Wedding Gift for FI

[akw94]

I''m trying to decide what to buy my FI for a wedding present. Are you buying yours anything, if so, what will you buy or what did you buy?

As usual, I like to buy the perfect gift so sometimes, it takes me awhile to figure out what that is. He''s not the typical guy into sports or grilling. I''ve gotten him a watch before and thought about doing that but he''s not into the fancy ones and I haven''t quite figured out what he likes and dislikes.
He doesn''t wear cufflinks, and he''s just darned difficult to shop for. I don''t have a huge budget so can''t consider a tv (plus, we just bought a new one together) or any other very expensive purchase. I would like something that he''ll keep forever but is useful.

Anyone have any ideas?

I would love to hear what everyone else is/has done/doing!

 

[Munchkin]

For my FI, I am giving him a pocketwatch. A bit of history here, I gave FI a watch for our first anniversary (over 7 years ago!). The back was engraved with a line from a poem that he feels represents us. The watch has been broken and repaired, links are loosening, yet he won't let me buy him another. For some reason, he is very sentimental about this watch! So, I thought I would continue the theme and buy him a pocket watch. I had the same line engraved on the inside. I hope it is something that will be passed down. He is such a dork, I can actually picture him carrying it around!

Other gifts I have given him that went over especially well:
I rented him his dream car for a weekend.
I bought him a 'piece of land' in Scotland. It is about 1 metre by 1 metre, but it came with a deed and everything. I had the deed framed. He LOVED that. His Dad wanted to do the same thing for a sibling of his.
Video game system. (Although that didn't exactly enhance our alone time!)
A signed copy of his favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Signed copies of books are actually fairly easy to find, unless your FI is especially partial to Shakespeare!

Hope that helps!

 

[monarch64]

Dixie, does your FI wear dress shirts? If so you could get him Tiffany''s sterling collar stays (sorry, I know I always suggest T''s but it seems like everyone in this area is a big fan of them, lol!) i think they''re either $50 for one of for the set, not sure. Anyway it would be a nice gift that he would hopefully use forever.

I must confess I didn''t get DH anything for a gift when we got married, and he didn''t give me a wedding present either. We were more concerned with paying our share of the wedding expenses and honeymoon spending money, and there just wasn''t money left over for wedding gifts to each other.

I know I''ve asked you this before, but tell me again what your FI''s hobbies are? Maybe we can all help more if we know what his passions in life are (lol, besides YOU)!

 

[monarch64]

Date: 7/13/2007 12:29:15 AM
Author: Munchkin
For my FI, I am giving him a pocketwatch. A bit of history here, I gave FI a watch for our first anniversary (over 7 years ago!). The back was engraved with a line from a poem that he feels represents us. The watch has been broken and repaired, links are loosening, yet he won''t let me buy him another. For some reason, he is very sentimental about this watch! So, I thought I would continue the theme and buy him a pocket watch. I had the same line engraved on the inside. I hope it is something that will be passed down. He is such a dork, I can actually picture him carrying it around!

Other gifts I have given him that went over especially well:
I rented him his dream car for a weekend.
I bought him a ''piece of land'' in Scotland. It is about 1 metre by 1 metre, but it came with a deed and everything. I had the deed framed. He LOVED that. His Dad wanted to do the same thing for a sibling of his.
Video game system. (Although that didn''t exactly enhance our alone time!)
A signed copy of his favorite book, To Kill a Mockingbird. Signed copies of books are actually fairly easy to find, unless your FI is especially partial to Shakespeare!

Hope that helps!

Oh, that is a great idea!

And one just hit me: for Christmas one year my mother got me an autographed photo of Jimmy Buffett (my favorite singer/band) framed, I think she got it from contacting his fan site, and I''m sure it didn''t cost more than $1-200. Does your FI have a favorite band or singer, maybe you could explore an option like this?

 

[akw94]

Munchkin, a pocket watch w/the engraving is a nice idea, sounds very special! I like the rental of a dream car a lot but for the wedding gift, I want something that he can keep. That''s great to put on the list for an upcoming gift. I thought about an autographed copy of something but not sure what.

Monarch, my FI used to wear suits everyday but now his job has changed a bit so he''s more casual. Darn it, shirt stays seem like a great idea! I''m not 100% sure about getting a wedding gift either, and I have no idea if my FI is planning anything. I''m not expecting it. I really don''t have the $ for something big b/c we''ve really worked hard at no debt for the wedding and keeping all costs down.
As for his hobbies, hmmmm.... He loves martial arts. He does like electronics and gadgets, but not big tv''s or video games or that sort of thing. He loves to read but not a particular author, generally non-fiction.
I don''t know if he really has a favorite band or singer. I know some that he likes but I''m not sure he''s sentimental enough for the autographed photo. I could see a book but not a photo as much. Although I had thought of an autographed photo of Bruce Lee but would rather get a book or something practical. He''s definitely very practical!
I hope that helps but not really sure if it does!

 

[amileegirl]

We decided to go with an exchange of chocolate deliciousness and wait until our finances aren''t in a whirlpool.

 

[surfgirl]

Date: 7/13/2007 9:24:19 AM
Author: amileegirl
We decided to go with an exchange of chocolate deliciousness and wait until our finances aren''t in a whirlpool.

Uhhh, I''m a little afraid to ask what "chocolate deliciousness" actually involves...

I love the book idea. Or what about a sterling silver pocket knife or something like that? Tiffany''s has a nice selection of men''s gifts in sterling and they aren''t very pricey. I think I paid about $125. total with engraved initials for a sterling pocket knife for a guy for a college graduation. That sort of thing might be nice?

 

[ephemery1]

I stole my gift idea from somebody on here, but I'm blanking on who it was... I'll have to find the thread again and report back!!

But I was in LOVE with her idea of giving bottles of wine, each peaking on a different anniversary year (5th, 10th, 25th, etc). So I found a great website that sells vintage wines and ordered 3 different bottles, one for our 1st, one for our 5th, and one for our 10th... and tied little cards around the neck of each one. We are big wine drinkers, so he was very happy (and decided that perhaps SOME good can come of my Pricescope obsession).

ETA -- Found it!

It was Kalispera's wonderful idea... thread link here

 

[lover in athens]

i LOVE that wine idea...wish i had seen it earlier!

i AGONIZED over what to get my hubby... eventually decided to get him a gift certificate to play a golf course that he would NEVER play otherwise, as well as some golf cuff links from tiffany''s (they were slightly tacky even if they did come in a blue box, but i thought it was cute with the GC). he never wears cuff links, but was excited to have some special ones for the big day.

of course he totally TRUMPED me and surprised me with a puppy. long story, but gist of it is that i had a puppy when we first met 2 years ago, and he was SO not a dog person (he didn''t even know how to put a leash on!). made the beginning of our relationship VERY rocky (with the dog peeing in his bed, ruining the carpet, ruining his blinds, etc), but he and JJ (my dog) eventually decided that they could mutually coexist (a prerequisite to marrying me). i can''t believe that now JJ has a little sister!!

 

[akw94]

Amilee, I can understand waiting due to finances. Part of the reason I''m not sure if I''m buying anything and the other part is b/c I want to find something I really want to buy him.

Surfgirl, I did look through Tiffany''s stuff and I just don''t think it''s his sort of thing. I''m sure he''d like and appreciate it but I want something that''s extra special for this gift, something meaningful. This is hard!

Eph, I love that idea and wish he drank wine b/c I would absolutely use it too. Now, I just need something like that but a bit different. Hmmm...

LoverinAthens, what a wonderful surprise from your husband! I like the gift certificate idea, too bad he doesn''t play golf. I am marrying one very difficult guy to shop for!!

Ladies, anyone else? What did you buy your husband or are you buying your FI? Or is this a gift that many people don''t purchase?

 

[blushingbride]

I guess it depends on what your budget is. I''m getting my FI the new iPhone. My dad has one and we went to visit my parents last weekend so, my FI was drooling over it!

He uses his phone all day long for his job so, this gift if very appropriate from him!

 

[sumbride]

I''m doing the watch thing. A Cyma two-tone with a blue face and sapphire crystal. It''s so pretty! and pretty indestructible, which was the key to the right wedding present for me. My mom said she bought my dad a nice pair of sunglasses for the honeymoon... which he promptly sat on. My sister bought her husband a hat. It doesn''t have to be expensive, just something that suits him. And ideally, could be kept for a while. All I know about the present he got me is that it came from our jewelry store and the box is in the basement closet! I told him I found the box, but it was sealed so I still have no idea. I also told him to move it!

 

[happilyeverafter]

Here's another idea....back when I was in high school I got my escort (older than me) a nice flask with his nickname engraved on it. He LOVED it and still has it. Many of the other guys were jealous. I also got a friend of mine a beer mug that had a small plaque on it which I engraved his name as well. You could also do glass etching instead of engraving too.

Or how about an engraved keychain? Everyone has keys! I love keychains, and you could put a special message on it.

 

[jcrow]

i bought him a pair of sixpence cufflinks. the date matched the date of the one i wore in my shoe on our wedding day. he LOVED them. and he now wear''s them to every wedding he attends. it''s our little secret.

 

[Hudson_Hawk]

Muchkin,
How did you go about buying a piece of land in Scotland? I would LOVE to do that for my bf as he''s a Campbell.

HH

 

[ChargerGrrl]

We did two types of gifts- The "sentimental" wine gift we did together- we''re huge winos. The 5th & 10th anniversary bottles were from a top winery we visited when we first started dating, and the 1st anniversary bottle is from the winery we were married at- which is OK wine, but not fab, like the first one! So we''re getting that one out of the way first, and saving the good stuff for later.

I also bought him a guitar amp that he''d been coveting for a while- that was the non-sentimental gift.

 

[akw94]

Blushingbride, that''s a good idea! My FI was talking about a new phone but he is pretty picky so I wouldn''t know where to start for that gift!

Sum, I''d get a watch too if I knew which one. He likes more casual watches, and I''m not finding anything that I like *and* that I think he''ll like. I thought about doing a fancier watch since although it''s not his preference, it''s always good to have one and it would last a long time. Maybe I''ll look into that a bit more!

Happilyeverafter, I like the idea of something engraved, I''m just not sure what. I wanted to get his wedding ring engraved but you can''t! Turns out titanium (I think that''s what it is) can''t be engraved. I could do a keychain; I never thought of that. I know that he''s picky but I wish I weren''t so darned picky!

Jcrow, what a neat gift! Very sentimental! I would do cufflinks if he wore them.

Charger, I think the sentimental and non-sent. is a great idea but the last thing I need is to pick 2 gifts!

Right now I''m looking into finding a 1st edition or signed copy of any Bruce Lee books. I may have a lead or two but still not sure if that''s the route I want to go. Plus, I''m not sure if getting him a 1st edition of a book he already has makes much sense. Although I may have found one or two he doesn''t have.

 

[akw94]

Has anyone heard of Stuhrling watches? I found one on overstock.com that I like and am considering getting it.

I keep going back and forth, back and forth!

 

[Harleigh]

Aaghhh! I have a man that is very difficult to shop for, as well! I have been looking for something as an engagement gift, as well as a birthday present for him within the next few weeks... I just don''t think it''s fair that here I get all of these beautiful rings, and he gets nada! (Besides me, of course!)

I have also thought about getting him a watch, but he doesn''t wear one, so am not sure he would want and/or appreciate a nice one, but I have been looking at the Citizen Titanium Eco-Drive watches and may end up with one of those as an engagement or wedding gift.

For his birthday, I have been saving for an HD DVD Player...I have also been purchasing a few HD DVD''s over the past few months when I find a good deal so that he actually has something to play when I get him the player. So far I have gotten the entire Planet Earth Series, the Matrix Trilogy and a few others I can''t remember right now!

For Valentine''s Day, I purchased "Wishing Stones" that had words with special meaning on each, like Love, Happiness, Forever, Dreams, Success, etc... I put them in a black dish I found at Ross with little stones from the craft store and tea light candles, which he loved and added some stones he had brought home from a recent trip to Israel. I also included little cards with each stone in its own little bag that had my heartfelt words as to why I chose each stone and what meaning it had for us. It now sits on his coffee table every day and we light the candles every once in awhile and remember what those stones represent. I''ll try to attach a picture for you...I may have to do it separately!

I also did a beautiful coffee table photo album that matched his decor...I took pictures from our lives together and put them in the album in order. I also have continued to add to the album with new pictures every time we get some. I wish I had bought more so that when I fill this one up that I had matching ones to continue on with.

Well, there''s a few thoughts! I wish I could be more help...it''s late, so maybe I''ll have some better ideas in the morning...

 

[Harleigh]

It won't let me attach the picture, so I'll try again later or send it to Andrey to post...maybe he can do it!

ETA: Got it to work...had to restart the old computer! See below...

 

[Harleigh]

Here is the "Wishing Stone" pic

 

[Pandora II]

Hudson, one of the whisky companies - I think it''s Laophraig has a thing where you can buy a piece of land through them with a bottle of their very nice single malt. You can go and visit the distillery if you are ever in Scotland as well - they do guided tours. My FI went there on a friend''s stag weekend (they toured rather a lot of distilleries!)