10 Thoughtful Wedding Gifts That Will Earn You the Title of Best Guest
Originally Published in Wall Street Journal
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By: Juliet Izon
Going off-registry for a wedding gift is not for the faint of heart. If you’re considering making the leap, you’ve got two factors to weigh: How well do you know the couple, and, more important, are you a natural at gift-giving? To help with the latter, we tapped six pros on wedding presents, from etiquette experts to globally recognized event planners, to share their best advice. These are the unique, and pretty much foolproof, gifts they recommend.
Audio heirloom
Everyone seems to have a go-to podcast these days, but a custom-created podcast all about the two of them is bound to be their new favorite, which is why San Francisco-based style coach and former wedding planner Leena Alsulaiman suggests a gift card to Artifact podcasts. Capturing stories and sentiments from those closest to them “is a creative way to commemorate their wedding day,” she says. Here’s how it works: A professional interviewer talks to up to six friends or family members with topics or questions the couple provides, and then an expert edits the audio, turning each interview into a 20-minute episode that includes an introduction with music. The service also includes a webpage for sharing and adding photos.
ARTIFACT PODCAST
Audio Heirloom
One-of-a-kind art
Any married couple will have wedding photos scattered throughout their home, but how many will have a hand-cut paper portrait? That’s the logic behind another of Alsulaiman’s favorite gifts: artwork by Zoe Linn Jarvis, who creates intricately arranged custom portraits by layering and cutting paper into different designs. Linn Jarvis often works from photographs and can create anything from a rendering of the bride’s bouquet to a portrait of the couple enjoying their first dance. She shares a sketch with the clients before starting the project and delivers the custom piece generally in three to four weeks.
ZOE LINN JARVIS
Custom-Cut Paper Portrait
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