THE GIFTS

Regardless of whether you've decided to head down the self-managed or professoinally managed gift list route, there is one set of important decisions that still need to be made - what gifts will appear on it?

So, if we put our traditional hat on for a moment, we can conclude that the couple currently live separately, usually with their own parents, and their gift list will compile loads of items that are essentials for the impending co-habitation upon return from honeymoon.

Now if we remove the traditional hat and replace it with one that paints a more accurate picture of 21st century living, then it's much more than likely the couple will already be living together. With this in mind, the chances of them chomping at the bit for a toaster are relatively small!

The point we are trying to make is that times, lifestyles and fashions change, and these days you are just as likely to see cold hard cash on a gift list as you are a set of stainless steel pans! With this in mind, when choosing the items that will appear on the gift list, wed suggest that you bear the following hree golden rules in mind: 

1.      Be realistic and think about your guests.
If most of your guests are average earners, then cramming your gift list full of items that soar well into hundreds of pounds is pointless. Wedding guests in the UK will on average spend anywhere between £25 and £100 on gifts for the happy couple, so unless you are mixing with the high-rollers pay close attention to this figure.

2.      Ask for what you want, not what you feel you should be asking for.
If the only thing missing in your life is a state of the art home multimedia system then ask for it. Guests are not always at ease blindly handing over a cheque – many prefer to buy an actual gift. However, if guests know they are contributing towards the purchase of a named high-price item, then they will feel much more comfortable getting the chequebook out. Likewise, if what you are after is a little bit ‘different’ then don’t feel ashamed to ask – after all, Ann Summers is a high street chain these days you know!