How to Exchange Gifts with the Groom on Your Wedding Day

You'll receive lots of wedding presents but none more special than the ones from each other.

By Nancy Mattia

August 02, 2018

Giving one another gifts on the wedding day is a sweet way for the bride and groom to start off the celebration. While some couples exchange serious bling (diamond earrings or a chronograph watch), your gifts to each other can be as simple as handwritten love letters expressing your feelings and hopes on this extraordinary day. Here, our best tips for pulling off your own gift exchange on the wedding morning.

If you're doing a first look...

Since you're allowing yourselves a little time before the ceremony to have one last chat before becoming husband and wife, bring your gifts to this meetup. Allow a few extra minutes to your first-look timetable so you're not rushed opening the presents.

If you're doing a first touch...

So you've decided you want to stick with tradition but with a twist: You'll avoid seeing each other until you walk down the aisle, but you'll allow yourselves to meet someplace (on either side of a door frame works nicely) without looking at one another. Talking is fine, as is holding hands but no peeking. If this sounds appealing to you, assign a messenger to deliver the gifts-the maid of honor hands your gift to the groom, and the best man hands off the groom's gift to you. Since talking is allowed, you should open the gifts then and there so you can let each other know how much you love your new presents.

If you're doing neither a first look or first touch...

Ask the maid of honor and best man to make the deliveries while you're getting ready. If the place you're getting dressed isn't where your groom is getting ready, you may want to move up the time of the exchange so both the maid of honor and best man can go back and forth without fear of delaying the wedding. As a sweet alternative, the flower girl and ring bearer can serve as messengers, if feasible.