DIY wedding gift ideas

If you have been invited to a wedding, maybe you are thinking about what you should wear and what would be the perfect gift. Traditionally, the gift should be something the newlyweds can use to decorate their home. It is not always easy to find the perfect gift, especially since most couples live together before getting married. It is important to show creativity and to choose something the happy couple will like. Making your own wedding gifts is a lovely gesture and something the bride and groom will really appreciate. This will show them how important they are to you. In this article we will show you different wedding gift ideas that you can make yourself with step-by-step instructions.

Creative ideas for giving money as a wedding gift

Weddings can be quite expensive therefore, it is a good idea to help the bride and groom by giving them something they will need. Money is also a great gift idea for the happy couple, but there are ways to make this gift extra special. By getting creative and making something extra special the bride and groom will really appreciate the creativity and lovely gesture.

Here’s what you will need:

• Lightbox or letter board with letters

• Notes

• Ribbon

Here is how to make hearts out of notes

Fold the notes into hearts and attach them to the lightbox or letter board. You can either use 10 Euro notes for the hearts or you can make colourful hearts using different notes. You can easily attach the folded notes with sticky tape. It's best to use double sided tape so that it sticks from both sides.

Method:

1. Start off by folding it once lengthways by placing the bottom edge on top of the top edge. Keep the note folded and then fold it again vertically in the middle by placing the left side onto the right side.

2. Unfold the last fold so that the note is now elongated with the long fold in front of you.

3. Now fold the bottom left corner upwards along the top line. Repeat this step with the lower right corner.

4. Now fold the two upper corners on the left and right backwards to create a heart shape.

5. Go along all the folded seams again with your fingernail to tidy it up so that the heart stays in shape.

Here’s what you will need:

• Deep box frame

• Different notes

• Kraftpaper & a fineliner

• (As an alternative a postcard or a printed picture)

• Decorative ribbon

Making butterflies out of notes

First of all, you need a message for the passepartout on the photo frame. You can either use a postcard with a saying or you could print something out. If you are very good at calligraphy, you could write a message and your best wishes for the bride and groom. Place butterflies made of folded notes around your message. Use lots of colour to give it a bright and creative look.

Instructions on how to fold notes

1. Start off by folding the note lengthways in the middle and putting the lower edge over the upper edge. This will help you with the following steps.

2. Now following the line fold the corners towards the centre so that there is a neatly folded tip both on the left and right side.

3. You should now have the longer side in front of you with the two tips pointing to the left and right. Now fold the banknote back and forth like an accordion.

4. Now bend in the middle and you will have the upper wings ready for your butterfly.

Now get the second note and start making the lower parts of the wings:

1. Turn the note on its side and fold the note backwards and forwards like an accordion. Afterwards fold it in the middle.

2. Now attach the upper and lower parts of the butterfly together using some ribbon or wire.

3. Carefully attach the butterflies to the passepartout with some sticky tape.

How much money should you give as a wedding gift?

This question is not easy to answer. On the one hand, it depends on your financial situation and on the other, it also depends on your relationship with the bride and groom.

As a general rule, you should give an amount that would cover the costs of your food, drink and accommodation. Depending on the wedding this could be between 50 and 90 euros per person. For acquaintances or work colleagues, you don’t need to give as much in comparison to family or friends.

If you are not very close to the bride or groom or depending on your financial situation you do not have to give as much. Alternatively, vouchers can also be a lovely gift if you are not sure about how much money you should give. You can even make your own vouchers.

Alternative ideas for vouchers:

• Babysitting for an evening

• Mowing the lawn in summer

• Organising a barbecue together

• Taxi service to and from the airport for the honeymoon

There is always a lot to do when organising a wedding. Even after the celebration, the bride and groom still have a lot to do. Therefore, as a wedding gift you could help the couple with any tasks that still need completing. For example, you could take care of the design of the guest book.

Even if the newlyweds are not jetting off on their honeymoon straight away you can still give them a lovely gift basket with everything they will need for a cosy night in. You could give the happy couple a high-quality blanket, lovely scented candles and loungewear. Depending on the couple's preferences, you can finish off your gift with a DVD or a box of luxury bath and body products.

Here is what you will need:

Black and white coloured cardboard

• White tissue paper

• Silver paint marker

• Black and white silk ribbon

• Buttons, silk flowers, bows for decoration

• A piece of white lace

• Double sided tape or sticky pads

• A ruler, glue stick, tape and a pair of scissors

Groom’s bottle of wine method:

1. Start off by measuring the height of the bottle of wine all the way up to the bottle neck. Next cut a wide piece of black cardboard. The length of the cardboard needs to be the same size as the circumference of the wine bottle. For most bottles, a length of 25 cm is sufficient.

2. In the middle of the cardboard with a pair of scissors make a V shape. It needs to be about one third of the height. Now add a piece of white tissue paper. This is a basic outline for your groom’s outfit. Using a silver paint marker draw the seams, waistband, button placket and suit collar onto the bottle.

3. You can now spice up the suit with some decorative elements. Buttons and a bow tie always look very smart. To finish off simply place the suit around the bottle and using double sided tape you can stick it onto the bottle of wine.

Bride’s bottle of wine method:

1. Cut out a piece of white cardboard that is the same length as the body of the bottle of wine. Now at the top cut out a slightly curved heart shape as a neckline for the wedding dress.

2. For the skirt part of the wedding dress, cut a strip of white tissue paper that is half the size of the body of the bottle. Wrap it around the wine bottle and then bring it slightly to the top of the skirt. Simply tape the tissue paper onto the bottle. Then cover the tape with silk ribbon so that it is no longer visible.

3. Now decorate the wine bottle with a veil and small flowers and voilà your beautifully wrapped bottle of wine is ready.

Conclusion: getting creative and making your own wedding gifts

On wedding invitations you can usually find out what the bride and groom would like as a wedding gift. If you are unsure, you can ask the best man for advice. When designing and wrapping wedding gifts you should take your time to create something very special. This will impress the bride and groom and show how much effort you have put into their wedding gift.

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References and further information

https://www.hitched.co.uk/wedding-planning/organising-and-planning/money-as-wedding-gift/

(Last accessed on 18/10/2023)

https://www.mcclaincellars.com/store-wine-properly/

(Last accessed on 18/10/2023)