There’s something poetic about giving a wedding gift that could last the couple the rest of their lives - and beyond. Just as a marriage is a bond for life, so should be the perfect wedding present.
Weddings are the perfect time to create future heirlooms. In fact, it’s tradition - if your parents got married, it’s likely that they were given some high-ticket items that they kept forever. Fine china, quality cutlery, solid appliances - wedding gifts are all about ‘setting up’ the happy couple to run a good household. It might sound a bit outdated, but from a practical perspective, it’s more relevant than ever.
When it comes to items for the home or kitchen, young people often can’t afford ‘forever’ purchases of well-made products. They’ll likely have kept a few relics from their student days, whilst trying to save for a house (not to mention a wedding). Celebrating their marriage is the perfect opportunity to give them something special.
This is a list of our top ten wedding gifts that could last the happy couple for the rest of their lives. As ever, our focus is on things that are practical, but also beautifully-made and unique. So whether you know the couple well or have no idea what they’d like, these are wedding gifts that will go down a treat.
A gorgeous stoneware crockery set.
There’s nothing that says ‘we’re hitched’ quite like getting some proper plates. Denby is our first choice for crockery that’s both beautiful and tough. They’ve been making their stuff in Derbyshire for over 200 years using locally-sourced clay, and it comes guaranteed for ten years.
Best of all, Denby crockery is all stoneware - meaning it’s fired at an extra-high temperature for extra durability. That means superior resistance to chips, cracks and breakage. And that means the happy couple needn’t save this beautiful cobalt blue dinner set for special occasions only. Available in sets of four or six.
Our ultimate iron pans.
Our bestselling pans make an ideal wedding gift - the kind of item that just gets better and better over the course of decades of use. Made from one seamless piece of iron, they’re incredibly tough, enough to have a multi-century warranty.
These pans cook similarly to traditional cast iron skillets, searing beautifully and building up a natural non-stick seasoning over time. But, they’re half the weight of regular cast iron. For a do-it-all frying pan, gift them our 26cm Seamless Iron Frying Pan. Or, size up with the family-size 30cm. Really want to splash out? Go for the full Bestseller Set of three essential pans.
This set of British-made kitchen knives.
You can’t go wrong with good knives - people often put up with cheap, blunt blades for far too long. Using proper knives really makes all the difference, and is sure to make the newlyweds feel that little bit more grown up.
The full Chef’s Set by British knifemakers Forest & Forge contains all the blades they’ll need to kit out their kitchen - and they’re lifetime guaranteed. Made from quality Sheffield steel and a range of native Yorkshire hardwood handles, it’s a gift as beautiful as it is practical. If the whole set is a little pricey for you, we recommend the Olive Ash Chef’s Knife as a super-versatile workhorse. Or if on the contrary, you want to go the whole hog, why not throw in a matching sharpening steel too?
This heavy-duty cast iron pepper grinder.
A true testament to simple Scandinavian design. Our bestselling pepper grinder makes a super-satisfying swap from disposable supermarket grinders. Heavy and solid, it crushes peppercorns effortlessly - and will look great on the newlyweds’ kitchen worktop too.
Like all our Skeppshult cast iron products, this pepper grinder has been handmade in Sweden in Scandinavia’s last cast iron cookware forge, which is run on green energy. It pairs perfectly with its elegant matching salt container.
A luxurious linen bedding set.
Bedding makes a fantastic wedding gift - a special, yet essential item that’s sure to be appreciated and well-used. Our linen bedding sets by Piglet come in a wide variety of colours, all sewn from 100% stonewashed French linen.
If you’re not already aware of linen’s benefits, its moisture wicking properties can actually aid sleep. It keeps you fresh and cool in the summer, whilst still feeling cosy in winter. It’s much stronger than cotton, and gets softer and softer with every wear and wash. Now that’s a wedding gift to cherish forever.
These handmade chopping boards.
Give the newlyweds the gift of craftsmanship with a handmade chopping board. Made by a husband and wife team in Cornwall, each one is a true labour of love. Perfectly-cut blocks of FSC or waste hardwoods are glued together, followed by an extensive finishing process. By creating this ‘end grain’ surface, the board can absorb knife cuts without blunting your blade.
Cuts to the board even heal when dampened, as the grain swells a little to repair itself. Thick, durable and beautiful, these chopping boards have been made to last a lifetime and more. Available in a nimble, useful small size, all the way through to a heavy-duty butcher’s block - and everything in between.
A top-quality cutlery set.
Good quality cutlery is something people often skip on investing in - so it makes a great gift for newlyweds looking to upgrade their household. We love cutlery by Viners, British silverware specialists who have been making premium utensils since 1908.
This classic art deco-style Mayfair set is our favourite, made from quality 18/10 stainless steel. That means it contains chromium and nickel, creating the optimum alloy for durability and shine. With a satisfying weight and mirror finish, this set is covered by a generous 50 year warranty - plenty of time for dinner parties and stay-at-home dates.
These multipurpose Turkish towels.
We love peshtemals. These traditional Turkish bath towels are light and quick-drying, and have a myriad of other uses too. Perfect as a throw, blanket, sarong, tablecloth, wrap or beach towel - the newlyweds are sure to come up with all sorts of uses for theirs.
Our handwoven peshtemals by Lüks Linen are made the traditional way, in Turkey, by family-run ateliers in renowned cotton-growing regions. They even come with a 20 year repair or replace guarantee. Choose from thick organic cotton or breezy linen blends, in timeless woven patterns that will look great in any home.
A really, really good food processor.
Is there an ancient appliance in your family, perhaps received as a wedding present decades ago? Proper appliances that last forever aren’t a thing of the past. French-made, with the longest guarantee out there, Magimix food processors are paragons of quality. They’re highly multifunctional: one machine slices, grates, chops, whisks, blends and kneads. But they have just three buttons - the motor automatically adjusts power according to what’s in the bowl.
These appliances carry a 30 year guarantee on the motor, and a 3 year guarantee on the rest of the parts. They’re designed for repair, and Magimix keeps spare parts for their machines for decades. Magimix also makes an outstanding juicer with the same guarantee.
This ceramic cafetiere.
If this couple loves coffee, let them share a lifetime of brews made in this beautiful ceramic French press. No more cracked glass or plastic cafetieres - this one is built to last, made from super-tough stoneware ceramic.
Denby has been making crockery in the same spot in Derbyshire since 1809, using local clay. Their secret glaze recipes are full of depth and rich colour, and this unique piece is no exception. We love the cobalt blue, contrasting with the freckled white of the top and interior. Want to make this gift extra special? Upgrade to the Studio Blue Cafetiere & Mug Set, which comes complete with two matching mugs for the newlyweds.
For more inspiration, check out our wedding gifts long list. Or, take a look at our kitchen essentials edit, our homewares range or our lifetime guaranteed collection.
