When to Exchange Gifts on your Wedding Day

Diamond studs are a popular wedding day gift.

One of the sweetest wedding day traditions is the gift exchange between the bride and groom. It’s an opportunity to put a smile your soon to be wife or husband’s face, and make them feel even more special. Love letters, flowers, and jewelry are the most common gifts for a couple to exchange on their wedding day. You should think about the kinds of gifts your partner enjoys and give them something that will make them feel appreciated and valued.

Once you know what you’ll be gifting your partner with, the only thing left to decide is when and how you’ll give it to them. If you’re more traditional, you might want to make sure that you don’t see your fiancé before your wedding ceremony. So, how can you give them your gift?

One common way to exchange gifts on your wedding day is by having it delivered. You can have a member of the bridal party (most often the maid of honor or best man) deliver it to your fiancé while they are getting ready. If you want to have this moment photographed or filmed, you will want to make sure the wedding photographer knows when the delivery will be made. You’ll also likely want to schedule this toward the end of the “getting ready” period to make sure your soon to be bride or groom feels camera ready.

Another way you can give your fiancé their gift without seeing them is to work it into the pre-wedding photo sessions. After you’re dressed and ready for pictures, have your photographer set up a shot where each of you is on opposite sides of a wall. Then, you can open your gifts simultaneously and have this heartfelt moment captured on film. This way, you won’t see your partner but you can still share the moment with them. And you’ll be able to see their reaction to your gift in your wedding photos!

If you’re less traditional and plan on having a first look moment before the ceremony, that’s a fantastic time to exchange gifts. After you soak in the moment of seeing your fiancé for the first time in their wedding attire, you can enjoy watching them open their gift. And, since it’s common today to have first looks photographed, you can easily photograph the gift exchange too and remember the moment forever.

These are some of the most common ways that couples exchange gifts on their wedding day. But, feel free to think outside the box and exchange gifts whenever feels right for you. What matters most is making your partner feel special and having the day move as smoothly as possible. Then, after you’ve exchanged your wedding day gifts, you can give your partner the best gift of all: your hand in marriage.