyle. For a truly showstopping wedding gift, choose something original that shows how well you know them.

If the bride is a bookworm, consider a book embosser for her home library. If the groom is an avid home chef, try a personalized cutting board or cheeseboard. Celebrate their nuptials – and your friendship – with a heartfelt and thoughtful wedding gift.

FAQ

How Much Should I Spend on a Gift for a Destination Wedding?

Attending a destination wedding is a financial commitment of its own, and you’ve probably paid for flights, hotel accommodations, and wedding attire. Destination couples know – and very much appreciate – the money their guests put into attending their weddings. Avoid getting caught up in how much to spend on a gift – instead, set a gift budget you feel comfortable with and focus on finding a thoughtful gift that celebrates the bond the couple shares.

Do I HAVE to Buy a Gift for a Destination Wedding?

A gift for any wedding is considered customary, but destination weddings can have different etiquette rules. Many destination wedding couples will explicitly state “no gifts,” so feel free to take them at their word. If gifting is more ambiguous, it’s usually courteous to give a gift or a small token.

When Should I Give a Destination Wedding Gift?

Unless your gift is exceptionally small (i.e., cash, gift cards, or something that fits in a VERY small box), give the gift either before or after the wedding. Remember that your gift will have to fit in your luggage, and then be transported home by the bride and groom.

What if You’re Not Attending the Destination Wedding?

This really depends on the nature of your relationship with the bride and groom. Traditional wedding etiquette says that you’re not obligated to buy a gift if you can’t attend the event. However, if you’re especially close with the bride and groom, but can’t attend the wedding, sending a gift is a nice way to acknowledge and celebrate their big day.

Ready to Book Your Destination Wedding?

Are you considering a destination wedding – or know someone who is? Planning the perfect destination wedding doesn’t have to be stressful or overwhelming. To achieve your dream wedding, contact us here to get started today!