3 tips for choosing the perfect wedding present

Getting an invite to a wedding is a privilege. When a couple invites you to be a part of the most special day of their lives, it’s only natural to want to find the perfect wedding gift for them. 

Here are our top tips for choosing a memorable Irish wedding present. 

Assess your relationship with bride and groom

It’s common to give cash in Ireland, and that’s especially true if you’re not very close to the bride and groom, but if you are, you may wish to give them a more personal gift instead or as well as money. This is especially true for family members. Mothers, fathers, brothers and sisters of the bride and groom, as well as other members of the bridal party, may want to choose something extra special. Outside of the family and bridal party, a more traditional wedding gift might be plenty.

Decide on the budget

We don’t like to talk about money in Ireland, but if you’re attending a wedding, figuring out an appropriate budget for your gift is a must. The Irish Independent reveals that individuals spend an average of €100-€200, but it really does vary depending on whether you’re family or friends, how close you are with the couple, whether you’re a part of the bridal party, and how much your bank balance will allow.   

Personalise it and make it last

Weddings are once-in-a-lifetime events (for most!) and the symbols of the day are often cherished through the marriage. Choose a gift that will last, and marks the day two families came together as one.

The days of buying a toaster to help a couple start off are long gone. Simply put, there’s no need for such household items in an era where most couples live together before marriage.

So what do you buy the couple that has everything? Consider something unique, personal and truly special. Our selection of wedding gifts combine the couple’s details with a touch of Irish heritage and a traditional blessing. 

Designed on slate or Irish bog wood, we offer a beautiful selection of family crest pieces and clocks. 

Do you have a wedding coming up? Let us know what your thoughts on gifts are in the comments.

About Irish Gift Solutions

Irish Gift Solutions is a small business based in Ennis, Co. Clare. We use laser engraving to create stunning, high-quality pieces that are themed around Irish heritage. The well-crafted, one-of-a-kind creations are perfect gifts for all occasions, including weddings, christenings and retirements. We deliver worldwide, so wherever you or your loved ones are, you can have a little piece of Ireland with you.

Ogham: A symbol of Ancient Ireland

Are you interested in Ancient Irish heritage? Ogham is part of the ancient Irish language and has roots going back to the Celtic Tree alphabet.  While the only remaining evidence of Ogham is found on stone it was also once used on trees and wooden stakes to mark boundaries. 

History of Ogham

A standing Ogham stone located at Adare Manor

The language is based on a medieval tradition ascribing names of trees to individual letters. The symbols are typically a wavy line with straight lines intersecting them, which resembles the silhouette of a tree. 

Although the marks look nothing like the Roman alphabet we use in English today, there are roughly 20 symbols representing consonants and five vowels that correspond to roughly the same sounds, so it's possible to translate.

There are fewer than 400 surviving inscriptions on stone monuments existing in Ireland today and the majority of these are located in the southern parts of Ireland in the counties of Kerry, Cork, and Waterford. 

The curve or “branch” of the Ogham engraving was thought to bring blessings. Read more about the history of ogham here. 

Ogham gifts

Failte (welcome) - Ogham engraved housewarming gift

Ogham designs make ideal gifts for friends with an interest in Irish history and heritage. Our design is engraved on natural slate or Irish Ash makes for a wonderful housewarming gift and ideal to place near the door of your home (indoors or out). 

The word “Fàilte” means welcome and is scribed on the bottom - this is a very popular choice. You can also choose a placename or the name of a house. This website includes an ogham transliterator - a tool that allows you to see what any word or phrase in English would look like in ogham - put your family name in and see what it looks like.

Words representing traditional Irish blessings including are often chosen, including:

Happiness (Sonas)

Love (Grá)

Health (Sláinte)

Dilseacht (Loyalty) 

Cairdeas (Friendship)

Or you can choose to have a person's name engraved to create a unique birthday, wedding, anniversary, retirement gift or gift of thanks.

Browse www.irishgiftsolutions.com for more.