Scott Pierson, pictured with his husband, says one of his favorite wedding gifts was a photo of their special day mounted on canvas
Take the time to think about the couple before buying a wedding present
TAMMYE NASH | Managing Editor
nash@dallasvoice.comz
Got a wedding coming up and need to get a gift for the couple? You can always find their registry at some big-box chain and buy them another place setting in their chosen china pattern. Or maybe the ever-so-personal gift card.
But with just a little time and effort, says gift-buying expert Scott Pierson, you can probably find a gift that will be a heart-warming reminder of a beautiful day for years to come.
“When we are trying to choose the right wedding gift for someone, we don’t want to get them something they will never use or won’t like, said Pierson, who said he loves shopping and loves getting people things they like.
“Couples getting married get a lot of gifts, and I know from personal experience that a lot of those gifts will probably end up on a shelf in the garage or the attic.”
But your gift doesn’t have to be one relegated to the attic or garage, he insists. “Just listen to people when they talk about things that they like, things that mean something to them. And then keep that in mind for when gift-buying time rolls around.”
Even if your tasked with buying a gift for a distant relative or a coworker you aren’t that close to, a little effort goes a long way. “Even then, you know something about at least one person in the couple if you are being invited to the wedding,” he said. “And it’s not that hard to find out more. I know that I am a Facebook ‘stalker.’ I pay attention to the things they post about, the things they say they like and they want.’ That’s one way to get something they will really like.”
One sure-fire way to get just the right gift is to focus on something that has a beautiful meaning and a personal touch, Pierson suggested.
“One of the most beautiful things we got for our wedding was a photo [of me and my husband] together, mounted on canvas,” he said. “That photo hangs above the bed in our bedroom, and every day I see it, and every day it is a reminder of what was one of the best and most beautiful days in our lives.
“See, we actually eloped. We got married before it was legal everywhere. We lived in Florida at the time, and we went to Connecticut to get married. It was just the two of us, and we had a photographer,” he explained. “My sister got one of those photos from our wedding and had it made into a canvas print. It was super thoughtful. She even had part of our wedding vows included on the canvas, and that was something that added that special, personal touch that made it mean even more.”
Obviously, when you are buying a wedding gift for a same-sex couple, you want to make sure that you are spending your money with a company that supports equality, right? I mean, what same-sex couple wants a gift from Hobby Lobby or a Chick-fil-A gift card?
“It’s all about the research,” Pierson says. “You can get on companies’ websites and see what they stand for before spending money with them. Some people are very vocal about where they stand on certain issues, and that is something we as consumers should be aware of, especially when we are buying for an LGBTQ couple.”
There are certain websites that let a couple create a registry featuring gifts from companies that align with their personal beliefs and values. Pierson recommends Zola.com which, he says, is super-inclusive and “allows you to link the exact product that you want to buy for the couple.”
Remember, Pierson says, the act of buying a wedding gift in itself is a celebration of the love the couple shares.
So buy something that you feel will commemorate that love and be meaningful to them.
“You want to find something that will be meaningful to them, but remember also that the ‘meaningful’ gift is not always what costs the most. It is what means the most, the gift that shows them you took the time to think about who they are and what would mean the most to them.
“A wedding is a celebration of the love between two people. You want to give them a gift that reflects that,”
Pierson concluded. “The perfect gift is that thing that people will back on and say, ‘Wow. I never realized that is something that would be so special to us as the year go by.’”
Scott Pierson is with CanvasPrints.com.
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