The groomsman gift is your way of saying thank you: for renting the tuxedo, ushering Great Aunt Edna down the aisle, and not saying anything obscene during the reception toast. Here are some simple groomsman gift ideas. (And get more great groomsman gift ideas in The Knot Wedding Shop.)
Look for something you wish you had, but could never picture buying for yourself. For example, when was the last time you purchased a velvet smoking jacket or a hand-carved pipe? Go for something luxurious, but hold back a little: If you buy something
too outrageous, your groomsmen may never use it.
Remember, you
don't have to break
the bank to show
your gratitude.
Go for guy things -- it's as easy as that. A silver or leather flask is one of the all-time greatest groomsman gifts: classic, yet occasionally practical, with an unabashed male-bonding quality that's hard to beat for it's price.
Don't get anything that has your blushing bride's signature on it. The groomsman gift is your final good-bye to bachelor life -- a last token high five. Make sure your buddies can tell the present comes from you.
You should avoid gifts that are excessively flamboyant, ridiculously cheap, or still breathing -- but this doesn't mean you have to choose something boring. If you're absolutely positive your college roommate would forgo oxygen for a "My Buddy Got Married and All I Got Was This Stupid T-Shirt" rag, by all means buy it.
The best and easiest way to ensure your gift has that personal touch is to add a monogram. A well-placed set of initials can spice up even the most ordinary wallet, cigar case, or cuff link.
Remember that your gift needn't be something you can hold. If you've got a groomsman whose idea of fun involves training for that next triathlon, perhaps a mini membership to a gym or a few hours with a personal trainer would suit him. And, of course, a ticket to a sporting event is usually a hit.
Like the rest of your posse's loot, your best man's gift should say, in a personal and generous manner, "Thanks for helping make my walk down the plank so trouble-free and memorable." That means ballpoint pens are out and engraved humidors, round-trip tickets to Vegas, and courtside basketball tickets are in.
Still, you don't have to break the bank to show your gratitude. If your B.M. was a frat brother, a hearty dinner for two at an old hangout followed by a single malt scotch or Jaegermeister shot is an excellent gesture before the wedding day. Once again, the more personalized the effort, the more meaningful the message.
-- Robert Mortiz
See More: Your Groomsmen
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cyantis
We got our boys all white Ohio State football hats with their names embroidered and the whole bridal party all got aviators :-) Everyone wore them to the reception (we had white tuxes) and it looked SWEET! - they LOVED them!!
kbdragon
For geeky groomsmen I suggest monogrammed flash drives (memory stick, whatever you call them). The guys love them, and you can never have too many. The only problem my geeky FI has with the idea - he received one from his now best man when my FI was best man in his wedding! Now he needs to find something else! Help!
cher727
I think giving a personalized gift is a win-win situation. We got caricatures from www.giveacaricature.com, they were great and all the guys loved them! We could include a special thing for each guy and the artist incorporated that into the artwork.
katie.mark
mzumwinkel - I honestly couldn't have said it better myself! I'm curious if you've decided on groomsmen gifts yet and - if so - what you decided to go with? Many people on the community boards suggest gift cards at the store that you know each individual shops at - therefore it shows some thought (as opposed to getting a generic Visa Gift Card for all). I'm torn on whether I like that idea or not...
mzumwinkel
The biggest problem that I have with this article is that the majority of the advice is targeted towards people who have groomsmen that a) smoke cigars, b) drink anything out of flasks, and c) would have any occasion to wear cuff-links. I don't understand why every single online article I can find has cuff-links and monogrammed stuff. The budget for my wedding is under $6,000 and all of my groomsmen are geeks and nerds. The stuff that's being recommended (and sold) is primarily for jocks, business men, and prep school graduates. I suppose the basic principle of "the more personalized the effort, the more meaningful the message," but is the some way to expand the message to reach a broader audience? Where does a guy go for groomsmen gifts for the college buddy (NOT fellow frat boy) geek best man? Or the still in high school future brother-in-law? I can guarantee you my future mother-in-law would ring my neck if I gave him a flask.