I’m getting married in a few weeks, but I can’t think of a good best man or groomsman gift. My searches come up with stuff these guys are not likely to use, like cufflinks, fancy pens, flasks, fancy shaving kits, cigar cutters, etc. This stuff all seems nice, but it would end up collecting dust.
Anyone got any better ideas? Something a bit more useful maybe? What gifts have you given or received?
(BTW, they are married already, so a Tijuana Hooker is out of the question.)
Monogrammed hankerchiefs - never use
Sterling silver monogrammed money clip - use to this day
Bottle of single malt scotch - really appreciated
Cuban cigars (2 at about $20 - $30 apiece) - we smoked the first one as a group; very cool
My husband gave his groomsmen monogrammed Leatherman knives that we got online at L.L.Bean.
We went for gifts we knew they’d appreciate.
We paid for their hotel room for the night of the wedding and a bottle of their favourite spirit.
They seemed happy.
What price range?
Similar to the leatherman, I’ve seen Swiss Army knives.
If the groomsmen are at all geeky, you may want to check out www.thinkgeek.com
Brian
I like the Leatherman idea. I’ve been best man at weddings where the groomsmen all got engraved hip flasks. We put them to good use!
I’ve an engraved mug, a small clock and two other gifts kicking around gathering dust that I can’t even recall what they are.
The only one I use a lot is silly. It’s a foam lined stainless steel can cozy. Yeah, a high tech shiny beer can holder. Late in the evening at my friend’s machine shop we occasionally have a cold frothy beverage when we get done with the power tools. People stop into the attached store at all hours and it looks bad to see beer cans out in the open.
Plus it makes it easy to tell who’s beverage is whose.
Good quality pocket knives, particularly if youget them engraved, are the way to go. These are beautifully made, of a nice convenient size, and not budget-breakingly expensive.
For one wedding at which I was a bridesmaid, all members of the wedding party recieved t-shirts
I wear mine fairly often, and it often gets reactions (usually positive) from others.
If they are renting tuxes, pay for the rentals. I always appreciated that back in my best man/groomsman/usher days.
One of the coolest things I ever got and still use over 25 years later is a Harley Davidson bottle opener. Great bottle opener.
What about tickets to a sporting event?
IMHO, a groomsmans gift should be:
a) reasonably small/inexpesive (ie <$200)
b) exceptionally high quality
c) something they are likely to use often
It’s the type of thing they wouldn’t shell out for for themselves but would greatly appreciate if someone else bought it. Nobody can really give you advice because nobody knows your groomsmen. Find something they use regularly which they didn’t spend too much money on and buy a much higher quality version.
It would be helpful to know what your budget is. Although the trend is to give extravagent gifts, try not to spend more than you can afford. These are your friends; they don’t need to be won over. Yes, they’ve forked out a bunch in tuxedo rentals, etc., but these things tend to even out in the end. I’d much rather receive a token gift along with a heartfelt note, versus an extravagent gift that I knew the couple would be paying for long after the wedding ends.
Enough of the lecture.
I really like the Leatherman idea, if the groomsmen are outdoors type.
I’d also suggest personalized crystal hi-ball glasses, along with a nice bottle of scotch, unless you have recovering alcholic or Baptist groomsmen.
Keep in mind that you don’t have to give each groomsmen the same gift. My BIL got something different for each of his brothers. My husband got a nice fishing reel, which was a big hit.
Once again, accompany your gift with a nice note and you can hardly go wrong.
One thing that I like for Events is a silver dollar from the year of the Event. It is nice and weighty and shiny and has the year on it to help commemorate it. It is usually only 10 to 12 bucks (with airtite off of ebay) though, so it may be considered an “add on.”
For standing up in my brother’s wedding, I received a Cross pen with my name engraved, which was nice, and I will use it, and a gift card to a fairly high-end local restaurant, which was great.
Stonebow received a business card case, like this from his brother and sister-in-law as a groomsman’s gift. He carries it everyday.
This idea is not expensive, but is time consuming if done right. A friend gave us these talking photo albums (see link below) as groomsman gifts.
http://www.epinions.com/content_110966902404
He personalized each one with photos from our past history, with a short intro to each. Some were funny, some were meaningful, and some were embarrassing. A definite hit with everyone.
The men in my wedding received a stein, leatherman and swiss army knife, all engraved
Hung out with the guy* who got the engraved leatherman two weeks ago, and asked if he actually used it-- he pulled it out of his pocket and screamed “It’s the best present ever! I use it every day!” Which I find amusing, since he’s a paper-pushing PhD. And because I know he got a swiss army knife the year before my wedding, and he offhandedly commented that it sucked about five minutes before I handed him my present 
Essentially, you have to know your man and what they’d like. Could be a rare book, could be liquor.
[sub]* I live in a different city, otherwise we’d hang out 5 times a week[/sub]
We got our groomsmen each a huge book on grilling and BBQing. They all enjoyed it and comment that it gets used often.
Another vote for the engraved Leatherman tools. My groomsmen still thank me for them and that was 5 years ago. I don’t know if they still make them, but I gave them a fancy Leatherman that had a gold plated “waiter’s friend” wine opener.
