The 17 Best Wedding Day Gift Exchange Presents for Every Type of Couple
These goodies will make your big day even more special. <3
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If you’re in the process of planning a wedding, I don’t have to remind you that there’s a Lot! Of! Shit! To do before the big day. Between choosing a venue and sending out invites to finding your wedding dress and booking your honeymoon destination, it probably feels like your to-do list is never-ending. Amidst the chaos, it’s important to remember the ~reason for the season~ and prioritize private moments with your significant other, which is why we love love love the wedding day gift exchange tradition.
Whether you want to give your S.O. something sentimental that they’ll remember forever like a vow book, a chic accessory they can wear during the ceremony like cufflinks, or something that’ll set the tone for your first year of marriage like an adventure challenge book, this is your opportunity to get creative and choose something more meaningful than the necessities on your wedding registry.
Below, you'll find the 17 best wedding day gift exchange presents and ideas for every type of couple and price point, plus plenty of expert advice about how to choose a gift your bride or groom will cherish forever (and actually use!). So go on and click "add to cart" on anything that speaks to your heart.
If you offer to buy your bride’s wedding day earrings, that’s one less thing she has to worry about. And if she's a little bit skeptical, just say you're ordering a pair from Jennifer Behr–I guarantee she'll oblige.
Love traveling with your partner? This personalized vintage-inspired map (which comes with 100 pushpins to mark your fave vacation destinations and special spots) will set the tone for a lifetime of adventure.
Put a few super senti momentos in this fancy gold box, then give it to your partner before the ceremony. (Warning: May induce the waterworks.)
This customizable message in a bottle is a wedding day gift idea that'll have the tears flowing and the hopeless romantics swooning (for under $10!!!). Aside from the glass-corked bottle, each order also includes a small paper rose, a parchment paper scroll, and a horseshoe charm.
Channel the one and only Hailey Bieber at your reception with a custom leather jacket (and gift one to your honey on the morning of your big day if ya want to match!).
Complete with wedding vow writing tips and 10 practice pages, these books are a great gift to exchange with your partner a few weeks before the wedding (especially if they've got a bit of writer's block). "Thankfully we had them because we actually didn’t know how to write vows and it really takes you step-by-step," one reviewer wrote. "We felt much more confident using these books."
This gift will help you and your boo kick off marriage with a bang. It's filled with a year's worth (!!!) of adventurous date ideas, plus an instant film camera so you can capture each moment.
There's a good chance your bride has this trendy acrylic clutch on their wishlist, as it's perfect for the rehearsal dinner, the reception, or even the honeymoon.
Ummm, did you really think I'd leave champagne off this list?!
Nothing says "I love you" quite like a handwritten letter. But unfortunately, not all of us were blessed with a steady hand and good penmanship—this customizable calligraphy card is the next best thing.
Decanters are special yet practical gifts that keep on giving. This iridescent one (which is inspired by heirloom glassware) is so much prettier than anything that's already on their bar cart.
Montblanc Pix Cufflinks
If you're marrying someone who's hard to shop for, consider gifting them a gorgeous pair of cufflinks that they'll be able to keep forever. These Montblanc ones make for the perfect wedding day accessory.
Want a chic and subtle way to commemorate your nuptials? A print of your wedding venue coordinates should do the trick!
Your groom probably already has special cigars on deck for his special day—this custom engraved humidor will keep 'em fresh all weekend long.
If you're marrying a Virgo, this wedding keepsake box will get their organizational senses tingling. Believe me. It features a library-like system—complete with drawers and illustrated labels—to preserve wedding photos, invitations, vows, and anything else you and your partner will want to look back on after the wedding.
You really can't go wrong with white sapphire—and a trio situation is even better.
Give your partner a pretty place to display their new wedding ring with these personalized jewelry trays! You get to choose between four different font colors and can order up to 500 dishes (yes, 500!).
Do brides and grooms exchange gifts?
Short answer: It's a nice gesture, but it's totally optional!
Long answer: Etiquette expert Lizzie Post says, "It's not even necessarily a tradition that you have to participate in, but if you do, I think it's really sweet." So if you're down to make your big day that much more special, gift your partner something super thoughtful and sentimental. "There are a lot of ways to make it incredibly personal to you and your partner," Post goes on to say. "And I think that's what's really special about it."
What's the best gift for brides and grooms?
There are about a million different ways you can go here, of course, and some of them depend on your partner's personality. But when in doubt, renowned wedding planner Sharon Sacks of Sacks Productions says gifting a family heirloom with a handwritten note is "simply irreplaceable."
Since the last thing you want to do is stress your bride or groom out even more on their big day (😅), when and how you exchange presents is important.
"The gift should be given to them after they are ready and shortly before walking down the aisle, allowing them to have it in their possession when they are feeling most special and during the most memorable parts of their day," Sacks explains.
How do I choose the best wedding day gift exchange present?
As mentioned before, wedding day gift exchanges are personal to each couple. But if you're totally stumped on what to buy, Sacks suggests choosing "something personalized that'll last a lifetime," while Post says to avoid gag gifts or anything that could be embarrassing, frustrating, or a little too personal. "People are often stressed out on their wedding day," Post explains, "So they might not even be in a place to receive a joke well."
When it comes to how much you should spend on a gift for your partner, it's all about what makes sense for your budget and wedding (don't stress yourself out by spending above your means!).
Hanna Flanagan is an associate shopping editor at Cosmopolitan, sharing her recommendations for everything from denim and eye creams to coffee mugs and silk sheets. Before joining Cosmopolitan, she wrote fashion, beauty, and lifestyle content at People (so, yes, she’s basically a professional product tester at this point). Follow her on Instagram for photos of Timothée Chalamet and #OOTD mirror pics.
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