Know someone who just got engaged or invited to an engagement party? Besides your heartfelt congratulations, the moment might call for an engagement gift. While not mandatory, it’s still a gesture that the happy couple is sure to appreciate.
If you’re unsure about proper engagement gift-giving etiquette—or stumped for ideas—you’ve come to the right place. Ahead, we’ll share gifting advice and guidelines, plus a variety of engagement gift ideas to inspire you.
Do you have to give an engagement gift?
The short answer is no. However, here are a few instances where you might be expected to present an engagement gift:
- The engaged couple is a close friend or family member
- You receive a formal invitation to an engagement party (Can’t be sure that an engagement gift is expected? It’s okay to ask for clarification.)
- The engagement party is catered, including an open bar. Your engagement gift is a way to reciprocate the hosts’ generosity.
What if I can’t attend the engagement party?
If you can’t attend the engagement party, don’t worry! In lieu of attending, just send your engagement gift in the mail. Honestly, you can probably get away with not giving an engagement gift if you can’t attend; however, you should definitely send a sweet congratulatory card, thanking the couple for the invitation, and letting them know you look forward to celebrating with them in the future.
How much should I spend on an engagement gift?
As always, our best advice is: spend what you can afford. But a good rule of thumb is that the gift should cost around one-third of what you expect to spend on the wedding gift.
What makes a great engagement gift?
If the couple just got engaged, they probably don’t have their gift registry set up yet. So, how do you find and choose an engagement gift they’ll like? Here are three guidelines to help you shop for the perfect engagement gift.
Keep it personal or practical: The best engagement gifts are ones that tie into the couple’s personalities, passions, and/or interests. For example, if the couple are foodies get them a gift certificate to their favorite restaurant or matching aprons.
It’s personalized: Many newly engaged couples love gifts that celebrate their forthcoming married status, such as customized coffee mugs. Lots of gifts can be personalized with names, initials, or a monogram. Think: A picture frame, cutting board, pillowcases, or matching bathrobes (scroll down for even more personalized engagement gift ideas).
It doesn’t break the bank: Save the big-ticket item for the bridal shower or wedding gift. An engagement gift need only be a modest token to celebrate a joyful moment. Above all, it’s really the thought that counts.
Engagement gift ideas
Whether you want to get the happy couple a practical gift they can use during the runup to the wedding, tasty treats to savor, or a sentimental keepsake they’ll cherish forever, we’ve got plenty of engagement gift ideas to get you started.
“Wedding countdown” gift
A wedding countdown gift is a fun and exciting way for a couple to track the months, weeks, or days leading up to their nuptials. There are many variations on this concept, ranging from tear-away or flip calendars to wooden blocks, chalkboards, and signs. Many of these gifts come made to order, so you can customize them with their names and/or other wedding details.
A matching set
Consider a set of champagne flutes or wine glasses. If you’re looking for something a little less traditional, some other personalized or matching engagement gifts we love include beach towels, pajamas, socks, or luggage tags.
Engagement journal
Give the soon-to-be newlyweds a journal to document their engagement journey. The best versions of this thoughtful engagement gift prompt the couple to write about how they first met, what they love most about one another, and folders for storing love notes and other sentimental ephemera they collect along the way.
Custom couple portrait
For a truly one-of-a-kind engagement gift, consider a custom illustration of the couple. Online marketplaces like Etsy have portrait artists who can transform a picture of the two of them into a beautiful drawing or watercolor print.
Picture frame
From engagement photos, and later, wedding portraits, newly-engaged or married couples can never have enough picture frames (although they may not realize it now!). They’ll be thrilled to have options for displaying their favorite shots from both photo ops.
Custom wedding ink stamp
Between save-the-dates, wedding invitations, and thank-you cards, the couple is going to be busy sending out mail throughout the next few months. Make their lives easier and streamline the process with a custom ink stamp embossed with their return address.
Pet accessories
Does the couple share a fur baby? Get Fido a cute accessory—maybe a bandana or a sweater that says, “My Pawrents are Getting Married!”—to commemorate their engagement. Can you imagine the little guy wearing your gift in the engagement photos? Too cute!
Engagement ring holder or dish
Every beautiful engagement ring needs a safe place to sit when you’re not wearing it. (Have you read our engagement ring storage tips? That safe spot is a must!) With that in mind, a porcelain ring dish or ring holder is the perfect engagement gift (good for wedding bands too).
Gourmet treats
Gift the happy couple a basket full of mouthwatering goodies, like an assortment of cheeses, gourmet chocolates, juicy pears, candied nuts – or whatever you think might tickle their taste buds.
Alternatively, are you a baker? Do you have a famous banana bread or cupcake recipe that everyone raves about? For a gift that’s truly “made with love,” put together a basket of your signature creations, maybe along with a pretty tag that literally says “Made with love.” Nothing could be sweeter!
Wedding planner book
Need an engagement gift for an uber-organized couple? Get them a wedding-planning book, notebook, or binder to help them navigate the wedding planning process. The best ones have divided or tabbed sections with checklists, timelines, and budget organizers.
Custom star map
Looking for an engagement gift that’s unique and super romantic? How about a custom print featuring a visual of the night sky at the exact location and time the couple got engaged? Talk about an engagement gift with star quality!
Keepsake memory box
Gift the couple a keepsake box to store all their favorite photos, love letters, date-night souvenirs, and more. Think of it as a time capsule for their love story.
Restaurant gift certificate
Treat the couple to a special date night out with a gift certificate to a restaurant you know they like or mentioned wanting to try.
Personalized bottle of wine, champagne, or whiskey
Take a traditional bottle of wine or champagne to the next level by personalizing it with a peel-and-stick label that displays a photo of the couple, their names, and the date they got engaged.
Personalized ornament
’Tis the season for love! Help them celebrate their first holiday as an engaged couple with a decorative ornament that will hang on their tree for years to come. You might even include a picture of the two of them and/or their names/initials and the date/year they got engaged.
Fresh flowers or a plant
Surprise and delight the lovebirds with a fresh bouquet of fresh flowers or a plant sent right to their front door. If your friends live far away, you can order from a flower company online or research a florist in their area. If you want to give a houseplant with a long shelf life, experts recommend a calathea, sansevieria or snake plant, trailing pothos, or ZZ plant.
At the heart of every engagement is a beautiful engagement ring. Couples can protect their investment by obtaining personal jewelry insurance through Jewelers Mutual. It’s an affordable option that covers loss, damage, and disappearances and typically costs 1-2% of an engagement ring’s value, per year. Check your rate in as little as 30 seconds.
