Groomsmen / best man gifts?

[sna77]

I know there are mainly brides here, but figured I’d ask for some help anyhow… I need serious help picking groomsmen gifts… So here goes… Thanks in advance for any ideas… Oh, budget is probably around $150 person…

I have 9 groomsmen, including my best man. My best man has been my best friend since I was about 12. I’m probably going to get him a watch (this doesn’t count as part of the budget)… I know he’s always wanted a Breitling, but if I can’t find a decent pre-owned one I may need other ideas…

I have 3 brother-in-laws (2 future brother in laws) as part of the wedding party… My sister’s husband I’ve taken care of already—I’m giving him my old watch (it’s actually a lot nicer than it sounds, haha). My FI bought me a new watch for a wedding gift, so I sent my old watch to Tag Heuer to be professionally refurbished.
So... that leaves 7 groomsmen. The 2 future-brother-in-laws live in NJ, and the 5 remaining all live in Boston…

What to do for them? I’m the last of my friends to get married so most of the good ideas have been taken already… One of my friends got us all tickets to U2, one of my friends took us to this Indy go-cart racing thing, and one of my friends got us custom bats engraved bats… Something that everyone could do together would be cool for the Boston crew, but I still have the out-of-towners to deal with as well… ugh.

 

[neatfreak]

Can I just ask if your sister''s husband has asked for your old watch? Otherwise, unless it is sentimental for some reason, that seems like an odd gift...

Could you use the $ towards all you can eat seats at your favorite sporting event or something? My DH bought nice cigars for his best man. He really enjoyed that.

I''ll keep thinking for you!

 

[sna77]

Date: 4/9/2008 6:38:52 PM
Author: neatfreak
Can I just ask if your sister''s husband has asked for your old watch? Otherwise, unless it is sentimental for some reason, that seems like an odd gift...

Could you use the $ towards all you can eat seats at your favorite sporting event or something? My DH bought nice cigars for his best man. He really enjoyed that.

I''ll keep thinking for you!

re: watch? Really? I thought it was kinda a cool idea... Mr sister has an absurd Rolex from a previous boyfriend... Her and her husband don''t have a lot right now, and I know she mentioned that he needed a watch a while back... My old watch was the gift I bought myself when i graduated college--an automatic Tag Heuer (sport watch)... It was around $1500 I believe, and I''d hate to trade it in and get pennies on the dollar for it when i could give him something I know he''d really like (it''d actually be a perfect kind of watch for him--he''s an athletic trainer)...

re: cigars. We have an authentic Cuban (person) rolling cigars at our wedding, so that might me kinda overkill on the stoggies...

The sporting event idea might be the way to go for the Boston guys... Maybe I could get a box for one night or something... hmm...

 

[CrownJewel]

How about an old fashioned barber experience...it''s different from sending the guys to a spa, but it''s still pampering. The Art of Shaving

My FI and his friends love fancy sporty sunglasses. They get really upset when they lose them.

Swiss Army knives? My FI''s brother is a tech-y guy, and for his birthday one year we got him a crazy tech tool swiss army knife for a little over $100. But then it was confiscated at the airport.

This other gift would only be cool if your friends don''t already invest in stocks. My friend bought his best friends a share of Nike or something like that from oneshare.com. I don''t really understand why it''s so cool, but they loved it.

Or you could get them this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10326.asp?promo=extraordinary

Or this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10343.asp?promo=extraordinary

 

[CrownJewel]

ptth. Clearly that photo did not work.

 

[bee*]

D''s getting his groomsmen an adventure day out type thing. They''re going go-carting, paint balling and another couple of things and then out on the town.

 

[buttercup80]

I don''t need a kayak for any reason at all, but that picture makes me want one! It looks so nice! I just want a day at the beach after this never-ending winter!

 

[golden]

For the NJ guys- are they into hockey or the NJ Devils? They are currently in the play-offs, you can get tickets for the play-offs or the final game (if they don''t make it to the final game you get your money back) You can even have a car service pick them up and take them to the game and then the car can take them home. You can really get tickets to any of the games, they are playing the ny rangers so any of the games would be good and the games are being played in nj and nyc. There is also a restaurant there and you can watch the game from there, so you can set them up with reservations.

As for your refurbished watch, it''s a really nice thought, but it''s still a "hand me down" and especially if they can''t afford that type of watch. I also wouldn''t get a used watch for anyone either, not as a gift.

 

[jmtomaui]

I''m assuming they each have a favorite professional team? Regardless of the different sports, you could get them each a personalized jersey from that team?

And about the watch, I have a Tag as does my husband, and we LOVE them! I know Tag will put it in mint condition. No one looking at it would know it had been refurbished.

I have a couple of ideas on this. Ask your sister how he would feel about it? If she thinks it is a good idea, then you are set! Or maybe sell it to her for the pennies on the dollar to give to him as a gift at some point? Then you could get him the same jersey?

 

[violet02]

Date: 4/10/2008 11:15:27 AM
Author: CrownJewel
How about an old fashioned barber experience...it''s different from sending the guys to a spa, but it''s still pampering. The Art of Shaving

My FI and his friends love fancy sporty sunglasses. They get really upset when they lose them.

Swiss Army knives? My FI''s brother is a tech-y guy, and for his birthday one year we got him a crazy tech tool swiss army knife for a little over $100. But then it was confiscated at the airport.

This other gift would only be cool if your friends don''t already invest in stocks. My friend bought his best friends a share of Nike or something like that from oneshare.com. I don''t really understand why it''s so cool, but they loved it.

Or you could get them this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10326.asp?promo=extraordinary

Or this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10343.asp?promo=extraordinary

What an interesting idea! A share of stock! Almost all of us in in the bridal party etc work in the tech industry. We could buy them all a share of stock in the company we work for! Although our stock value kind of sucks haha.

 

[golden]

Mont Blanc also has some really nice money clips, they are very classy and elegant and I haven't seen anyone else with them.
I don't know if this link will work, but the money clips are under mens jewelry and then money clips and then click the meisterst collection. I had purchased my boyfriend this money clip in hematite, it was a really nice, but he dropped it and the stone fell out, and when I went to get a new one, Mont Blanc had discontinued it, so I got him the mother of pearl one and it's just as nice, I really like the black and platinum plated one as well. Maybe you can get their initials on the bottom back of the money clip.

http://www.montblanc-us.com/products/meisterst_ck_solitaire_money_clip.03804.php

 

[sumbride]

We did different gifts for all our groomsmen, from a best buy giftcard for the 15 year old to a wine chiller, but by far, my favorite was the meat package.

Yes, the meat package.

done laughing??

we live near an organic farm and they offer different packages of steaks and burgers and such, all vacuum sealed and frozen. Kind of like Kansas City steaks, but on a much smaller scale... they packages have carcass numbers on them! The groomsmen that received this gift was ecstatic! It was about $100, but they had options that would have been much more. If you don''t have a place like this near you, I know this place will ship further... it just costs more.

 

[sna77]

Date: 4/10/2008 1:20:14 PM
Author: jmtomaui
I''m assuming they each have a favorite professional team? Regardless of the different sports, you could get them each a personalized jersey from that team?

And about the watch, I have a Tag as does my husband, and we LOVE them! I know Tag will put it in mint condition. No one looking at it would know it had been refurbished.

I have a couple of ideas on this. Ask your sister how he would feel about it? If she thinks it is a good idea, then you are set! Or maybe sell it to her for the pennies on the dollar to give to him as a gift at some point? Then you could get him the same jersey?

Spoke with the sister about it, and she thinks its a fabulous idea (consulted her before dropping the $300 to have made look like new)... She wanted to buy him one herself, but alas is a poor dolphin trainer...

 

[sna77]

Date: 4/10/2008 1:27:26 PM
Author: violet02

Date: 4/10/2008 11:15:27 AM
Author: CrownJewel
How about an old fashioned barber experience...it''s different from sending the guys to a spa, but it''s still pampering. The Art of Shaving

My FI and his friends love fancy sporty sunglasses. They get really upset when they lose them.

Swiss Army knives? My FI''s brother is a tech-y guy, and for his birthday one year we got him a crazy tech tool swiss army knife for a little over $100. But then it was confiscated at the airport.

This other gift would only be cool if your friends don''t already invest in stocks. My friend bought his best friends a share of Nike or something like that from oneshare.com. I don''t really understand why it''s so cool, but they loved it.

Or you could get them this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10326.asp?promo=extraordinary

Or this...http://www.hammacher.com/publish/10343.asp?promo=extraordinary

What an interesting idea! A share of stock! Almost all of us in in the bridal party etc work in the tech industry. We could buy them all a share of stock in the company we work for! Although our stock value kind of sucks haha.

My friends are all accountants / investment bankers... They need to buy ME some stock. haaaaa. But a brilliant idea though.

 

[sna77]

Date: 4/10/2008 3:19:07 PM
Author: sumbride
We did different gifts for all our groomsmen, from a best buy giftcard for the 15 year old to a wine chiller, but by far, my favorite was the meat package.

Yes, the meat package.

done laughing??

we live near an organic farm and they offer different packages of steaks and burgers and such, all vacuum sealed and frozen. Kind of like Kansas City steaks, but on a much smaller scale... they packages have carcass numbers on them! The groomsmen that received this gift was ecstatic! It was about $100, but they had options that would have been much more. If you don''t have a place like this near you, I know this place will ship further... it just costs more.

This is actually interesting... My parents actually ship Omaha Steaks to friends in Europe, and lobsters from Legal Sea Foods to friends on the West Coast... Whats the web site for your organic company??


Thanks everyone for the ideas. These are really interesteing!

 

[sumbride]

Date: 4/10/2008 3:29:00 PM
Author: sna77

Date: 4/10/2008 3:19:07 PM

Author: sumbride

We did different gifts for all our groomsmen, from a best buy giftcard for the 15 year old to a wine chiller, but by far, my favorite was the meat package.


Yes, the meat package.

done laughing??


we live near an organic farm and they offer different packages of steaks and burgers and such, all vacuum sealed and frozen. Kind of like Kansas City steaks, but on a much smaller scale... they packages have carcass numbers on them! The groomsmen that received this gift was ecstatic! It was about $100, but they had options that would have been much more. If you don''t have a place like this near you, I know this place will ship further... it just costs more.

This is actually interesting... My parents actually ship Omaha Steaks to friends in Europe, and lobsters from Legal Sea Foods to friends on the West Coast... Whats the web site for your organic company??



Thanks everyone for the ideas. These are really interesteing!

It''s Roseda Farms.

 

[Elmorton]

This is a less personal idea, but DH gave his groomsmen leather valet trays that were personalized with their initials. I bought DH one awhile later from pottery barn:http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p8036/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C20%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cleather%20valet&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

They''re on sale now, so they could be perhaps combined with another smaller gift to fit your price range. Another idea since they''re all businessmen might be one of those leather docking stations - Sharper Image has them, and many stores are going out of business so big sales.

 

[sna77]

Date: 4/10/2008 3:32:14 PM
Author: Elmorton
This is a less personal idea, but DH gave his groomsmen leather valet trays that were personalized with their initials. I bought DH one awhile later from pottery barn:http://www.potterybarn.com/products/p8036/index.cfm?pkey=xsrd0m1%7C20%7C%7C%7C1%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7C%7Cleather%20valet&cm%5Fsrc=SCH

They''re on sale now, so they could be perhaps combined with another smaller gift to fit your price range. Another idea since they''re all businessmen might be one of those leather docking stations - Sharper Image has them, and many stores are going out of business so big sales.

I have that EXACT same leather valet on my dresser.

 

[zoebartlett]

Date: 4/10/2008 3:19:07 PM
Author: sumbride
We did different gifts for all our groomsmen, from a best buy giftcard for the 15 year old to a wine chiller, but by far, my favorite was the meat package.

Yes, the meat package.

done laughing??

we live near an organic farm and they offer different packages of steaks and burgers and such, all vacuum sealed and frozen. Kind of like Kansas City steaks, but on a much smaller scale... they packages have carcass numbers on them! The groomsmen that received this gift was ecstatic! It was about $100, but they had options that would have been much more. If you don''t have a place like this near you, I know this place will ship further... it just costs more.

HA! We''re doing something sort of similar for my FI''s parents for their gifts. They RAVE about Omaha Steaks all the time and after much debate over what to get them, we decided this is something they''d actually appreciate, use, and love.

My FI doesn''t know yet what to get his best man. Maybe concert tickets or something. He''s really into music and he plays in a few different bands.

 

[glueck]

I might second the idea of swiss army products....Most men are gadget friendly!

My FI is a gadget KING, so as an engagement gift I got him a very high end Multi tool

http://www.swissarmy.com/MultiTools/Pages/Product.aspx?category=swisstool&product=53946&

and got his name engraved on it.

It doesnt SEEM romantic, but for him, it might as well be a 3 carat diamond. He uses it every day!