A Toast to the Bride and Groom

Our friends got hitched!  In a simple civil ceremony last Thursday, I stood behind Denise as the judge read them their vows.  We made it through the court house security right before 5pm (when they close for the day).  We followed Denise and Peter hand-in-hand to the elevators.  Exiting the elevator Denise, holding a small bouquet of flowers, (that I put together for her – what bride doesn’t have flowers on her wedding day?) followed Peter through a door displaying a ‘asbestos trial – court in session’ sign held up with a strip of scotch tape.  The judge greeted us and within all of ten minutes we signed some paperwork and the judge said the vows and sent us on our way.  And that was that – Peter and Denise were a married couple.  

 

Making that day extra special – Great gifts for Newlyweds: 

- If the ceremony starts getting lengthy, what better excuse than to go out and decorate the get-away car.  Buy or make a cute soda chain getaway car chain that will not only draw attention the the cute couple but that they can also keep for many long years ahead.  Be sure to take pictures and gift them a framed photo of their car displaying your artwork.  

- If you are truly a last minute person or maybe the couple is getting hitch quick – then throw together a “remember the day” gift basket.  Include local and national newspapers, a US weekly perhaps.  A NY Times best-selling book (think James Patterson-esk, something you can pick up at a grocery store check-out) or a top-selling toy (like in the 1990′s the latest Beanie Baby would have been appropriate… Ty is still making beanie babies to this day though – perhaps still appropriate?).  Include a bottle of the current years wine with a corkscrew. Include a pair of movie tickets to the latest blockbuster flick in the card mixed in with a couple bucks for popcorn and soda.  

-Since everything was last minute for Peter and Denise we decided that the best gift was finding them a place to spend their wedding night.  My first pick was a great bed and breakfast in Downtown St. Paul on a riverboat but it was booked full (on a Thursday night?!) I kept the search up and found a delightful room in Stillwater at The Elephant Walk.  If not for our gift Peter and Denise would have returned to Peter’s apartment with his roommates and the closet-sized room he was occupying … not so romantic.  

-If you have any kind of skills with a camera or just happened to get a great picture of the couple or something that is dear to them (a new house, dog, favorite place or place they were engaged or first met) you can blow it up on a canvas and have it mailed straight to them.  There are many online sites that do this service for great prices check out a few I found: http://www.posterprintshop.com/, http://www.personalcanvasart.com/, http://www.canvasondemand.com/

-And if all else fails check out craigslist.org and just search wedding gift.  I have found many listings of brand new items that couples have received double or just decided they didn’t want and they sell these items for cheaper than the stores.  The only thinking you have to do is picking out the wrapping paper, perhaps you can bargain with the craigslist seller and have them wrap up the find. 

So congratulations to Peter and Denise and may you live happily ever after or something close to that.