Romantic Groom Gift Ideas for the Morning of Your Wedding
Fancy watches. Gold cuff links. A silly pair of socks. As a wedding photographer based in Columbia, Missouri, I’ve seen it all when it comes to gifts for the groom. And while it’s common practice for the couple to give each other gifts on their wedding day, choosing the perfect gift can be a source of stress…a.k.a something you don’t need any more of right now!
So, let’s dive into some of my favorite groom gift ideas—some traditional and some more unique—to get you started on the gift search.
1. A fancy watch: something he’ll wear on every date night to come
One of my top groom gift ideas is a fancy watch. Watches for men are basically the equivalent of jewelry for women, so consider giving your new husband a watch for the wedding day! Don’t worry, you don’t have to go all out and get him a Rolex. Instead, find a watch that he’d enjoy wearing on a nice date night. Simple and classy is always a good bet!
And if you want to step it up a notch, engrave the band or the back of the watch with “Love,” your name or a sweet message. That way, the watch is more than just a beautiful item to wear—it’s truly one of a kind!
If you can find a watch that goes with the suit he’ll be wearing on the wedding day, that’s even better! He can wear his new watch all day…and don’t forget to give it to your photographer to include in the flat lays!
2. Cufflinks: the classic gift, but with a twist
I love when brides give their grooms cufflinks because they can wear them on the day of the wedding! Cufflinks are an old-fashioned, but tried-and-true wedding morning gift. I also love how customizable cufflinks are—you can get them engraved to have his initials on them or each of your first name initials. You can also add patterns or shapes, such as a heart. Feel free to get creative with it!
Another romantic idea is to engrave the coordinates of your wedding ceremony on the cufflinks. You could also consider getting the cufflinks in the same color as the jewelry you’re wearing—if you’re wearing silver jewelry, get silver cufflinks.
I recommend getting a fancier-than-normal set that comes in a nice box, so the presentation on the morning of will be best. Wrap it in some nice paper and put on a bow on it, and you’re all set!
3. Cologne: always remember the scent of your wedding day
This pre-wedding gift is great for establishing lifelong memories because the strongest memories always come with a scent. Tell your future husband to put the cologne on before he meets you at the altar. Now, whenever he dabs on this cologne in the future, you’ll be reminded of your wedding day. Talk about an extra bit of romance on a date night!
Cologne is also a luxury item that he might not choose to buy for himself, so this is a great opportunity to pamper him a bit.
Here are some of my favorite brands:
Eros Eau de Toilette (Fresh, Oriental, Woody)
BLEAU DE CHANEL (Citrus, Amber Cedar, Woody)
Acqua di Giò Absolu Eau de Parfum (Marine, Amber, Patchouli)
4. Fancy alcohol: something to share on your honeymoon
A bottle of high-end, expensive alcohol is a fun thing to have before a honeymoon! Maybe your future husband loves a fancy bottle of wine, so you get him a bottle that the two of you can share on your honeymoon. Or, maybe a bottle of whiskey, scotch, or vodka is more his style. Whatever your fiancé loves, this is the time to splurge a bit!
Go the extra mile with a pair of engraved wine or cocktail glasses to go along with it. Or maybe even a whiskey decanter to truly show up in style! And, if you love a certain kind of cocktail, include the mixers in the gift box, too. That will set you up perfectly to share it together on your first night as a married couple!
5. An engraved wallet: timeless and classic, but sneak in some love notes
For a timeless and classic gift that can never go wrong, consider investing in a luxury leather wallet with his initials engraved on it. You can even sneak in some pictures of the two of you and a little love note into the pockets! This is a gift he’ll use forever, and he’ll love the little details of the engraving.
You can find tons of engraving options on Etsy for $50 and under.
6. Tickets for a trip: adventurous and fun, kick-off marriage with a surprise trip
It’s the experiences that matter most, right? Get your new husband a set of tickets for a trip! This brings an element of exciting adventure to your morning-of gift. I can’t imagine a better way to kick off a marriage than with this epic surprise!
7. A journal of love letters: the most romantic gift of it all
This is by far the most romantic gift of all! Write a love letter—or many love letters—and give them to your future husband on the wedding morning. This will definitely get him tearing up before the wedding begins, and set the tone for a very romantic day to come!
Find a classic leather-bound journal and fill it up the year before the wedding. He’ll love flipping through all the memories you’ve shared together, and will get emotional thinking about how long you’ve been working on the beautiful piece!
You can also add love notes to any of the gifts above. Including a special, personalized touch to everything will make it that much more romantic.
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