BUY LESS WITH MORE CONSIDERATION
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The wedding season can be one of the busiest social times of year, with barely a nuptial-free Saturday throughout the late spring and summer months. Along with deciding what to wear, it can be hard in the lead-up to a wedding to choose what to buy as a present for the happy couple. When the next cream coloured parchment envelope drops onto your doormat, the important thing is not to panic. We have put together some ideas to help you find the perfect, unique and memorable wedding gift with which to mark the start of the couple’s new life together.
The art of choosing a wedding gift
Although the trend is increasingly towards requesting cash, many guests would rather stick to the tradition of giving a wedding present that enshrines memories of the day and will be long lasting. Surely the perfect gift for a newly-married couple should be as special as the commitment they have made to each other?
High-quality, handmade interior accessories make a thoughtful and durable gift. It will remind the couple of their wedding toast every time they chink their vintage style champagne flutes, or the caring friend who gave them a quirky table lamp as they switch it on every evening. A memorable gift speaks volumes of the long-lasting bond and friendship between the giver and the newly-weds.
Responsible luxury and slow design
When you buy objects that have been expertly made by a talented craftsman or woman using sustainable and high-quality materials, consider it a long-term investment. Think of it as your investment, on the couple’s behalf, in a gift that will last a lifetime and has the potential to remain an heirloom in their new family.
The concept of ‘Slow Living’ involves taking time to think about the things you buy and their sustainability, and this most certainly includes purchasing gifts for others, such as a wedding present. The initial outlay on a piece of handmade furniture may be higher than if you were to buy something that has been mass-produced overseas but because the piece stands the test of time, your investment is soon rewarded.
A wise choice should last lifetime. What better way to demonstrate the careful thought you have put into a gift, than to give an item that, as well as being distinctive in its design, has been responsibly and intelligently made.
As Dieter Rams, a German industrial designer and academic thinker remarked in the 1970s, we could be, “living better with less that lasts longer,” – an ethos that the company where he worked, Vitsœ, still abides by today. This is a saying that resonates with AUTHOR’s own ethos. Luxury items can be responsibly and sustainably designed and manufactured, and through slow design, we achieve luxury and timeless quality.
A ‘gift promise’ wedding present
At AUTHOR we are pleased to be able to offer the promise of a wedding gift (a bit like a voucher). This allow you, as a wedding guest, to set a budget which is then passed on to the couple. The newlyweds are then free to choose from our selection of beautiful objects one that suits their own tastes and matches other items in their home. The couple also has the opportunity to make any bespoke changes to the item, when you give a wedding gift promise.
Short-notice wedding present ideas
Many of AUTHOR’s fine furniture pieces, interior furnishings and accessories are individually made to order. Because they are handmade by craftspeople, there can be a wait before we are able to deliver it to you. But if you have chosen a particular object from our collections as a wedding gift, and the item’s lead time is too long, don’t despair.
Where delivery cannot be made in advance of a wedding date, we will be delighted to offer a gift promise. This is particularly suitable for gifts that are made to order, and where bespoke requirements such as dimensions or colours are needed before the order is placed.
A gift promise is a sweet touch which lets the recipients know their piece is being lovingly and expertly made and will be on its way soon to them. It also allows the couple to arrange a specific delivery time, meaning you as the wedding guest won’t have to worry how you’re going to carry a larger item such as a drinks cabinet or desk along to the do. The couple can look forward to taking delivery of their beautiful, unique and thoughtfully chosen wedding present when they return, dreamy-eyed, from their honeymoon.
Please do not hesitate to get in touch if you would like to arrange a gift promise for a wedding this year. We will also be delighted to advise on unique, handmade gifts to suit any budget and requirements.
Wedding flower images kindly provided by Donna Murray Photography.
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