We independently select all products and services. If you click through links we provide, we may earn a commission. Learn moreVettedGiftsThe 35 Best Engagement Gifts That Go Beyond Cards And BubblyFran SalesForbes StaffForbes VettedStephanie MontesContributorOpinions expressed by Forbes Contributors are their own.Forbes VettedMar 7, 2024,04:47pm EST
Finding the perfect gift to bring to a happy couple’s engagement party isn’t always easy. While engagement gifts aren’t as strongly prescribed as wedding gifts, it’s still good etiquette not to show up to the celebration empty-handed — and there’s absolutely nothing wrong with traditional choices like a thoughtful greeting card, a personalized bottle of wine and a colorful bouquet (or a cute succulent plant, our favorite alternative). But if you’re looking for a present that feels a little more personalized, our experienced gift editors and writers created this foolproof guide packed with the best engagement gifts to show the betrothed pair just how excited you are for their nuptials.
From beautiful but practical picks like Savor’s Wedding Keepsake Box to more unique options like Mark & Graham’s personalized Deluxe Monopoly Set, you can’t go wrong with any of the recommendations below. (We even included some last-minute gifts and presents under $20, in case you’re short on time or cash.) Scroll through for 35 of the best engagement gifts, recommended by our expert editors, that are sure to impress the joyful couple. Looking for gifts that will arrive in time for the wedding? Check out our guide to the very best wedding gifts that never go out of style.
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Best Engagement Gifts: Editors’ Picks
Best Engagement Gift Overall: Estelle Champagne Flute Set Best Value Engagement Gift: “Menus” by Jacque Pépin Best Engagement Gift For Friends: Night Sky Custom Star Map Best Last-Minute Engagement Gift: Sweeter Cards Congrats Lovebirds Best Personalized Engagement Gift: Artifact Uprising Vow Books Best Practical Engagement Gift: Lojel Iloj Collection Travel Bundle Best Experience Engagement Gift: Live Virtual Mixology Class Best Unique Engagement Gift: Custom State Map Art Print
Best Engagement Gifts Overall
A Whimsical Set Of Champagne Glasses
Black-Owned
Estelle Color 2-Piece Champagne Flute Glass Set
They’re probably going to be receiving quite a bit of bubbly, so why not gift the newly engaged couple a beautiful set of champagne flutes to get the party started? This elegant pair by Estelle Colored Glass comes in several whimsical colors and will get plenty of use long after the wedding day has passed.
A Chef-Arranged Cheese Board With The Couple’s Initials
Boarderie Initials Cheese & Charcuterie Board
Buy From Boarderie
Tasty gifts are always a good choice for foodie couples. Take it up a notch with Boarderie’s customized and beautifully hand-arranged cheese and charcuterie board. Available in three sizes, the package contains several artisanal cheeses, meats, dried fruits, nuts and other accoutrement, all served on an acacia wood board and topped with the couple’s initials — in cheddar cheese, of course.
A Pretty And Practical Box To Preserve All Those Keepsakes
Savor Wedding Deluxe Keepsake Box
For a gift that is equal parts elegant, thoughtful and practical, look no further than Savor’s Wedding Keepsake Box. The deceptively compact and minimal box is specifically designed to make it easy to organize all their special items from the ceremony: The designated drawers have space to hold the veil, bow tie, garter and more, and the vertical file section can store invitations, greeting cards and other documents.
A Chic Case To Keep Their Rings Safe On All Their Future Trips
The Mrs. Box Monroe Classic Double
Buy From The Mrs. Box
There will be times the future bride and groom will need to remove their rings to keep them safe (say, when they take dips in the ocean during their tropical honeymoon). This chic handmade velvet case by The Mrs. Box has room for two rings and will easily stow away in their carry-on or personal bag, and you can choose to monogram it, too, for an extra fee.
A Unique And Meaningful Photo Print
Intersection Of Love Photo Print
Buy From Uncommon Goods
A minimalist photo print always makes a classy addition to a home. This particular one by a local Philadelphia artist takes it one step further by letting you customize a photo of a street sign with the couple’s names and milestone dates — and for an extra fee, you can choose to add in a symbolic frame, too.
Best Value Engagement Gifts
A Menu And Memory Book For The Foodie Couple
‘Menus: A Book For Your Meals And Memories’ By Jacques Pépin
Perfect for the couple that appreciates a romantic meal and hosting friends, this memory book by Jacques Pépin lets them keep track of their favorite recipes in a single place. Each recipe page features a space for handwritten notes from guests or your partner, which makes this a unique keepsake book meets food diary.
Handy Jewelry-Cleaning Pens For Easy Maintenance
Connoisseurs Diamond Dazzle Stik
The bride-to-be will need to show off her ring a lot in upcoming months — let’s make sure it’s sparkling. This set of two handy jewelry-cleaning sticks (from Connoisseurs, whose gemstone cleaner is among our favorite best jewelry cleaners) makes the entire ritual of cleaning their diamonds less of a hassle — and something they can take on the road.
A Cheeky Place For Her Ring
Friends Ring Dish
Buy From Amazon
She’s going to need a place to keep her rings, whether by the sink or on her nightstand. This Friends-themed trinket tray with a kitschy title is perfect for the pop culture fan, and it prevents her from losing her most prized possession.
Date Nights Will Never Be The Same Again
Crated With Love Date Night Generator Card Game
This card game may only be $20, but it’ll pay for itself in the long run, especially when the couple eventually runs out of date night ideas. The deck comes with three types of challenge cards that your adventurous giftees can combine to “generate” a unique date (and there are over 100,000 possible combinations).
Best Engagement Gifts For Friends
A Truly One-Of-A-Kind Celestial Keepsake
The Night Sky Custom Star Map Print
Buy From The Night Sky
If you’re very close friends with one or both members of the engaged couple, you might want to gift something extra thoughtful and unique. We recommend The Night Sky’s custom print: The company uses the exact time and location of one special moment from the couple’s life to create a star map of the sky as it would have looked from that particular time and place. Better yet, you can choose from museum-grade, foil, glow-in-the-dark or premium canvas paper.
A Classic Way To Capture Special Moments
Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 Instant Camera
Selfies on your phone are fun, but how often do you actually look back at your camera roll? An instant camera feels cute and nostalgic, plus it dispenses a photo that you can frame, pin on a board, stick to your fridge or keep on your desk for daily viewing. It makes any couple’s photo feel infinitely more romantic.
A Custom Stationary Return-Address Stamp
Betty LuPaperie Wedding Return Address Stamp
Buy From Etsy
This custom stamp is both practical and thoughtful, and seeing how much the newly engaged couple has on their plate now, it’s sure to be their most-used gift throughout the wedding planning process. Between save-the-dates, wedding invites and thank-you notes, this custom ink and stamp set featuring their return address will streamline the process, which they’ll forever be grateful for.
Rocks Glasses Hand-Etched With Their Favorite Theme
Black Lantern Whiskey Glasses
Buy From Amazon
For a gift that will complement the couple’s home bar, but one that also has an extra-special touch, go for these hand-etched whiskey glasses. You can choose from over a dozen different designs based on your recipients’ hobbies and interests, from the mountains pictured above to constellations to the Chicago skyline.
A Fun Way For Them To Get To Know Each Other Even Better
Where Should We Begin: A Game Of Stories By Esther Perel
Just as with your closest friend, discovering the true essence of your partner takes a lifetime. Gift your best couple friends this smartly designed card game, which facilitates that intimate process with prompts that inspire sharing everything from silly memories to intimate fears. You’d be surprised how a couple that knows everything about each other can learn even more over a seemingly inconspicuous game of cards.
Best Last-Minute Engagement Gifts
A Greeting Card And Sweet Treat All In One
Sweeter Cards Congrats Lovebirds
Buy From Sweeter Cards
When a simple card feels like the appropriate gift, this delicious upgrade makes for a sweet touch. This greeting card features a message to the happy couple and a full-sized dark chocolate bar swirled with sea salt caramel. Fair warning, it may spark a fight over who gets the last bite.
A Bright, Longer-Lasting Alternative To A Festive Bouquet
Lula’s Garden Ray Garden
Buy From Lula’s Garden
Bringing festive blooms to the engagement party is a foolproof way to say congratulations if you’re pressed for time. (We’re partial to The Bouqs’ colorful Sugar Rush bouquet.) But for something with the same spirit that’s a little more outside the box, we recommend Lula’s Garden’s cute Ray Garden succulent planter, which comes in a pretty, display-ready box.
A Countdown To The Big Day
Waypost Paper Wedding Countdown Customized Calendar
Buy From Etsy
For the newly engaged couple, counting down to the big day is half the fun (and sometimes, half the stress). Nonetheless, this page-a-day calendar is a fun way to track the days leading up to the nuptials. The first day can be customized with a personal message and you have the option for each page to include a love-inspired quote or just the numbers for a clean, minimal design.
A Champagne-Scented Candle
Homesick Let’s Toast Candle
Buy From Homesick
Thoughtful gifts don’t have to cost a fortune, and this champagne-scented candle by Homesick is proof. It checks all the boxes with its celebratory theme, from the bubbly scent to the customizable packaging that allows you to fill in the names of the engaged couple directly on the box.
Best Personalized Engagement Gifts
Chic His And Hers Vow Books
Artifact Uprising Personalized Vow Books
Buy From Artifact Uprising
Trust us, nothing will motivate the couple to write their own vows more than a beautifully customized notebook that they can keep forever. You can choose from a variety of styles or personalize it with their names, wedding date, preferred colors and more.
Say ‘Cheers’ With A Custom-Engraved Bottle Of Vino
Mano’s Wine Custom Cheers! Etched Wine Bottle
Buy From Manos Wine
The giddy couple will no doubt appreciate a nice bottle of bubbly to accompany their festivities (or sparkling rosé, for a fun twist). Or you can level it up with this personalized bottle of cabernet sauvignon, which features a fun etching of clinking wine glasses and your choice of three lines of heartfelt text.
A Classy Personalized Box To Hold Their Favorite Wine
Artificer Wood Works Chic Toast Wine Box
You could also choose, instead, to present the couple’s favorite vino (or liquor) in this meticulously crafted wine box from Artificer Wood Works. You can personalize the front of the lid with their names and the date and location of their engagement. You can also choose to have a personalized message engraved on the inside of the lid.
Charming Scalloped Table Napkins For Couples Who Host
Mark & Graham Bordered Scalloped Napkins, Set of 4
Buy From Mark & Graham
These classy scalloped table napkins bordered with a pop of color will add a distinguishing touch to the couple’s dinner table. You can also personalize them with a colored monogram of your choice (from regular block font to ones styled with golf clubs or pickleball paddles).
Matches For A Perfect Match
Oakdene Designs Personalized Couples Large Matchbox
Buy From Etsy
A personalized gift is always a nice touch and this matchbox designed to feature the couple’s initials is sure to claim a front and center spot on their coffee table. We also love the clever play on words.
Best Practical Engagement Gifts
Elegant Travel Accessories To Safeguard Their Belongings
Lojel Iloj Collection Bundle
Buy From Lojel
Quality travel gear is another great gift, particularly for couples who like to travel (and they will likely put it to good use during their honeymoon). We like Lojel’s simple and sleek Iloj Collection. In this custom bundle, you can choose two or three pieces from the premium leather collection, which includes the versatile and discreet AirTag holder, the snug and subtle Key Case (which can hold up to six keys) and the ultra-slim Card Holder that even includes a small pull tab to hold some loose change and SIM cards.
Some Much-Needed New Bedding
Martha Stewart Gilles Stripe California King Sheet Set
Buy From Amazon
Whether the happy couple lives together already or they’re planning on moving into the same place soon, a new set of bedsheets is just what they need to inspire breakfasts in bed, midnight movie nights and cuddle sessions.
A Unisex Skincare Set
Rhode The Rhode Kit Skincare Set
Buy From Rhode
Both spouses deserve to have perfectly glowing skin on their big day and this unisex set is just what they need to achieve it. The kit includes Rhode’s Barrier Restore Cream, Peptide Glazing Fluid and Peptide Lip Treatment in unscented, salted caramel and watermelon — most of which are notoriously difficult to get your hands on and come Hailey Bieber-approved.
A Self-Emptying Robot Vacuum
Editor’s Pick
iRobot Roomba i3+ EVO
Buy From Amazon
Is it just us, or do couples mostly bicker about chores around the house? Either way, removing a task or two from their to-do list can’t hurt. This beginner-friendly Roomba (our pick for the best starter robot vacuum after extensive testing) will help keep their floors sparkling — and no one has to worry about putting in the elbow grease.
Best Experience Engagement Gifts
A Live Virtual Class With A Bartending Pro
Home Bar Hero Mixology Class
Buy From Uncommon Goods
Cocktail-loving couples will get a kick out of this 90-minute virtual mixology class with professional New York City bartender Amy K. They’ll get a flavored syrup set shipped to them and become pros at making three craft cocktails: A Cucumber Chili Margarita, a Left Hand and a Gimlet.
A Date Night In A Basket
West Elm First Class Picnic Basket
Buy From West Elm
The happy couple is in for a lifetime of dates, so why not supply them with everything they need for years of al fresco lunches, picnics under the stars and sunset beach dinners? This picnic basket from West Elm loaded with dishes, utensils and a wine opener is all they need to keep memorable dates on the schedule all year round.
A Digital Gift Card To Use At Hundreds Of Restaurants
InKind Restaurant Pass
Buy From On Goody
If you’re not sure what to get the adventurous foodie couple, why not let them choose? InKind’s Restaurant Pass works like a glorified restaurant gift certificate — except you can customize it with a heartfelt message and the amount of your choice, and the couple gets to choose where they dine. The pass gets emailed either to you or directly to your recipients, and from there, they can choose to redeem the pass at any of inKind’s partner dining establishments across the country.
Splurge On Them With The Trip Of A Lifetime
EF Go Ahead Food & Wine Tour: Flavors of Tuscany & Umbria
Buy From EF Go Ahead Tours
What’s more romantic than a trip to the rolling hills of Tuscany and Umbria with a glass of wine in hand and your lover at your side? This tour de Italy with EF Go Ahead Tours makes it not only easy to gift but even easier to plan an unforgettable trip for two. While they have tours around the world (all-inclusive of transportation around the country, lodging, excursions and most meals), this food and wine tour is perfect for any foodie or wine-enthused couple.
Best Unique Engagement Gifts
A Unique Map Print Commemorating The Special Event
Woman-Owned
Define Design 11 Personalized Engagement Map Print
Buy From Amazon
Sometimes the most heartfelt gifts are also among the most simple. Take, for example, this personalized engagement map print, which goes beyond wall art with its watercolor-style map pinpointing the location of the proposal. The artist will also customize the print with the couple’s first names, the event (whether it’s “engaged” or “met”), the special date and your frame color of choice.
An Eye-Catching Custom Monopoly Game Set
Mark & Graham Personalized Deluxe Wood Monopoly Game Set
Buy From Mark & Graham
There will likely be plenty of game nights for the happy couple for years to come. Add an elevated version of a classic to their game room with Mark And Graham’s Deluxe Monopoly Game Set, which is beautifully crafted from walnut wood. It’s adorned with elegant details like solid maple hotels and houses, cards accented with gold foil and plated die-cast metal tokens. Plus, you can personalize it with a vinyl decal monogram.
A Sleek Carrying Case For A Deck Of Cards
Sustainable
Smythson Single Playing Cards Case
Buy From Smythson
A little friendly competition between spouses is healthy. This Smythson leather packable carrying case for a deck of cards inspires impromptu games. And did you notice it’s conveniently something blue?
A Foldable Kayak For Outdoor Adventures
Oru Kayak Haven TT Foldable Kayak
Buy From Oru Kayak
For the adventurous couple, this two-person kayak is the perfect gift to get them out on the water. It folds into its own carrying case, which makes it easy to pack in a compact car, an Uber, in public transportation or anywhere else.
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