Depending on your personality and how much your future spouse lets you get involved, planning a wedding can either be a lot of fun or a huge ordeal. One thing most couples look forward to is all the swag they will get from their friends and family. However, getting married isn’t just about getting stuff. Whether your groomsmen are your best buds or members of your family, you owe them some awesome groomsmen gifts for agreeing to participate in your big day.
Why You Should Buy Groomsmen Gifts
Men aren’t usually expected to spend their childhoods and teen years dreaming about their wedding. It is totally understandable if you have no idea why you need to buy gifts for your groomsmen. The short answer is that you are expected to do it because it is tradition and the etiquette police say you have to. However, it is also a nice way to say thank you to your groomsmen for throwing your bachelor party, spending money on fancy suits and helping you get through the wedding process.
12 Ideas for Awesome Groomsmen Gifts
There are a few rules of thumb to follow when it comes to gifts for your groomsmen. First, you should buy the same gift for all of your groomsmen, but it should be personalized in some way. Plan to spend about 10% to 25% of what your groomsmen forked out for their suits, flights and hotel rooms. What you should get depends on your groomsmen. If they are a bunch of fun-loving bros, then gag gifts might make sense. If they are a more serious bunch, a thoughtful gift that they can actually use may be more appropriate. There are lots of possibilities.
1. Personalized Shaving Kit
This gift checks all the boxes for a thoughtful, useful and easy gift. Whether your groomsmen have glorious beards or prefer a clean-shaven look, every man can use a good shaving kit. These kits come in a wide variety of styles that can be customized with your groomsmen’s name or monograms, and they are available at many different price points to fit your budget.
2. Fancy Shot Glass Set
Are your groomsmen over the age of 21? Are their beer-chugging days behind them? Get them a set of fancy shot glasses with an engraved storage box. These groomsmen gifts are both sophisticated and useful.
3. Personalized Wallet
Your groomsmen’s money doesn’t jiggle, jiggle. It folds. Give them a personalized place to store all that folding money. Leather is a traditional choice for a sophisticated-looking and easily personalizable wallet. However, there are lots of materials and styles to choose from.
4. Experience Gift Cards
If you forced your groomsmen to dip into their savings to attend your destination wedding or you just have the cash to throw around and want to do something nice, consider purchasing a gift card for a once-in-a-lifetime experience. Experiences are often better than things, and your bros can either go on their vacation of a lifetime separately or you can all get together for one last bash before you settle down.
5. Engraved Pocket Knife
Whether your groomsmen are the outdoorsy type or just want to avoid trying to chew through the packaging on that thing they just bought at Walmart, good pocket knives are dead useful groomsmen gifts. Knives are available in hundreds of styles from simple unadorned blades and handles to elaborate designs. You can even find knives based on your favorite movie or sporting activity.
6. Group Caricature
If you think your groomsmen would rather have a fun memento than a useful gift, consider having a group caricature made. This gift requires a bit more planning, so don’t wait until the last minute. You need to provide your caricature artist with photos of your group, choose the background and then wait for the items to be custom-made and mailed to you.
7. Luggage
A nice set of luggage is one of those things that can make a guy finally feel like a grownup. There are lots of options for this gift. You can purchase a sophisticated leather bag or go with something fun or sporty.
8. Beer
When we say beer, we don’t mean go buy your guys a six-pack at the gas station on your way to the wedding. Get them a customized, fancy beer holder and some tasty brews with custom labels. If you have some younger gentlemen or non-drinkers in your party, swap out the beer for non-alcoholic beverages.
9. Personalized BBQ Grilling Set
Few things are more associated with manly men than grilling. Add a bit of class to your dudes’ tailgating parties by purchasing a nice set of grilling tools as their groomsmen gifts.
10. Watch
In the age of cell phones, a lot of people don’t wear watches anymore. However, a nice watch is still a practical and fashionable gift that can easily be personalized by engraving your groomsmen’s names or a personalized message on the back. Depending on your budget and your groomsmen’s tastes, you can purchase a practical watch for less than $50 or a luxury item for a few grand and everything in between.
11. Personalized Ammo Can
If you are shopping for manly men or military enthusiasts, a personalized ammo can may be perfect. This is a versatile gift because you can fill the can with whatever you want.
12. Customizable Cheese Board
Are you buying gifts for a group of foodies? Do your buddies love to throw fancy dinner parties? Are you from Wisconsin? Get your groomsmen a custom engraved cheese board and charcuterie platter.
The Gift of Ruggedness
Are your guys sadly lacking in education about the stuff guys need to know? If so, The Rugged Standard might just be one of the best groomsmen gifts of all. This manly corner of the web is your no-bullsh*t guide to everything you and your bros need to know. We will teach you how to grill the perfect steak, be a great dad, stay in shape, eat well, look good and more. Stop by to read some articles and be sure to tell your dudes all about it.