The Wedding Gift

My sister-in-law is getting married in two weeks.  Or less.  And I don’t have a gift.

I looked at the registry and didn’t see one single thing I was even remotely attracted to.  My sister-in-law has great (and oftentimes expensive) taste, so I’m inclined to think that it’s just the nature of the wedding registry.  You pick household things that you need, or register by tradition, and that is that.

But think on it for a second – if you’ve been married and registered for gifts, do you know who gave you what?  I have a mind like a steel trap when it comes to presents and where things came from, but I don’t have the foggiest clue who bought us which dishes, and to be totally honest, who didn’t buy us a present at all.

I do, however, remember who gave us the gifts that weren’t on the registry.  We have a small tapestry that was given to us by a family friend, and a beautiful cloth that came from my brother-in-law and his wife.  My mom gave us a dragon fountain for the yard (which we still haven’t made spit water… sorry mom!).    Those are the ones that I remember offhand.  Who gave us our glasses? Who gave us our plates?  I couldn’t tell you, and I’m sure most couples who are a few years out from their weddings would have the same experience.

So all that to say, a wedding, in my mind, is a special occasion, and it deserves to be commemorated (and gifted) accordingly.  One gift that I didn’t mention above was a decanter from Kevin’s childhood best friend (though I think it may have been his wife’s idea) with a little drawing from our wedding invitation on it. It was personal, memorable, and we will always treasure it.

My sister-in-law and her fiancé have a winery and they seem to carry wine with wherever they go.   I can’t think of a better gift than a handmade wine tote (two bottle, of course) with the graphic from their save the date cards on it.  Or maybe the winery logo.  I haven’t gotten that far yet.  Right now I’m still working out the specifics of the design.

Initially I was thinking of something like this:

 

But after a little Google searching, I found that a fair number don’t actually close at the top. I think it’s probably not necessary for the top to close if the wine is securely in the case, and it may make for a more modern look over-all.

I like the look of the handles on this one:

But it would need to be a two-bottle holder.  It also has a less, oh, I don’t know, old snobby wine feel to it? It is a bit more modern, and would go better with my sister-in-law’s Pink Glitter Toms.   It’s not quite as modern as the Urban 2-Bottle Wine Carrier (below) but I think that’s a good thing.  I have a hard time seeing the flap style being carried by a man. 

 

So I am off to create a design that works for men and women, is personalized, more on the modern end of style, functional, and beautiful.  And oh yeah, memorable. 

Kevin thinks the work that I put into it will be lost and that it won’t be appreciated.  I am not convinced.   You see, here’s my fundamental philosophy on gift-giving:  you have to present the recipient with something you’re really, truly, proud to give.  If you’re just buying off the registry, and it is something you’re unenthusiastic about, you might as well just write them a check.  Ultimately, I believe in giving something you love to someone you love.  You have a much better shot at the gift being a treasured one, and they will always remember it is from you.

Off to wrap packages, and design a wine tote…

Cheers,

Caitlin