Wedding Woes ‘Resolved’

It’s the time of the year to lay out your chiffons and accessories for close inspection. For men, it’s the time to flex their fingers around their tie knots and their wallets. This is after all the onset of the Big Fat Indian Wedding Season! And as we all know, this is something we just don’t take light. It’s the perfect opportunity for showing off and a little bit of socializing too. And we are so good at doing it, sometimes with very little regard for the couple getting married.

We crib about the sweltering heat and really don’t want to put in a lot of efforts scouting around for the perfect gift. Our wardrobe takes priority and somewhere along the line we throw in a crystal piece in our shopping baskets and have it gift wrapped. Don’t you think it’s time to actually do it a little different now? And here’s how easy different can be. You don’t have to travel a great distance to accomplish this. All you need to do is power up your mean machine and you have a host of options at your fingertips.

I’d suggest, start out by sorting out your invitations. Have a close look and figure out your budgets according to the kind of relationship you have with the person getting married. Once you have that sorted out the road ahead is pretty simple.

You can try out the new genre of quirky gifts these days. They bring an instant smile to the recipient’s face and would be just right for a couple starting out on a new journey together. In the initial time together they’ll put in efforts to give their house the makeover they want. It’s a place of pride for them as they’ll be inviting friends for parties. So, give them something they can show off. Quirky gifts often give options for customizing. So, you can even have your entire gang’s picture embossed on a cushion cover with funny messages and the couple will be more than happy to look at it and remember the good old times (don’t we all just love going down that lane time and again?).

If you are apprehensive about quirky (and your relationship doesn’t allow you to really do quirky), you can choose from the various other categories available. A wedding gift can either be for personal use or something for the couple (like home decor). For personal use you have options such as perfumes, grooming kits, cosmetics and make-up and jewelry. For the couple, you can try something gifting experiences (send them on a spa sessions, or a fine dining experience), home decor or something new like combination baskets of flowers and candles (these are packaged beautifully.

The best part about shopping for gifts online is the heatstroke that you avoid. Wait! This is not the best part. The best part is the option of easy exchange. Instead of waiting for the last minute to order your gift and taking it along with you to join the growing pile at the venue, order your gift well in advance and have it delivered directly to the bride or the groom’s house. Let them have a look at it and decide if they really want it (It’s their big day after all and they should certainly be allowed an opinion about their gifts). Now here’s really the best part. In case, they aren't happy with the gift, they can exchange it. So, instead of you receiving the amount for the gift you purchased, you can opt for the option wherein, the recipient will get store credit and buy a gift of their choice online. So, it really is time to try the different (and easy), this wedding season. 

Do You Know Your Signs?

When you think of Zodiac signs what is the first things that comes to your mind? Or rather the first name? Well, mine is clouded by only one name, Linda Goodman. How many of you remember holding on to that dark blue color book on Zodiac signs like your life depended on it? It was nothing less than a holy scripture and I remember lives being planned in accordance with that book. Important life changing decisions such as what color to wear on a date, what color flower to carry around in books for a good grade, or the lucky stone that would lay the World at your feet were all left to this one book.

So, it came as quite a shock when I realized that people just don’t care about zodiac signs once they reach a certain age! I mean something that helped you survive the most critical years (teens) of your life can’t be overlooked so easily. Or can it? Well, as you grow out of the pages of that book, you realize getting to really know a person is more important than just asking their Zodiac and then turning to the right page number to know their personality. However, I still like to turn those pages, for the simple reason that you can’t possibly get to know everyone around you really well. For instance, what about the people you work with? You are often stuck in situations where you don’t have the time or energy to trail a person for weeks before his/her birthday to figure out the one gift that’ll make them happy.

So, that’s where the good old Zodiacs come in handy. Here are some gifting tips that’ll help you when you don’t where to look for clues.

Aries: Arians are knows to be an adventurous species. Their love for the outdoors often overrides their other passions. So, something that’ll take them closer to their love will be much appreciated. A trekking kit, or a river rafting trip is sure to put a smile on their face.

Taurus: People born under this sign are knows to be calm and cool. They love food and a good dining experience is sure to lift their spirits. They also appreciate gifts that would allow them to spend some time on their own, like a favorite music CD or a videogame.

Gemini: Geminis are curious by nature and love to dig deeper for knowledge. So some books or CDs to add to their ever increasing knowledge base would be a good gift for such people.

Cancer: If you have lived with a Cancerian you’ll know comfort is of paramount importance to them. Anything that disturbs their peace of mind throws them off the kilter and they just wouldn’t know where to look. So, send your friend to a spa and help them forget about uncomfortable situations and decisions.

Leo: They are the simplest signs to please when it comes to gifting. They just want one thing and that is a little bit of pampering. So go all out and along with a gift that comprises of some jewelry (I’ve heard it’s their weakness) also throw in a dining experience or a spa trip.

Virgo: People under this sign look for ways to let their creativity flow. A little something, like a collection of art replicas that will help them admire the creative juices flowing around them will make them happy.

Libra: These are the pages where all the charm lies. They are happy-go-lucky and expect people around them to be the same on their special days. So you can get them just about anything by way of gifting but do make sure you plan their day to make them feel special. So even if you don’t have a gift than can fit into a wrapping sheet, a short weekend getaway would be ideal for your Libra friend.

Scorpio: People born under this sign are known to be quite strong hearted and believe in making their own destinies. Gifts such a perfumes, chocolates or wallets would define them pretty well.

Sagittarius: They have an inborn exuberance that tends to rub off on to you a little when you spend time with them. So something that’ll help them maintain this cheerful disposition will be perfect for them. Try a small puppy if you know they are fond of dogs.

Capricorn: They believe in persevering and they believe in doing so patiently. Anything unique such as an antique watch or a mantelpiece would be much appreciated by them.

Aquarius: People born under this sign believe in making this World a better place and look for ways to contribute. So what they would really like is your participation along with them towards a cause they believe in.

Pisces: They are the trendsetters. They know their fashion and arts. Beautiful things such as flowers and scented candles make them happy.

Having said all this, the real suggestion would be to try and understand the person you are buying a gift for. These Zodiac personalities and preferences should strictly be a backup plan in case all else fails.