Cheap Wedding Gifts: When You Have More Weddings to Attend Than You Do Cash in Your Pocket

As wedding season quickly approaches, you may find yourself confronted with a barrage of invitations to "parties" ostensibly thrown to allow the bride (or groom) to share this memorable event with all her near and dear ones.

But who are we kidding?

These aren't "parties" in the traditional sense, in that a group of friends meets to drink, eat, and shoot the breeze. It isn't a "party" in that you can show up an hour late, make an appearance to show that you were there, and quickly determine whether or not it's worth you while.

All that's really expected of you is the gift.

Short of sequestering yourself in you house for the entire season and declaring yourself opposed to all things romantic, you are required to fork over gifts for bridal showers and bachelorette parties, not to mention the big event itself. This may not seem like a big deal to some, but when you stack three or four of these weddings in the span of a few months, even the most elastic pocketbook starts to hide itself underneath the dusty corners of your couch in fear.

Fortunately, there are ways to save you from declaring bankruptcy while still declaring your joy at the coming nuptials. Chances are, the bride (or groom) is going to be so overwhelmed by the number of gifts that your carefully-budgeted ways may actually go by unheeded. The trick is in thoughtfulness and of course, the packaging.

* Most wedding registries have several smaller kitchen utensils listed (things like spatulas, ladles, etc.). You can get away with only buying about three of these - just make sure they are all the same relative height. Purchase an inexpensive but pretty vase. Arrange the utensils as though they were flowers (you can even throw in a few plastic flowers, should you be inclined). Tie a ribbon around the vase, and you have a beautiful and whimsical gift.

* Many brides and grooms register for some sort of picture frame or set of frames. Much of the time, these are full-priced (read: overpriced) at whatever store they registered their gifts. But the fact of the matter is, these can be used as a guide for shopping in a less expensive store. What do the registered frames have in common? Are they dark wood? Stainless steel? Kitschy ornamentations? Take note and move on. When you arrive at a store closer to your price range, buy some frames that fit in with the concept. If you can, putting in pictures you already have of the happy couple (as long as you let them know they are welcome to change it) will mean much more than a frame three times the price.

* By now, we've all seen those jars of cookie mix or brownie mix, with the layers colorfully separated and a decorative gingham check on top. I'm going to speak on behalf of the entire gift-receiving community when I say enough already! We appreciate that you don't have a lot of money to spend. But there is only so much space in our already overflowing kitchens. Instead, why don't you compile a list of your families recipes over the years? You could even purchase the ingredients for one of your favorites and playfully wrap it in a paper grocery bag.

* I'm not quite sure when it happened, but the days of wrapping paper have disappeared. It is a rare event when a table full of presents does not contain rows upon rows of beautiful and ornamented gift bags. Anyone who has attended a bridal shower, however, knows that one of the most important traditions is the making of the rehearsal bouquet. This rehearsal bouquet is supposed to be constructed from the bows and ribbons on the bridal shower gifts for the lucky bride to carry during the wedding rehearsal. Unfortunately, most of these bouquets nowadays are made of fistfuls of tissue paper and very little else. Do your part by wrapping your gift the traditional way, with paper and ribbons. And go overboard! Add three or four decorative bows (easily purchased at the dollar store or other discount party store) and several multicolored ribbons. Your gift may certainly look the odd man out, but once the bows start to go on the rehearsal bouquet, you will feel like the most generous person there.

* Despite all of Miss Manners' efforts on the contrary, the ways of the thank-you card are slowly becoming extinct. Thank-you emails and self-addressed envelopes are replacing what was once known as a common courtesy. You can give the bride and groom a gentle nudge by giving them a gift of handmade thank you cards. A dozen beautifully-crafted cards wrapped in a simple ribbon can easily mean more than an energy efficient toaster with a detachable bagel compartment. And I can almost guarantee that you will receive one of your own creations in the mail, handwritten like in the good old days, thanking you for such a meaningful gift.

* Most people think that piggy banks are for kids. For the most part, this is true, since very few adults I know are as conscientious as kids when it comes to hanging on to those pennies. But aren't two people getting ready to start a life together just like two children on the brink of something new? Capture the idea of new life by buying a piggy bank and filling it with coins. These days, piggy banks come in all shapes and sizes. You could probably find one with a bridal flair, maybe stick with a traditional pig, or even find something else symbolic of the couple. You don't even have to fill it with quarters (only a tactless recipient would check the caliber of coinage); nickels or even pennies will do. This gift works best if you include a meaningful sentence or two in the card elaborating upon the symbolic nature of the gift.

* One of the most important questions to ask yourself is: where is the honeymoon? Is it somewhere tropical? Buy them some sunscreen and mai tai mix. Is it a ski resort? Buy them matching pink and blue ear warmers. Are they taking a quick weekend at a nearby bed and breakfast? Buy them each a stack of their favorite magazines for a little light reading. Gifts that are unique to each couple's honeymoon destination can be very inexpensive - and are almost certain to be appreciated in ways that kitchen appliances are not.

Wedding season should be a time of joy for everyone - brides, grooms, parents-in-law, and even the lowly friends and relatives whose job is little more than to witness the events and to supply the appropriate gifts. Don't let entire seasons go by fretting about the how and how much of giving gifts. Have fun, be true to yourself, and be kind to your wallets!