With same sex marriages on the rise, apparently guests are finding it increasingly difficult to come up with joint presents. Many find themselves with limited options in shops when it comes to buying for the soon to be wed couple.
Weddings on Female First
Even though we saw same sex marriage being legalised in England, Wales and Scotland- the card and gift market is just not keeping up to speed with the changes. A huge 32% said that they could not find card to suit their needs, with many entitled ‘to the bride and groom’.
The average cost of a wedding is £400 and most guests want to spend £50 or less on a gift, given the cost of attending. Many guests like to give gifts with a personalised element; however this just does not seem to be available for same sex marriages in shops selling wedding paraphernalia.
As with non-same sex couples- many live together before getting married so traditional gifts, such as items for the kitchen are not needed anymore. There are other options available such as spa days, short breaks or money. However, this can be very impersonal in the eyes of some guests who are looking for something that applies just to them.
In response, One4all Gift Card is providing a Personalise My Card service which allows you to create your own gift card with photography and text that you can use to provide your congratulations – whether it’s a same-sex wedding or not.
Declan Byrne, Managing Director of One4all, said: “Our survey has shown that the options are limited when it comes to buying gifts for same-sex couples and that the wedding market hasn’t moved with the times. It’s easy to find a wedding card with a bride and groom on the front but more difficult to buy one for a same-sex wedding, while gift choices are also more limited. The great thing about the One4all Gift Card is that it can be personalised to suit the occasion and the couple in question, as well as providing a huge choice in terms of where the card can be used. The happy couple will then be able to choose from 17,000 retailers where they can use their One4all Gift Card. It can also be used at selected retailers’ websites or for the purchase of experience days, which might even tempt them to have an extra “mini-honeymoon.”