Whether your wedding was traditional or informal and whether it took place recently or many moons ago, what made your wedding gifts truly memorable was not their cost or where they came from, but the generosity and love that they represented. 



We spoke to several brides who were eager to share their most memorable wedding gifts and why they stood out from the pack.


1. Honeymoon registry

"The best gift we received at our wedding was that our friends and family fully embraced our wedding registry. Having lived together for several years, we didn't need household items, so we opted for a trip registry where people could choose to contribute to elements of our honeymoon, such as surfing lessons, a safari excursion, etc.

We were thrilled at the overwhelmingly positive response! Thanks to our friends and family, we were able to enjoy a three-week trip of a lifetime to South Africa that we will never forget."

-- Jennie, married six months, Ottawa


2. Long-lasting wedding gift

"For our wedding, my aunt gave us a beautiful pink wool blanket. It was very thick, and I knew it was very expensive. It must have cost at least $80, which at that time was a very pricey wedding gift. That was 30 years ago, and I still use it every winter."

-- Leah, married 31 years, Thunder Bay, Ont.


3. Wedding cupcakes

"One of my most memorable wedding gifts was my mom's best friend baking our 175 wedding cupcakes: Cherry chip, my favourite! She made them all by hand the day before the wedding and then drove for two hours the morning of -- and they were perfect. So much more personal than a store-bought cake."

-- Sara, married 1.5 years, Belleville, Ont.


4. Traditional wedding wardrobe

"One of the best gifts we received at our wedding was seeing our family from Sweden dressed in their traditional formal wear at the ceremony. Not only did they travel the furthest distance to attend, they made room in their suitcases for the outfits and committed to wearing them even though they included heavy coats for the men and it was a very hot July evening. We were so touched -- it really showed how important they considered our wedding day to be."

-- Jamie, married 1.5 years, Ottawa


More brides share their most memorable wedding gifts on page 2.

5. Family essentials

"When I got married in the early 1970s, wedding showers were very different -- especially in rural Nova Scotia. In addition to quality sheets and towels (that would last until the last child left the nest) a few items for the much-anticipated baby were included. It was considered a show of good wishes that the marriage would be blessed with children."

-- Florence, married 30 years, Cape Breton, N.S.


6. Off-registry wedding gift 

"One wedding gift stands out in my mind because I am usually totally against buying art or personal things for people unless the couple has registered for them. A cousin of my husband's bought us a set of dishes that we were not too crazy about. But eight years later, those dishes have really grown on me and I am so glad they went 'off registry!'"

-- Angie, married eight years, Courtice, Ont.


7. Kitchen gadget wedding cake

"The best gift we received was a giant three-tiered "wedding cake" that my aunt had built out of hatboxes, hand-painted and decorated, and filled entirely with kitchen gadgets. It included useful items such as a folding colander, special fruit and vegetable bags, a garlic peeler, a quesadilla maker and so much more. It was so unique and thoughtful, and we still use at least one item from that 'cake' on a daily basis."

-- Tara, married 3.5 years, Ottawa


8. Crystal glasses

"My most treasured wedding gift is the set of 12 crystal wine goblets we got from various family and friends. We use the glasses for mostly special occasions, but more and more we'll select them over our 'everyday' wine glasses, even if it's just the two of us. They provide just the right amount of sophistication, whether it's a fancy "foodie" dinner party or Chinese takeout. And each time we use them I am reminded of how lucky I am to have married a man who didn't tell me I was crazy to want a set of crystal wine glasses!"

-- Heidi, married six years, Ottawa


9. An anniversary wedding

"The best wedding gift I received was our daughter getting married on our 39th wedding anniversary. They announced our milestone and played our wedding song -- Anne Murray's 'Could I Have This Dance' -- so that we could recreate our own first dance surrounded by family and friends once again."

-- Jean, married 39 years, Bloomfield, Ont.


10. Memories created
"It's often said that years down the road you will look at wedding gifts as reminders of your young love and those who supported the two of you as a couple. I'm not a sentimentalist or a materialist, but it is true.

Every spring when the weather warms up, I set up a picnic outside and we use this lovely lemonade pitcher with tiny etchings, a gift from my best friend's mother. A quilt lying over my couch was made by one of my husband's best friends together with his wife. A few dear friends chipped in on a weekend for us at Tremblant and whenever we return I think of their lovely gesture and of how generous those friends were."

-- Diana, married eight years, Ottawa

Plan the most beautiful wedding you can imagine with expert tips and helpful advice from our special wedding planning guide.