We have also been very busy selling communion gifts to our customers. This seems to be a very popular occasion and as such we are continuing to grow our choice of gifts in this  category of our boutique. We hope you like!

We have been adding lots and lots of  new wedding gifts to our wedding boutique and there are lots more to come. If you fancy a personalised wedding cake topper don’t leave it to late for your wedding day as the current lead time is approx 6 weeks and this could get longer the further into the wedding season we get.

In the meantime we hope you like our current gifts selection!

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Lovely Wife Glass Keepsake

There must be nothing nicer than a bride opening up a little something special as she gets her wedding frock on and sips her glass of fizz!

Often her mum or dad will give her a a little gift token or maybe her best woman or maid of honour. Sometimes. even the groom leaves a special  gift with someone to make sure it reaches his bride just as she gets ready. Here at Boutique To You we have arranged for many gifts to arrive at wedding venues sent with heartfelt wishes from the groom to his bride.

 As I write this we have just arranged for a pair of embroidered ‘mrs’ knickers to be delivered on behalf of a groom to his bride when she arrives at their hotel venue next week. Not only are they personalised with her new married name but they are also her ‘something blue’! He has requested they be made in powder blue silk with her new name embroidered in ivory silk cotton. How romantic a gesture is that?

A something blue keepsake  is probably one of the most popular wedding gifts most people would present to the bride to be just before the ceremony. Once over, it was always the garter that had a hint of blue to it. We offer these but we were also one of the first online UK gift companies to develop swarovski crystal charms to be tied into the bridal bouquets. These look absolutely stunning entwined into the flowers or even into the bride’s hair. They are a contemporary classic in the making. We sell several designs : a blue swarovski heart and a diamante blue horseshoe. We also sell smaller versions in the form of a garter charm to be clipped somewhere discreet attached to the bridal underwear.

A nice piece of personalised jewellery would also work well as a bridal gift. Something like this that can be engraved with a special message, words or even the wedding date will last long past the wedding day. If you choose something that you know she will wear every day or on  a regular basis afterwards then you are onto a winner. Just to touch her bracelet or the charm on her necklace will bring all the happy memories flooding back time after time. You could also choose something that she can add to. Charms are still extremely popular and show no signs of going out of fashion. Maybe she could add to the jewellery if they go on to add to their union with the addition of a baby.

One of my personal favourites for a bride’s wedding token is our ‘lovely wife’ engraved glass token. We know of one groom who arranged to have this left on the pillow in their honeymoon suite. What a romantic sentiment to let the honeymoon commence! You could even go one step further by having some mr and mrs pillowcases ready and waiting on the nuptial bed for them both! Two gifts in one.

So there you have it. Some of my top tips for giving gifts to the bride to send her on her way. They are just that little bit different and just goes to show how you can bring tears ( some more)  to her eyes as she embarks on the biggest journey of her life so far- certainly one of the happiest!

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Football Team Bride and Groom Cake Topper

Weddings and wedding gifts are a big business, more so now than ever, and in particular ‘Cake Toppers have become a popular and innovative and fast-growing market. The variety of styles is mind-blowing; from the very traditional to the very contemporary.  Back in the 1980’s when people like my parents got married they had very little choice over wedding paraphernalia and opted for a sophisticated little construction made of icing which has stood the test of time and still exists today.

These days, many people are opting for figurines of themselves to sit on top of their cakes. The more conservative couples among us often opt for an elegant cake topper featuring a generic couple. From the more adventurous amongst us, I’ve seen really ‘cartoony’ ones that are almost caricatures of the couple and more realistic ones that look like the couple have been shrunk down into miniature versions of themselves. Couples that have shared interests have even had them modelled participating in a favourite past time as a very personal and individual wedding topper idea. A friend of mine and her (now) husband designed their figurines to be dressed as their usual selves so they could keep their wedding attire more traditional. Usually, fashion-wise, they are both more gothic in their tastes but didn’t want their wedding outfits to be like that so the figurines reflected their personalities and allowed them to have the best of both worlds!

If you don’t like the idea of a cake topper representing you for the top of your cake there are plenty of other choices. For instance, Disney do a great range of romantic themed ornaments that can be used as cake toppers or any ornaments that take your fancy can be used as centre pieces for the top of your cake. You could choose something that is special to the both of you that doesn’t offer a direct or obvious link and could be viewed as a purely decorative feature. That way it is your own little secret!

Some celebrities and even television programmes have embraced the idea of personalised cake toppers. Manchester United player, Wes Brown and his wife had such figurines on their cake and in ‘Hollyoaks’, Carmel McQueen and Calvin Valentine had their own little versions of themselves as a fun part of their wedding day.

Whether you would have a cake topper designed to look like you or not there is a huge amount of choice for what to top your cake with on your wedding day. I like the idea of introducing a really personal touch to your wedding celebrations, but if you’re a bit shy of the spotlight you have plenty of choices to make your cake individual without it having to be all about you!

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Personalised Wedding Cake Toppers from Only £45.00

The bridesmaids and best woman get assigned different tasks to do in prepration for a wedding. More usually if they are very close to the bride and groom they will take it upon themselves to be responsible for such jobs as researching and finding  wedding cake toppers suitable for the bride and groom´s wedding style.

The internet is a great starting point for finding all the different kinds of cake toppers that are available for weddings. Becoming more and more popular are the jokey type of cake toppers that are fashioned to look like the bride and groom.  They can be made to represent how the happy couple will look on their wedding day or fashioned to look like a snapshot in time of how the couple look like when they are having a good time together.

These type of cake toppers are hand made by individual cake  makers and artisans.They are usually hand crafted from clay and photographs and descriptions can be given to the crafter so that they create a memento that can be treasured for many years to come. If looked after clay cake toppers will preserve well into the tenth wedding anniversary and usually beyond.

I have seen some fabulous personalised wedding cake toppers made for customers in the past. Grooms wearing uniforms from the army, navy, police and fire service. Brides fashioned to look like how they will and did on the big day with copies of their hair style, bridal gown, tiara, jewellery and many other things that have been requested.

When gifts are hand made there is usually no limit to what can be added. For extra charges I have seen people have their pets stood in the middle of them. If they already have children many couples have requested these to be added to. Even a wedding group showing the bridesmaids.Grooms on surfboards. The bride and groom waving from their honey moon camper van. You can literally have whatever you want if you are willing to pay for a piece of craftmanship.

The one thing I would advise though is to make sure that this type of cake topper suits the bride and groom´s personality and wedding theme. Funny cake toppers aren´t everyone´s cup of tea but I have yet to find anyone be disappointed with one.  However, there are some brides who will prefer a more contemporary, classic kinds of wedding cake toppers and these can always be catered for too.

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Early June, late August and the beginning of September always seem to be the time when we get the most wedding invites. I personally really like late August going into early September. The weather for the past 6 years has always been spot on when we have attended a friend’s wedding. Which is what you always hope for on their big day.

So have you got yourself organised?  Let’s run through a quick check list. Have you booked a hotel if you need one? No? Ok, hop on over to laterooms.com. Sorted, next, have you bought an outfit or do you possess a suit? Get over to monsoon.co.uk and grab a gorgeous outfit if not. Sorted, next, is your car road worthy if you have a long way to go? If not, book it in the garage quick sticks for a service. The last thing you want is it breaking down on you on the way there.

Finally and most importantly, have you got them a super gift? No..? Ok for last minute unique wedding gifts, this is where we really can come to your rescue. Our best selling love keepsake by My Soul’s Window is a lovely hand painted keepsake with a heartfelt poem about love. It dispatches in 1 day.  The poem reads ‘love is patient.love is kind.love is faithful.love is compassionate.love is fearless.love is joyful.love is honest. love is forever.and love is yours … unconditionally!’ and it’s £14.99 with free delivery.

I also recommend our forever photo frame. It’s for the more contemporary couple. They can add a photo from their wedding day and there are two simple entwined rings that delicately hang just over the frame….so it is obviously a thoughtful wedding gift, rather than just a standard photo frame. There is also a caption at the bottom that says ‘a beautiful way to begin forever.’

I have two final recommendations one is a beautiful figurine of a bride and groom. It’s simplistic and just lovely and again it’s by My Soul’s Window. Dispatched in one day and priced at £29.99. My other favorite is a cute boxed his and hers mug set, £18.99 and dispatched in one day.

To see the full range of unique wedding gifts visit our main gifts site. Most of the personalised items take between 7- 14 days. Many can be upgraded to express for a additional charge so have a good rummage in our gift boutique if you still have a couple of weeks before the big day.

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Before 1840 brides married in coloured wedding attire, basically the best clothing they had in their wardrobes. There really were no formal wedding dresses, the bride just wore her best dress and stepped out to be married. A wealthy woman wore a rather fancy dress in any colour she liked. What happened in this year to set the tone of change? Queen Victoria got married to her cousin Prince Albert; she wore an absolutely stunning white satin gown that required 200 women to sew the lace on; she wore a veil. This lavish wedding was widely publicised and it was soon decided by every woman who planned to marry that white was the true bridal gown colour and none other would do.

Getting a white wedding gown was not so easy though back in those days; however, all that changed with the coming of the Industrial Revolution and the advent of the department store. Though brides could now buy new, white wedding gowns, not everyone could afford them, they were more a symbol of status and wealth.

With the coming of World War I people again reverted to wearing whatever was available and many brides felt it was their duty to make sacrifice. Funds were also in short supply so the dresses became more practical and functional.

Coco Chanel introduced the first short, knee length white wedding dress worn with a long train; white became the official bridal dress colour once again from then on.

Symbolically, white has been associated with purity, virginity and happiness; untainted and chaste. This also relates back to the Christian faith and the emphasis on purity. The other connection to purity came from the Victorian era, which placed great importance of feminine purity and chastity; hence the association of white with these qualities.

Check out the main site at Boutique To You for more articles and tips on wedding planning ,  wedding gifts and gifts for the bride.

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

According, to the law of the land a man and woman can legally marry if they are 16 years of age and single. However, if you are age 16 or 17 you cannot legally get married if you don’t have parental or guardian consent. Also you cannot marry if you are same sex. Partners of the same sex who wish to get married to each other must register under UK law for a civil partnership ceremony instead.

You may also not marry direct bloodline relatives. These include parents, grandparents and siblings. Although, this may seem obvious to many people the law has to cover it… just in case! If they do marry the marriage will automatically be void even if they do not know they are related. If you are not related by blood i.e adopted then you are allowed to marry members of your adoptive family but not your adoptive parents.

In order to make a marriage lawful it can only take place at certain venues. First on the list is the most obvious and long standing – church. Next comes the registry office for those partners who just want the union to be made legal without all the pomp and ceremony. Several years ago it was made legal to be married in other buildings such as a hotel. All it takes is for the venue to have a license from their local authority. Unlike wedding ceremonies that are allowed to take place in the USA I haven’t yet heard of anyone who has been allowed to get married at the bottom of the North Sea as both partners are keen scuba divers or jumping from a height from a plane.. with a parachute, of course!

Other places where marriages are allowed to take place are hospitals if a partner is sick and may not recover, at home if a partner is housebound and a prison if one partner is a prisoner.

Now we know who can get married to whom and where what about the requirements that actually makes it legal? Well, there has to be one of two main ones whether the marriage is to be a religious or a civil ceremony. The marriage has to be conducted by someone who is registered to authorise marriages. The marriage also has to be entered in the Register Book, signed by both parties as well as two witnesses and the person who conducts the ceremony and is authorised to do this.

Prior to the ceremony both partners will be asked to submit written evidence to prove that they are who they say they are. Giving any false information is deemed as a criminal offence. Not a great start to married life!

Lots of couples opt to get married in far flung exotic destinations. Some marriages in some countries are not recognised in the United Kingdom. It is always best to add this to your wedding to do list to enquire about from your local Citizen’s Advice Bureau or from a lawyer. After all, wouldn’t you be gutted if you shelled out a fortune for a fairytale beach wedding and it wasn’t legal back home?

There it is, then.. a brief insight into the legalities of getting married in the United Kingdom. I hope it is helpful!

BoutiqueToYou.co.uk specialises in unusual gifts as well as wedding gifts.

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

A personalized wedding gift will captivate the imagination of the person because it is something especially meant for him, an item that no one else can claim. Personalized wedding gifts make a statement of how familiar, affectionate and supportive you are of the wedded couple. They are statements of the firmness of the bonds that exist between the giver and the receiver. Because the value of personalized wedding gifts goes deeper than how much it costs, its effect subtly imprints itself on the consciousness of the receiver.

There are many items that you can personalize as wedding presents. Napkins or tablecloths embroidered with the initials or the names of the couple will be conversation pieces on the dinner table for many years afterwards and will serve to keep the giver in mind. Or you could have bracelets engraved with the initials or nicknames of the couple, perhaps also trimmed with lucky charms and birthstones. Having jewelry customized is no longer as expensive today as it was fifty years ago. There are crystals that match the glitter of genuine precious and semi-precious stones. The newer silver and gold plating techniques have made it possible for affordable metal jewelry to retain their shine for a long time.

For the groom, maybe a pair or two of cufflinks with his initials gracefully etched would be a flattering gift…or a silver collar stiffener, likewise with his initials. For the bride, a bouquet of chocolate roses would be a complement to her beauty and charm.

Check out our range of wedding gift ideas all with free delivery

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

 Special gifts need not be expensive. Bridesmaid gifts that will remind them of their special part on that occasion for many days to come will fill them through and through with that feeling of being special. Personalized photos of the bridesmaids with the wedded pair make excellent tokens of esteem as well as mementos of the happy occasion. On the other hand, beautiful pieces of jewelry with their names engraved on them are also guaranteed to make them feel every inch the distinguished guests that they are. These keepsakes may be further enhanced by birthstones or birth signs. They may be lovely pendants or attractive and graceful rings. It might be a good idea to give them before the wedding itself in order that the bridesmaid gifts can be worn for the occasion.

 If you decided to be generous to your bridesmaids, you could give both personalized jewelry before the affair and the photos afterwards. By personalizing bridesmaid gifts, you can add a lot more value with very little cost. And instead of just putting your bridesmaid gifts away to be forgotten and eventually lost, these personalized items will be kept in a special place to remind people always of that wonderful occasion on which they had such an important role to play.

 Please hop over to the shopping site for our full range of bridesmaid gifts, wedding gift ideas and lots more unusual gifts all with free P&P!

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You

Dogeared Gold Dipped 'Begin' Necklace

Wedding gifts – Small selection of gorgeous pearl & crystal Wedding Jewellery. We also have gorgeous Californian laid back style with Dogeared wedding necklaces and selection of hand made personalised bridal bracelets along with  unusual wedding day accessories. This is a brand new addition to the wedding section of out unusual gifts boutique and one that wil be added to over the coming months leading to the height of wedding season.

Unusual gifts from: Boutique To You