Choosing a wedding gift is not an easy task in a country like India, which is home to a multitude of religions with varying traditions and customs. Knowing what is appropriate and what is not while picking up marriage gifts for people from different religions is a difficult task at best. To make this a bit easier, we present a guide on how to choose the perfect Wedding Gifts for India based on the ethnicity of the bride & groom:

1. Gifts for Hindu Weddings: In Hindu culture, cash denominations ending in ‘1’ such as Rs 251, Rs 501, etc. are considered lucky. But cash gifts have become such a cliché these days that they are almost instantly forgettable. For someone close to you, you might want to gift more practical gifts or treasured keepsakes. Gold or silver coins bearing images of Lord Ganesha (God of Good Beginning) and Lakshmi (Goddess of Wealth & Prosperity) are considered lucky by Hindus. There are enough Gods-Goddesses pairs popular in Hinduism that denote eternal love, never-ending devotion or ultimate marital bliss. Statues of Radha-Krishna, Shiva-Parvati or Sita-Ram, are sure to win over a Hindu couple. Just avoid anything made of leather in Hindu weddings – especially cow leather.

2. Wedding Gifts for Christians: Devout Christians often give religious icons as universal wedding gifts. While crucifixes may seem macabre to you as a non-Christian, you may choose to give Bible with a personalised cover (with couple’s names or initials on it) or a pair of wedding bands in gold or silver to both Catholics and Protestants. For a Christian bride, you may gift a beautiful flower bouquet to match her wedding dress that she can carry up the aisle.

3. Gifts for Muslim Marriages: In Muslim weddings, refrain from anything related to alcohol or drinking. No matter how lovely those champagne glasses may seem to you or how rare a wine bottle is, it is a strict ‘no’ as a wedding gift to someone who practices Islam as his or her religion. Personalised gifts with the names of bride and groom in Islamic calligraphy or home décor items with Islamic artwork can make good gifts for Islamic weddings.

4. Gifts for Punjabi or Sikh Weddings: It is not customary to carry gifts to Sikh weddings unless you are a close relative or a very close friend. Most guests give cash gifts to bride and groom after the wedding ceremony is over. However, unlike Muslims, Sikhs do love their drinks. So, if you really want to impress them, huge bottles of good quality liquor or wine glass sets make good wedding gifts for them. However, you might want to stay away from things like shaving kits and personal grooming items related to hair grooming.

5. Gifts for Buddhist Weddings: Monetary gifts in red envelopes with gold lettering make traditional wedding gifts for Buddhists. Feng Shui gifts that denote luck and prosperity make good gifts for Buddhist marriages too. Fuk Luk Sau – the Three Wise Men – are considered luckier than the solitary laughing Buddha for the newlyweds.

At Gujarat Gifts, our experts can help you choose appropriate gifts for your friends and relatives in India. Do visit our wedding gifts page at:
http://www.gujaratgifts.com/wedding-gifts-to-india.html