OT - Wedding Gift Question

[TPCShauna]

I know this is totally OT for this thread but I feel comfortable asking y'all this question vs. the scary CB.

A longtime friend (and ex-girlfriend) of DH is getting married next month. I was chatting with her about registries and she basically said that they registered for some random stuff that they really don't need because her mom was pressuring her to register. She is in her early-30s (with a household of stuff) and has recently moved in with her DF who had a whole household of stuff and they (in her own words) are not very formal people so don't need matchy-matchy everything.

DH wants to spend around $60 and we have been scouring her lists for a gift but haven't really seen anything we want to give.

Here's my question: My CMC does the Creative Memories framing. I thought about getting the couple a GC for $60 to have one of their wedding photos/invitation/whatever professionally framed. Does this sound like an OK gift? She would be able to get an 8x10 framed and matted for around $100 so this would pay most of it.

What do y'all think?

 

[marlynnp]

I would just get them a nice picture frame or two. I wouldn't give something that requires them to spend additional money.

 

[AlexWyattMommy]

Do you have an invitation? Could you do a shadow box with it yourself?

My sister received two (one shadow, one regular frame) back when she got married, 15 years ago & she still has them displayed among the family portrait wall.

 

[maria34a]

I agree with not having them spend extra money on a gift, even though its a very nice gift. You could instead get them the Creative Memories Wedding Album, which is absolutly beautiful and offer to help her design it with photos of her wedding! That would be a gift she would keep forever!

 

[TPCShauna]

She "hates" scrapbooking and thinks it is an "old lady" craft so an album is out. I had thought about doing the Storybook/box/whatever thing too but I'm figuring she probably won't use it.

The only copy of her invite that I have is bent and folded (which is how I received it) so I can't have that framed.

I guess I'll go back to the drawing board. We just have no idea what to get her and I really thought the framing was a nice idea.

Thanks for your input!

 

[maria34a]

Ok then for the people who have everything and don't like scrapping!!! (Can't understand that) but whatever! A gift certificate to a great restaurant that they normally wouldn't go to because it's too fancy, or too expensive? Something they can use as a treat for themselves!!!
You can even get them a massage for 2 at a day spa? Something different that is not for the house. Put your thinking cap on!!!! Find out if they would like to take lessons doing something and get them the first 3 or 5 weeks or whatever $60.00 can buy you! That way they can see if they like it or not and can continue on!!! Sometimes $60.00 can buy 2 memberships to a heath club for a year? Maybe they would like that? If not a year then 6 months? Whatever, it's still a fun idea! Different too! That's the whole idea, they don't want "things", so go with fun ideas for them to DO together!

 

[ddavis860]

I have a totally different take on it. Since she isn't a "formal" type person, how about a gift card to someplace that she goes to all the time? We just gave friends who have everything a gift card to the resturant that they always go to. It was a huge hit, because they don't have to pay for 1 meal, and I know it will get used.

Honestly, I have a non scrappy friend, and I gave her a special album after her wedding. Inside were the pics that the "friends" took at the wedding/reception. We all had our digitals there, and they all sent me the pics. I printed them out and did a grouping for each "friend's" camera with a simple title..."Kathy's Pics", "Debbie's Pics", etc. There were lots of extra pages, and she said that she has used it for all the extra pics that people sent her. It is a less formal album than the photographers one, and she said it is one of her fav gifties. This was just a special post gift for a close friend.

 

[vanyel]

I like the gift card/restaurant idea, especially since they say they don't need anything. I've also done baskets including wine, 2 beautiful glasses, candles, and non-perishable treats for people that don't need anything.

 

[TPCShauna]

This girl can only be considered a casual acquaintance of mine and she IS DH's ex-girlfriend so I really am only willing to spend so much time on this. I thought the GC for framing would be something different but nice. I'd have to do an ENORMOUS amount of research to find out anything about her interests, the restaurants she goes to regularly, if she has a health club membership, etc.

I'm being perfectly honest here when I say that I'm willing to go to the wedding because she is a friend of DH's and she's a nice girl and we have dinner with her once every 3 years or so but I'm not willing to investigate in any depth to find a gift. I thought the framing GC would be a nice gift because she could pick something out to frame but I guess we'll just get her a GC to the place where she has her registry.

Thanks for everyone's input.

 

[MomOf2DisneyKids]

I like your idea of the gc to where she has her registry.
honestly, while the frame is a very nice idea, I would worry that she might 'waste' your gc to the CMC by not using it if she didn't want to spend the extra $40