If there is one thing common among all cultures, all ethnicities, and all religious traditions, it would be the tradition of giving gifts for special occasions like weddings. This is something that needs to be carefully considered because although gift-giving is universal, not all gifts have the same relevance from culture to culture or religion to religion. Do you know how to choose the right gifts for a Catholic wedding? If Catholicism is new to you, here are a few tips and suggestions.

What Gifts To Give on Your Catholic Wedding?

Before going into what gifts to give the happy couple, a word or two should be said about the tradition of giving gifts of gratitude to the wedding party and sometimes to the parents of the bride and parents of the groom. This is not only a Catholic tradition but is fairly standard among all faiths and cultures, at least here at home in the United States.

So, are you wondering what gifts to give on your Catholic wedding day to your parents, especially? These would often include religious items signifying the day their son or daughter pledged their troth to another. You will always be their children and are grateful for the life they’ve given you but now it’s time to remember you have formed a new bond. A new family. Religious items such as a cross statuette with interwoven wedding rings or perhaps a religious picture frame to be used when the wedding photos come back from the photographer. These should have a spiritual message.

Gifts for the Wedding Party

Although gifts for the wedding party are usually fairly generic and secular, they should also have special meaning. The type of gifts might elicit memories of days spent together as friends out for a night on the town, or days in school when dorms were shared. These are the kinds of gifts that will take a bit of thought, but they are also gifts from the heart with a sincere note of gratitude.

With that said, don’t forget to include a specialty wedding holy card memorializing the day. While they don’t necessarily need to be imprinted with the dates, times, and location of the wedding, it would be nice if possible. However, that holy card for their own memory boxes or photo albums is an absolute must within the Catholic tradition.

What to Give the Newlyweds?

Now this may be the trickiest of all to answer! How do you know what they’ve been given at bridal showers and as early wedding presents? If there is a wedding planner, you could ask them to compile a list of wants or needs. You could ask the bride-to-be if there is anything she needs for the new home she is setting up or if there is a bridal registry that she signed up with at her favorite department store. Most high-end department stores have bridal registries, so there is that option as well, if she registered, that is.

A gift doesn’t always have to be expensive, but it should always have special meaning as a memory of this happy day. Do you have a gift in mind? If not, we hope this information helps!