Your groomsmen are your best buddies, guys who have been there for you through thick and thin. And on the most important day of your life, they’ll be there for you once again, standing by your side as you take the plunge. Of course no one likes going to weddings and getting dressed up in some monkey suit, but it’s no big deal to them because they’re your bros. In return for their longtime friendship and for coming to support you in getting hitched, you are supposed to bestow upon each of them a groomsmen gift.
It can be hard to think of a classy gift your friends will actually like, and more difficult still, something they will actually use. No guy needs another knickknack that’s going to sit in his desk drawer and gather dust. But many guys aren’t exceptionally creative when it comes to gift giving and don’t like particularly like shopping either. It can paralyze our brains, to the point that we think groomsmen bobble heads might be a good idea.
The engraved flask is a popular choice, but I can’t say I’m a fan. When does a regular guy use a flask? Seriously. How often are you stealing sips of whiskey when you’re out and about? You’ve pretty much landed in wino country if you’re doing that. Cuff links are a traditional gift, but most guys don’t own shirts that necessitate them anymore, so they may not be put to use. Money clips aren’t a bad selection, but many men are attached to their current wallet or clip. Watches make nice gifts, but selecting one is really a matter of personal taste and pocket watches, though tasteful and handsome, will likely end up in their underwear drawer.
Fortunately, there are other fine alternatives. I did some thinking, shopped around, and came up with 10 classy, cool gifts that you’ll be proud to give to your groomsmen.
Note: No one’s paying us a dime to recommend these things to you. We honestly think they’re good ideas. Enjoy.
Louisville Slugger Baseball Bat
It’s a real wooden bat, same kind used as the pros. And you can engrave a message on it. A little pricey, but pretty sweet. Your buddy can use it at the company softball game or wield it when checking out strange noises in the night.
Keepsake Box
I used to love looking in my dad’s keepsake box. He’d keep his tie tacks, tie clips, watches, and old pocketknives in it. The site I linked to above is called etsy.com. People on Etsy sell their homemade crafts online. This seller offers some pretty cool and unique keepsake boxes which are made out of old books. Be sure to check out this one and this one. Pretty damn manly. And check out this one, made from an old post office bank. For something more traditional, see here.
Shaving Kit
I can’t think of a better gift to bestow upon your groomsmen than to help them start shaving like their grandpas. Shaving kits can be pretty pricey, so if you don’t have much expendable income, think about simply getting them a nice brush or razor.
Pocketknife
As you know, every man should carry a pocketknife. Lots of gift sites carry engravable pocketknives, but they are generally woosy knives designed to look pretty instead of being used to stab grizzly bears in the heart. Plus, a man doesn’t want to think about your wedding every time he takes his knife out of his pocket. So skip the engraving altogether and just get them a sweet, well-made one. There are plenty of good options out there. W.R. Case makes some fine pocket knives. They’ve been handcrafting them right here in the USA since 1889. Whichever you choose, find a knife that your friend will love to carry around and want to pass on to their son.
Flint and Steel Fire Starter Kit
Nothing’s more manly than building a fire without matches. So if your friends are outdoorsy and you want to find them something unique (read: seriously cool) give them this flint and steel fire starter kit. It’s got steel, a flint rock, char cloth, raw cotton, tinder, and instructions all packed in a nice tin. They’ll be starting fires like real mountain men in no time.
Shoeshine Kit
Well shined shoes are essential to a professional appearance, but a surprising number of guys in their 20′s don’t have a shoeshine skit. Hook your friends up with a gift they’ll use throughout their life.
Fountain Pen
Help your friend upgrade from a crummy Bic ballpoint pen, to the luxury of the classic fountain variety. When your friend writes his information on the back of his calling card for a lovely young lady, he’ll be doing it in style. Most department stores carry them and some office supply stores do as well. Note: If you click on the link, be sure and scroll down to find cheaper options. Unless you’re considering spending $1,428.00 on a writing utensil. Yowza.
Pocket square
Nothing finishes off a sharp looking suit like a pocket square. If you go this route, it’s a good idea to get your groomsmen a white one because it will go with almost any color combination. Or get one that matches your wedding colors and that they can wear on the big day. To personalize the gift, have his initials embroidered into the handkerchief. If your bud is like most young men today, he’s probably never folded a pocket square. So be sure to include some directions on how to make your favorite fold or sit down and have a man to man tutorial together.
Gift Certificate to a Hat Store
Every man secretly wants to start bringing back the hat, but sometimes they need a little push. Get your buddies on their way to becoming dapper gentlemen by giving them a gift certificate to a local hat store. Before the wedding, they can together enjoy a manly outing to pick out and buy their new lids. On the day of the wedding, the sight of your groomsmen decked out in their suave new hats will make for a most excellent photo op.
Dopp Kit
Every man needs a Dopp kit. Get your groomsmen a gift they’ll use on all their travels. Tell them to pack it up and to not to be a stranger once you’re a married man. Let them know your door is always open for a visit.
What are your groomsmen gift ideas? Did we leave something out? Want to defend the flask? Drop a line in the comment box and let us know.
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i decide to get my groomsmen shaving kits, and then this shows up. one more reason why this is the best site ever.
Men should like wearing suits because suits look good on any guy
Great ideas!! These are really wonderful gifts for groomsmen…
What do you get for a man who has everything? A box to put it all into.
Or some of it at least, the keepsake box gets my vote.
Most manly groomsmen gift ever — hand-made hunting knives.
Agree with Baniz. Uncomfortable they may be, men do look good in suits.
Glad to see you finally did an article on the Groomsman’s gifts. As an update to my previous posts in the Dopp Kit thread, I would like to say that I went with a Dopp kit – pocket knife combo. I knew that both of them would be doing extensive traveling int he near future and that they would need some high-class storage. As for the pocket knives; I can’t begin to count how many times I have seen them use them while we are hanging out.
Wish you would have posted this 2 years ago!!! :)
Great ideas. I don’t know why, but I love the bat.
http://yinvsyang.com/
I personally went with the engraved Flask – Lighter combo. They seemed to enjoy, made the most of them the night of the wedding atleast
Great post, I would love to receive anything listed here! I collect fountain pens a bit, and I would recommend swisherpens.com for some of the best prices. The service is un-beatable, too. One thing to consider…some people may not like the maintainence required with a fountain pen, or they might be a lefty (Fountain pens tend to smear when used left-handed). Almost every fountain pen design has it’s ball pen version available, so that might be a good alternative. That being said, you can’t beat the “Parker 45″ fountain pen for price or performance. Parker has been making them for over 40 years, and they run in the neighborhood of about $30.
I got my groomsman silver pocket watches with their monogram engraved on them. Pretty classy in my opinion.
The last gift I was given was from a lady friend for being in her wedding. We all got these soft sided coolers with shoulder straps that fold out into small stools to sit on. They each had our names embroidered on them. It was an awesome gift for camping, going to the beach, backyard bbqs, etc.
I also got my groomsmen pocket watches. They’ve been wearing them to weddings since, and my brother wears his with his suit.
It’s funny you should mention it, because when my wife and I got married in 2006, we got everyone in the wedding party customized bobbleheads (from the same place linked, actually!). It *was* expensive, but we budgeted for it and managed to find a “body” that fit each person’s unique style and personality. The hardest part was getting photos of people in the first place – they need a profile head shot, and a front-on head shot. So we had to get photos from everybody in the party, without raising suspicions. I think they thought we were going to do a mug shot theme or something.
But I have to say – the reward was priceless. We passed out the boxes at the rehearsal dinner, and made everybody wait to open them at the same time. The look on people’s faces when they pulled out a personalized bobblehead of themselves was one of the greatest moments ever!
I’ve also seen personalized “bar signs” for each groomsman, which was awesome as well. I’ve got mine up in the basement.
Great site, and keep up the awesome work!
Because my groomsmen and I are avid outdoorsmen, I got them all nice compasses. The guys who had helped keep me on a steady path since grade school were also the ones I enjoyed going camping and hunting with most. The compasses seemed to say exactly what I had hoped they would.
@Kyle-
Very thoughtful and very cool. Great suggestion.
Great article and topic! I especially like shaving kit, and pocketknife.
(Disclaimer: I’m a little biased since I make custom pocketknives.)
Oh, and Kyle’s idea to give compasses is EXCELLENT! Great job, Kyle!
-Ben
Personally, I think groosman gifts should be more usable to the group of people you’re working with. Compasses are great if you’re outdoorsmen, but if you’re drinkers, they’re useless. On the flipside, a pocket watch is classy and cool-looking, but are your buddies the type that would wear those things normally? I say, even though there are some cool things mentioned here, go with something they won’t have to keep and not use. (Flasks?)
And make them wear it:
I found nice, but not too expensive pocket watches here:
http://www.westernemporium.com/store/oldwest_watches.php
And I had them wear vests with watch chains.
Too cool.
At my brother’s wedding…He gave me a leather cigar case, also very manly. My other brother gave out unique cuff links…can’t get more many than that!
Steve
Hat store gift card!
Awesome idea!
Call me superstitious, but don’t forget to strap a coin to the knife if you plan to give them as gifts (the receiver gives the coin back to the giver)
…and flasks only make sense if you include a great Scotch with it.
I received a wallet with my initals engraved an a little metal stub on it. I thought it was pretty cool, and functional.
I also received a swiss army knife pen, engraved, which I keep at my desk and is another cool gift.
As for the fountain pen, you can get good deals on Lamy pens (personal fave) and other fountains at isellpens.com. I’m not affiliated with that site in anyway, by the way, but I did buy my pen from them and it was the best price I could find anywhere (after searching and agonizing for over a month on pens. drove my friends crazy).
A buddy of mine got his groomsmen, all of whom are outdoorsmen, is a decent .22 rifle. Reasonably priced, fun, useful and certainly masculine.
How about a flashlight? Not the cheap stuff, but something like a Surefire Executive E2? Compact and bright.
I only had my brother in my wedding party. He’d been an avid Harley rider for over 20 years and had the same riding jacket for most of that time.
I got him a really nice new jacket as his gift on the condition that he gave the old one a Viking funeral.
I love the bat.
Everything on the list I’ve heard about, but the bat??? What a freaking cool idea!
The compass is another great idea. Great article….
I worked in an engraving shop a few years ago and a couple came in with 12 Derringers for grooms men gifts. Coolest thing I ‘ve ever seen, I engraved the date of the wedding on the top barrel and put the date along the handle strap. I know its not for everyone but I wanted to be a grooms man there.
Definitely agree with Jordan, in that the groomsman gifts you give should be useful to those they’re intended for (hence, we are avid outdoorsmen, I gave compasses).
Another idea (if you’ve got the ability, and this is applicable to you) would be a nice 25 – 50 count cigar humidor. You can find them very reasonably priced… (not a paid advertisement) at places like http://www.cigarbid.com.
A lot of my friends, in order to eliminate having a lot of impractical things that we won’t use (see also: cuff links, pocket watches, etc.), have been giving gift baskets that include all sorts of things that they enjoy. Microbrews, cigars, magazine subscriptions, etc. The best one I’ve received included a subscription to Men’s Fitness, a bunch of microbrews, certificates to his favorite pizza place, and a DVD of Alien Vs. Predator. Though the movie is horrible, every time I’m grabbing a DVD, I think of my friend. A lot of good ideas here though.
myfavz.com could be of interest to you. It is a new startup launched on sept 8th at the techcrunch50 in california. It is a social shopping portal with a unique patent pending feature called pKaboo!
pKaboo! enables gift givers to anonymously find out the recipient’s current interests, hobbies or perfect gift ideas. The giver’s identity is disclosed to the recipient by myfavz on the day of the event, thus maintaning the element of surprise which is so crucial to the ritual of gifting.
Let me know your views on myfavz
AJ
Founder / CEO
http://www.myfavz.com
Box idea great. Here’s a place that combines a shaving kit AND a “catch all” box:
http://www.men-uusa.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=33
http://www.personalizedegifts.com has many great groomsmen gifts for sale.
Long time listener, first time caller. I’ve got a big family and hawaiian t-shirts are a bit of a family tradition. I’ve been to quite a few coterie weddings with nice hawaiians as the gift of choice. My brother-in-law gave us all really nice vintage hawaiians, and I’m guessing they were in the $130-160 range. I know they’re not for everybody, maybe a little tacky, but it’s great apparel for a party animal with style.
Also a friend’s brother did the Louisville Slugger, which received a unanimous “sweeeet” from all the guys afterwards.
Try this cosy site for classy wedding gifts including groom gifts
http://www.say-it-with-a-gift.com/unique-wedding-gifts.html
You can also read about gift buying strategies for individual needs.
If you want more specific gifts for boyfriend then you can also try this link
http://www.say-it-with-a-gift.com/gifts-for-boyfriend.html
How about a nice, classic silver zippo lighter with your groomsmen’s initials engraved on it?
I heartily agree with the idea of giving cool useful stuff instead of just more useless junk to groomsmen. Although I think a fountain pen falls into the impractical category unless the recipient happens to be into those smudgy, leaky, obsolete things. I am a personal fan of the pocket knife idea and a nice traditional Case knife as suggested is a classy choice. However, a more modern and more useful choice would be the (all-metal) Victorinox Cadet model of Swiss Army Knife. Engraved, of course, for a personalized touch. But not with the date of your wedding. As mentioned, a man doesn’t need a reminder of your anniversary date when he is opening a beer bottle, turning a screw or slicing open a bag of fertilizer. Besides, he’ll still be using the knife long after the divorce is finalized. Engrave his last name on the handsome engraving panel. That’s manly. I recommend the Cadet model because it has a useful assortment of sturdy tools, but is not overloaded with too many gizmos. Absolutely slim enough to be a comfortable pocket carry for any occasion. And because it is all metal, it is classy enough to carry in a suit while being durable enough to use in the workshop, the wilderness, and then to pass down a generation.
http://www.cellphoneflasks.com has groomsmen gifts for your men at your next wedding that can be engraved for free.
I definitely think manly gifts are important. Groomstand.com has some of the manly groomsmen gifts. you mentioned. They also have a “manly” blog about getting married.
How about a tub of astroglide. It’s only slightly more gay then anything else on that list. Or a big floppy 10 inch dildo?
Along the same line as the bat, my dad got us groomsmen really nice putters, and his best man a driver. Not everyone may need them, but we certainly all did.
+1 for shaving kit
I normally can’t stand people who post “you forgot…..” So rather than that, I’ll simply add an idea. When my best friend got married, his groomsmen gifts were individually selected watches, each geared toward that groomsman’s personality. His twin brother got a classic silver wrist watch. His younger brother got a watch more geared towards a 15 year old. His uncle got a classy old-fashion style watch. I got a the style of watch you might see a Hell’s Angel wearing on a special occasion. The fact that he spent the time really picking each watch out made it mean that much more to each of us. The wedding was 3 years ago, and I know his twin, the younger brother, and I still wear our watches every day.
I work in a barbershop and one Groom brought his groomsmen and father in for haircuts, shaves and massages on the day of his wedding. It was a great way to treat his buddies b/c it was different and the memories will last longer than some other cliche gift ideas.
I was fortunate to be a groomsmen for one of my college mates who recently tied the knot with his long-time girlfriend. At the wedding I met her sister and it was love at first sight and now we are engaged just months later. Anyway, I was given a personalized or custom bar sign as my groomsmen gift. It was from Groomsmen.com and was a Cigar-themed gift which I was amazed by:
http://www.groomsmen.com/p/ODVCIGAR-V/Vintage+Cigar+Pub+Sign.html
and now I will be giving my best man and groomsmen these same personalized signs as gifts too. Their website is http://www.Groomsmen.com
Good luck everyone – our wedding is set for January 24 2009.
I gave my groomsmen a really nice, engraved leatherman-style multi-tool. The kind of thing that any man can find a use for, even if he’s not handy, the multitool fills an unassuming niche somewhere between a pocket knife and a small toolbox.
I always keep one in the little storage pocket in my car door, and one in my toolbox, and I’ve needed it on a number of occasions. You should have a well-equipped toolbox, but for those times when you can’t take the toolbox with you, a good multi tool can handle a lot of minor jobs.
The ones I got engraved for my groomsmen were designed to look nice as well as be up to the job(s), but for reference, there’s some pics of the more traditional utilitarian style on wikipedia
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multitool
I bought my guys small branding irons. Its an expensive novelty they probably wouldn’t buy for themselves. I want one myself but can’t justify the expense. You use them when making steak or something sturdy on the grill. (Just so noone gets any weird ideas.)
This isn’t on the topic of groomsmen’s gifts, but it is a gift for one of my best friends. I was wondering if anyone had a good idea for a college graduation gift that I could get my roommate. I thought about the personalized bat, but I’m not sure because he’s not really into sports other than boxing. Any ideas?
That fire starter kit is really cool, would make a great gift for a few outdoorsmen I know!
Many people say cuff links are in the past, but from my viewpoint, they are 100% way off. Cufflinks definitely will be worn for ages, whether they are worn at weddings, special events or for a simple good time. They really do give a formal egde and whenever I hand over a pair to a loved one, they think it’s the most awesome thing to happen to them since Michael Jackson did the moonwalk.
As home brewer, I’m brewing 3 different ales form my fellas and out of town guests. On the list is an Oaked-Aged Peated Stout, Pasty Face Pale Ale (my house brew) and since we are taking the plunge in October I thought that it would be fitting to make my Devil Down Below Pumpkin Ale. Brewing is easy, if you can boil water and read a timer you can brew. After I read this post I will most definitely be throwing in a pocket knife. This amalgam of manliness has been a real treat to browse.
Sláinte
This stuff looks like my husband’s closet, he even has exactly that hat. I didn’t realize how manly he was, I thought he was a wimp for a while. Guess I’m wrong, he’ll be glad to know that. LOL
Yeah, my cousin and her husband gave me a monogrammed executive pocket knife for being in their wedding. It’s really nice – silver plated. I just found it recently and sharpened the blade – thanks to Brett’s instructional video. It’s now on my keyring.
Thanks for the tips! I’m getting married next year and will have to figure what to buy my groomsman.
the firestarter is a great idea, and so is the homebrewed beer. however, i must defend the flask. I use mine mostly during the winter and keep it stocked full of sailor jerry’s rum. and i’m far from an alcoholic. you also never know when you’ll find yourself in a situation where you could use a drink, but there isn’t any to be found. in the long run, it’s not a gift to give a non-drinker, but it is a perfect gift for someone who does. most people don’t appreciate a flask until they’ve owned one. i have two… the first one i bought was under ten dollars, just to see what it was all about. the second was a much nicer engraved one my brother gave me for my 30th birthday, all in all… worth it. if you don’t feel comfortable gifting a flask, i still encourage owning one yourself. My wife thinks its manlier than my pocket watch or hand rolled cigs.
I’m going to go +1 on the fountain pens. And I’m going to stump particularly for The Pelikan M200 from Richard’s Pens. Richard Binder will not sell a pen if he thinks there is any reason it may come back to him, and he ensures that every fountain pen’s nib is smooth as silk before it ships. He prices the M200 well, and it has a lifetime repair warranty; I’ve sent mine in (to Chartpak, the US distributor) for free repairs on several occasions. He also sells Field Notes.
Be sure to include a bottle of ink: I suggest Pelikan Brilliant Black
Some very nice ideas there! Honestly, I didn’t know those things were called Dopp bags. Always called them a kit bag myself, but I like knowing the origin now. Good place to keep smoking supplies as well if you’re into that. Pipes (and even cigars) require sort of a lot of equipment to us and maintain them correctly.
And as for the groomsmens’ gifts specifically… I bet no one out there gave their boy samurai swords!! Not the chincey ones either. I see your pocket knife and raise you a katana!
I think the best bet is to sit down and consider the interests of each groomsman. I have a Best Man who rides a Harley, a groomsman who is a cop, a hunter, a hardcore camper, a techie, and an academic. Trying to find a single gift that they will all use is nigh impossible.
Some great ideas here. I just wish I could give everyone the fire starter kit. The Derringer is an awesome idea, but I don’t have $1K or more to spend on gifts :-)
If you’re still unclear : corral most weird gift idea, it will always be jumbo choice. These are some cool ideas. Pretty interesting stuff.
All our groomsmen have different hobbies and interests but they are still close friends. We’ve been looking for ideas that will work for all of them and our top 3 are:
1. Custom caricatures from giveacaricature.com. We can have a caricature done and include all their interests in a funny way.
2. Engraved flasks. Not as original as the caricature idea but all of them drink, that is the one thing they have in common!
3. A share of stock from giveashare. We were thinking WebMD for the doctor, Playboy for a few of them, Microsoft for the techie, Anheuser busch for the drinkers, etc!
Just thought I would share our top ideas. Good luck!
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