The Best Wedding Gifts for Millennials

Photo: Allison Jeffers Wedding Photography

Are you stuck on finding a millenial wedding gift for your friends or relatives? While you may think that many of today’s young couples — who often move in together long before saying “I do” — have no need for the dishes, appliances and flatware sets found on wedding registries, you’d be mistaken. Oftentimes, millennial couples that live together before marriage are still using the mismatched dishes they had in college, and the linens they’ve scrounged together over the years on visits home to their parents.

What’s different now is taste: Most of today’s young couples would be grateful for — but bored by — the plain, white dish sets given to newlyweds in the past, but it can be tough to think up an alternative. So what kind of millennial wedding gift are you supposed to get for your young, hip, stylish newlyweds?

Read on for our wedding gift ideas for millennials!

A bright, patterned or otherwise fun set of dishes

Like we said before, many young couples are still using the chipped or mismatched dishes they’ve had since college, or stuff they’ve picked up over the years from thrift shops as a plate breaks here, or a bowl cracks there. Help them out by gifting them a full set of matching dishes in a bright color or fun print, like these by Kate Spade from Bloomingdale’s.

Gold flatware, or any flatware set that’s not flimsy

Using mismatched or cheap-feeling flatware may not seem like a big deal — until you’ve had good-quality utensils in your hand. If your friends’ taste is on the trendier side, consider giving them a gold flatware set or something with some texture as a millennial wedding gift.

A fun quilt and sham set

Everyone can use a spare comforter and pillowcase set, even if they already own bed linens they love. They’re great to have on hand for laundry day, or for when guests come to town. If you know you friends’ taste well, try picking out a quilt set that’s printed, patterned or textured for a fun, useful wedding gift.

Custom artwork featuring special details about the couple

If your friends are into cute home décor (and let’s be honest, who isn’t?) consider gifting the couple a gorgeous print featuring their married name (if both spouses will have the same last name after marriage) or their wedding date, or ordering a custom cartoon portrait of the marrying pair. Etsy is a great place to look for millennial wedding gifts.

Good-quality cookware

Pots, pans, baking sheets, ramekins, muffin tins, mixing bowls, a knife set etc. — these are all great options for millennials wedding gifts, especially if you select items that are one or two steps above the cookware and bake ware your friends probably purchased from Walmart or Ikea when they first moved in together.

Modern serve ware

Think stylish drink dispensers, patterned serving trays and large bowls, cheese boards and knives, and other items the newlyweds can use to entertain. If they’re young, they likely have never invested in these types of items.

Adventures and activities

Are your friends adventurous? Give them a gift certificate for a couples surf lesson or ziplining tour if there’s one near their city or town. Or buy them tickets to a show that’s in town for a limited time, or a concert you know they’ve been dying to attend.

Smart home gadgets

Think Roku, Chromecast or Apple TV, Nest thermostat/smoke alarm, Amazon Echo and Roomba. These devices are generally on the pricier side, so consider going in on one of these with another friend, or purchasing one on your own if you’re a sibling or close family member of the bride or groom. You’ll also need to do a little research to find out if the couple you’re shopping for already owns one of these devices, and what kind of tech ecosystem they’re looking to build (e.g. one that’s Apple-focused, or Google-based).

Meal kit delivery and/or house-cleaning services

There are tons of meal-delivery services on the market today; companies like Blue Apron and Homemade will deliver portioned ingredients to your doorstep with instructions for crafting delicious meals, a little luxury your friends will appreciate after the hustle and bustle of planning a wedding and honeymoon. Likewise, setting them up with a couple months’ worth of house-cleaning services will be much appreciated after their out-of-town wedding guests have gone home and they finally have a chance to settle into married life.

Cash, gift cards and honeymoon contributions

Last but not least, if you have no idea what sort of millenial wedding gift might work for the marrying couple, keep things simple and give them cash, a gift card to a major retailer, or contribute to their honeymoon registry (if they have one). Couples of all ages will be grateful for a little financial help after shouldering the cost of a wedding.