Be the wedding guest with the best: A gifting guide ^Featured

It's June, which means wedding season is swiftly descending upon us. If your calendars aren't chock full of out of town destination invites, casual beach nuptials, or quirky backyard ceremony, you're one of the few. There are approximately two million weddings each year in the United States alone, making it one of the largest and most profitable industries. Odds are, you'll be attending at least three weddings in the next year, and guess what that means? Gifts!

No matter how casual the ceremony is, most wedding guests want to give the couple a token of their affections. While in the past, this meant toasters, blenders, and hideous china, these days gifting has a much more personal, organic approach. Considerate couples choose to register for small, necessary items, or open funding accounts for honeymoons, houses, or children, ensuring everyone supporting their union knows their generosity goes to a needed place. This is fantastic when it happens, but many couples skip this step, deeming it too traditional. So what do you do if you're terrible at coming up with gift ideas? Well, you look no further than this compilation of ideas. As someone who has attended fourteen weddings in the last three years, I have this locked down.

1. Put the "Art" in "Heart"

Do you assume that purchasing original art is too expensive? It's not! Thanks to places like Etsy, purchasing beautiful, original works of art is more affordable than ever. There are very few people who won't appreciate a thoughtful piece for their home or office, and a wedding is a fantastic occasion to take what you know about your marrying friends and parlay it into a purchase. Do they have a dog they love? Consider hiring an artist to do a commissioned piece of your pals with their beloved pet. Do they have a favorite movie or band? Look for a gorgeous concert or film poster and have it framed for them. Not only is this a gift from the heart, but it's something they can look back on to remember their first days as a married couple.

2. Raising a Toast

Crystal is a very traditional wedding gift, but why not give the newlyweds something to fill it with? There are dozens of wineries that will sell you a small plot of grapes in their vineyards that they will use to make a special batch of wine. Why not gift this to your friends, giving them a truly unique way to celebrate their next anniversary? If your budget allows, perhaps even give them a gift certificate for a nice dinner close to the winery, or a beautiful set of glasses to drink it out of.

3. Love is Patient, Love is Kind

But love--and especially marriage--does not come with an instruction manual. Why not give a certificate for a couples weekend, where the pair can learn to strengthen their bond and come away with new tools to help navigate the early days of their lawful status? It may seem dry, but think about it--it's an adventure! A useful one, too. You're showing an investment in their future, and fulfilling your duties as part of the community that has witnessed their vows. Help keep them strong by encouraging time spent learning how to overcome life's obstacles in a fun, relaxing way. They will never forget this.

4. Pampering Post Party

One of the most well-received gifts I ever bestowed upon friends was a week of meals and housekeeping as soon as they returned from their honeymoon. The last thing my pals wanted to do was tidy up and worry about getting dinner when their home was a mess of cards, presents, projects, and chores. I went one step further and hired a reliable cleaning service to come in three times for one month to help them get things under control. I wrote them a letter, explaining that I wanted to give them the gift of time--what did they want to do with it? Sleep? Go on a hike? Catch up on their favorite shows? I wanted them to know that I was thinking of their relationship after the big day, and felt it was important to encourage them to enjoy the glow of marital bliss. I received two tearful thank-yous from the bride and groom, who were so overwhelmed once the wedding was over that they wanted to sleep for a week. Which they did.

5. Decades of Wisdom

Like I said, marriage doesn't come with a set of instructions. Why not leverage the people in the couple's lives who have made their relationships work and put together an advice album? Six months before the wedding, email trusted couples in your lives. Ask them what they have done to make their marriage work, what some of the toughest things they weren't prepared for were, and how they solved it. Ask them for whatever a new couple might need to get through their first few years together and beyond. Then take all of the beautiful pearls of wisdom and print them into an album, complete with some conversational prompts for your friends--what do they think of this advice? What will they do to incorporate it into their marriage? Not only is this thoughtful and from the heart, but you're showing support for their forever.