A long-gone tradition in weddings is making its way back—the giving of gifts between brides and grooms.
If you're reading this article, you're most likely one of the more than 800,000 couples who have gotten engaged since Thanksgiving and are just now starting to plan your wedding. If so, note to self: Tradition holds that you both exchange wedding presents with one another.
(No, groom, the engagement ring doesn't count.)
That being said, now what?
"Gifts should come from the heart," says WeddingChannel.com.
That statement can potentially cover much territory, so here are some tips to keep in mind whether you two opt for some type of jewelry (the traditional and most popular choice) or something else entirely.
• Practicality has its place, but not here. Etiquette governs that gifts are exchanged either: the night before the wedding, the morning of the ceremony, or before you leave on your honeymoon. You can see how this has the potential for disaster of Chernobyl proportions if the groom's idea of practical is, say, a toaster.
• Personal is appreciated. One of the best examples we've heard of is a groom-to-be who had a photographer secretly capture the moment he proposed in New York's Central Park, and then presented the picture to his bride on the day of their wedding.
"So cute!" read a typical blog post.
The downside, of course, is that pulling off something like this requires imagination and planning.
• Jewelry doesn't have to be boring. Case in point: The very hot trend of Argyle diamonds (www.diamondswithastory.com), which fulfills the quest of even the most eco-minded couples for diamond fashion jewelry, since the stones are produced in a socially and environmentally responsible way from the Argyle mine in Australia. In addition, the stones come in gorgeous neutral shades like champagne, cognac, silver and gray.
"If your bride likes something different from what all her friends have," says jewelry and style expert Michael O'Connor, "then the Argyle diamond bracelets, necklaces, and earrings are perfect and available at many retailers across the country—I've even spotted women at gyms wearing the diamond pendants. And the cufflinks for men are truly elegant."
Perhaps because prices start at just a few hundred dollars for some pieces, O'Connor calls them "the ideal gateway gift" in that, you can use other occasions such as birthdays and anniver-saries to add to your spouses collection.
Yes, brides and grooms, you'll soon have to start planning your next milestone together.
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