It’s not easy to plan a wedding. Between invitations, decorations, venue preparation, and all of the other insanity that comes up along the way, it’s a wonder that most brides show up looking so put together and beautiful on the day of the ceremony. Unfortunately, what we described doesn’t even complete the madness! There are also groomsmen and bridesmaids to consider, and both sets of friends will expect to be rewarded (if only in a small way) for their participation.

Would they have sat out the event if they knew they weren’t getting a prize at the end? Of course not! But it is tradition for the happy couple to give out favors to their bridal party members just before the wedding. This is meant to thank them for being there on the big day as well as to show your appreciation for the work they put into the ceremony. Today, we’re going to concentrate on the male half of the equation and take a look at the best groomsman gift ideas.

In most cases, it will be up to the groom to pick out the best presents to show gratitude to those who stepped up to act as his groomsmen, but we’d imagine that the bride has a say in this more often than not. Obviously, budget will factor into the decision as well, simply because putting on a wedding of any size can be exorbitantly expensive. Sometimes that burden falls on the father of the bride, but that’s certainly not always the case. Often, the couple themselves are responsible for the entire cost of the wedding and everything leading up to it. Either way, you’ll have to use your budget to narrow down your groomsman gift selections.

Tips For Choosing the Right Groomsman Gifts

Is there anything that wouldn’t be appropriate as a groomsman gift? Probably not. There are a couple of things to keep in mind, however, when shopping for possibilities. One, you don’t want to go TOO cheap. It would be better not to buy any gifts at all than to “thank” your groomsman with some cheap, plastic piece of garbage out of a vending machine, for instance. Two, you want to keep the personalities of the group in mind. If you primarily hang out with studious, serious young men, it doesn’t make a lot of sense to lean hard into booze-themed gifts that celebrate partying and the wild life. If your companions are all outdoorsmen, a gift card to Steam isn’t going to work. As long as you keep those two tips in mind, you’ll be okay. Here are some others:

Personalization Matters – It’s easy enough to go to your favorite online retailer, buy a bunch of coffee mugs, and call it a day. Those mugs will be appreciated, we’re sure, but will they really be regarded as special? Maybe not. You can change that calculation entirely by adding a bit of personalization to your gifts.

Useful is Better – Sentimental, meaningful gifts are always preferred over trinkets that will immediately be thrown in the back of a drawer. That said, try to find gifts that they’ll actually use. If you can thread the needle between the sentimental and the useful, you’ll find a gift that knocks their socks off.

No Need to Spend a Fortune – Your groomsmen will understand that you’re putting a whole lot of money and resources into making this wedding a day you’ll never forget. Therefore, they won’t be expecting you to spring for an aged bottle of tequila for everyone in the wedding party. There’s no need to strain your remaining budget to buy groomsman gifts. Buy what you can afford, put some thought into gift selection, and everyone will be more than pleased.

Keep It Fun – This might be the most important tip of all. You don’t want your groomsman gifts to be anything but fun. The best time to give out these gifts is the bachelor party, and the second-best time is the rehearsal dinner. Either way, the atmosphere should be light, warm, and enjoyable. If you can find a gift that matches that ambiance, you’ll be doing great.

Now that we’ve talked about some basic tips to follow when choosing your groomsman gifts, let’s get into the heart of the action with this list of the 11 best groomsman gift ideas!

11 – Personalized Flasks

Flasks have become a classic groomsman gift in recent years, and we don’t see this trend reversing anytime soon. If the members of your wedding party like to take a nip out of Grandpa’s medicine cabinet every now and then, they’ll love one of these flasks. You can make the gift much more special by opting for a personalized version, commemorating each groomsman and the date of your wedding. Flasks are in the sweet spot as far as price, too, so if you’re on the hunt for budget-friendly gifts, you should definitely consider going with this idea. And if a member or two of your party doesn’t drink, they can always use the flask for any beverage of their choice!

10 – Toiletry Cases or Bags

Assuming your wedding party is filled with guys who know the importance of careful hygiene, toiletry cases or bags can make for excellent gifts. After all, they’re not called GROOMSmen for nothing, right? This is an excellent, high-class gift that every groomsman will appreciate. As with most of the items on our list, this gift really comes to life when you add a dash of personalization to the outside of the bag. Leather toiletry bags are a big hit right now; their soft-yet-rugged exterior makes them perfect for stuffing into a suitcase before a big trip.

9 – Watches

We suppose everyone turns first to their phones these days when they want to know the time, but watches are still very much in style. It’s not always easy or practical to go looking for your phone when you want to figure out what time it is; it is always easy to simply glance down at your wrist. But even if watches served no utilitarian purpose at all, they would still make a powerful fashion statement. Watches aren’t as inexpensive as some of the gifts on our list, but if you have a bit of extra scratch to spend, this is a great groomsman gift idea.

8 – Whiskey Ice Ball Molds

Have you ever decided to pour yourself a glass of whiskey at home, only to wish that you could cool it with one of those fantastic whiskey ice balls you get at upscale bars? Well, now you can! Not to sound too much like an infomercial, mind you. Seriously, though, you can get these kits for pretty cheap, so there’s no reason why you can’t afford one for every member of your groomsmen party. If you have some money left over, you can even get them each a bottle of whiskey to go along with the kit! Even without the booze, this is a classic gift that every whiskey lover will love.

7 – Knives

Remember when we mentioned that you should look for groomsman gifts that are actually useful? Well, what’s more useful than a knife? They slice, they dice, they do it all. And they are small enough to fit neatly into small boxes that can be easily passed around at the appropriate time. The pocket knife is an American tradition, and it’s hard to imagine the guy who would turn his nose up at such a gift. Again, you don’t have to break the bank on this one. Find a decent, mid-priced knife, perhaps decorate it with some personalization, and you’ll have a gift you can be proud of. If you’re looking for a present that will really show your groomsmen how much you appreciate their participation, you can’t do better.

6 – Compasses

Let’s be honest, if there was ever a day when a man would commonly have a compass on his person, it is a day long past. To be honest, we’re not sure such a time ever existed. A compass has always been a specialty tool, and unless you grew up like the kids on Stranger Things, it’s entirely possible that you’ve never owned one for yourself. That’s what makes this an ideal groomsman gift idea, by the way; there’s a very good chance that you’ll be giving each of your boys something that they don’t already have. Add a handwritten note to every gift, and you’ll have a terrific present that will be both memorable and unique.

5 – Individual Groomsmen Gift Boxes

You can customize these groomsmen gift boxes however you like. You can inscribe each one. You can have each one personalized to the groomsman in question. Best of all, you can fill these boxes up with whatever you want. If you think each of your groomsmen needs a different and unique set of gifts, this is the idea you’ll want to consider. And trust us, they’ll appreciate the thought and care you put into each one. If you do go this route, however, try your best to spend an equal amount of money on each box.

4 – Money Clips

It seems that most people these days pull out their debit or credit card (if not their phones) when they’re ready to make a purchase, but we haven’t quite left the world of cash behind for good. And cash looks better in a money clip than it does stuffed into a wallet – proven science! You can get five or ten money clips with relatively little damage to your budget, and you may even have enough left over to personalize each one for the groomsman in question. For those in your wedding party that actually put these money clips to use, they’ll be a treasured gift that they’ll likely still be using a decade from now.

3 – Bottle Openers

When you get down to the heart of it, what exactly separates not-so-great groomsman gifts from the ones that pop? We suppose it’s not an easy question to answer, but…you know it when you see it. Ideally, you’ll find a gift that your boys will not only appreciate on the day they get it but will continue to use for years. If you close your eyes and imagine such a gift, it might look a lot like a bottle opener. These are particularly ripe for personalization, too! Best of all, they are relatively inexpensive. In fact, if we were to find a gift that perfectly balances class and budget, this might be the one.

2 – Sunglasses

The future’s so bright, you’ve gotta wear shades! Give your groomsmen the gift of eye protection from the sun’s damaging UV rays with some stylish, attractive sunglasses for everyone. Quality sunglasses can be purchased in gift sets that include handy boxes that are easily personalized. This is a situation where you want to spend a little more, mind you. Sunglasses can make for wonderful gifts, but not if they’re from the $5 wheel display in your local convenience store. You don’t have to spend $100+ on every pair, but you should definitely shoot for sunglasses that are more than tourist trinkets.

1 – Cufflinks

Cufflinks are terrific gifts for any occasion, but they are especially suited to be groomsman gifts. After all, cufflinks and formal wear go together like Fred and Wilma. We would offer a word of caution: If the guys in your wedding party rarely dress up in their finest, cufflinks may be one of those unfortunate gifts that wind up at the bottom of a cluttered bathroom drawer. However, if they are the types to go to a lot of fancy events and black-tie galas, cufflinks are among the best groomsman gifts out there.