Life in your twenties and thirties often means that you and your friends are all at different stages – some are travelling, some are working, and some are getting engaged. Being a good friend usually means doing your best to keep up with it all. Whether engagement is unfamiliar territory or you’re in the midst of ‘wedding season’, with ‘engagement era’ Instagram captions filling your feed, the stage when the people you care about get engaged is always a significant milestone. If you’re looking for engagement gift ideas, knowing what to give can be tricky, especially when every couple is different.
While engagement announcements and party invites are filled with buzz and excitement, they tend to bring the looming pressure of finding the perfect gift. You want to give something genuinely special, but maybe you’ve never given an engagement gift before, or you tend to pull something together in a stressful rush – it’s a struggle. So, consider this your guide to finding the best engagement gifts for couples, with ideas to suit all the different couples in your life.
Key Takeaways
Standout gift ideas:
- Something to help — think wedding planners and wedding guides
- Something to cherish – think engraved jewellery or photo frames
- Something to do — think couples spa or a weekend getaway
- Something to use — think fun homewares and decor
What Actually Makes a Good Engagement Gift?
Finding an engagement gift that is actually good isn’t easy. It’s especially hard if it’s the first engagement gift you have to give, if you want to branch out and get something different, or if it’s for someone you’re extra close to. Let’s be honest, it can be easy to spend way too much time thinking about what to get and then, in a last-minute rush, buying something you’re not really sure about.
After an engagement, most couples are equal parts excited and stressed for what the next few months, or years, will look like, and trying to gift them something that feels genuine and thoughtful is a tricky task. The value of a thoughtful engagement gift is often overlooked, but in choosing the right gift for the right couple, you can provide more comfort and appreciation than you realise – it can help ease stress, celebrate love, or add to the fun and excitement during a time that is filled with emotions and decisions.
The best engagement gifts are often thoughtfully tailored to the couple and provide something that the couple actually needs – are they immediately diving into wedding planning, wanting a bit of time to relax after the engagement, or hoping to savour the moment and keep celebrating? Spending some time thinking about where their headspace is at will help you find a great gift. Engagement gift ideas can fall into a few types: something practical to help, something sentimental to cherish, something to do together, or something that is a bit of a mix of everything.
The Best Engagement Gift Ideas
This curated edit provides specific ideas, as well as inspiration, for different types of couples at a range of price points.
For the Couple Deep in Planning Mode
For some couples, wedding planning begins almost immediately after the engagement. Appointments are booked, venues are being scoped out and to-do lists are already starting to pile up. If they’re ready to dive straight into the excitement (and chaos) of planning their big day, a wedding planner, guide or book makes a thoughtful engagement gift to help them stay organised from “yes” to “I do”.
The Bridal Box Co offers a beautifully designed wedding planner for $69.95, complete with built-in checklists, calendars and space to create a moodboard. For something a little more comprehensive, Forget Me Not Journals has an engagement gift set for $199, which includes a wedding planner, guest book and photo album — everything they need to start documenting and organising their journey from “yes” to “I do.”
For the Sentimental Couple
Not all couples are eager to plan, and some prefer to take the time to soak up all the love and joy from an engagement. For those who want to cherish and hold onto the moment, sentimental gifts are a great way to go.
A classic and timeless piece of jewellery with an engraving can be a perfect way to capture and remember. Pandora offers engraving services on a range of unisex designs, such as silver rings and bracelets. If you’re not up to choosing, you can also purchase a gift voucher for couples to use online or in store.
A simple photo frame or set of frames is a lovely gift that is sentimental and special. You can opt for a classic look, such as the Country Road Adler range or you can add an extra touch and choose personalised frames, such as the Vera Wang Infinity Frame from Wedgwood Australia.
While they can be a bit more costly, there are many studios that specialise in engagement photography sessions. Sessions usually run for 60 minutes, and couples get a collection of beautiful, candid photos to celebrate their love. For example, And So I Don’t Forget offer gift vouchers that couples can use for a photo session.
For the Couple Who Need a Getaway
You honestly can’t really go wrong with a night away or relaxing day experience as a gift for a newly engaged couple – it gives time for just the two of them to recuperate and reflect. This could be a weekend away, a spa day, a couples massage, or day experiences and activities.
Riparide is a great platform for weekend getaways, you can choose from locations all across Australia, with prices from $150. They also offer gift vouchers!
Alba Hot Springs has a range of hot springs and spa packages, with hot spring sessions starting at $90 per person and Villas sitting on the hilltop with sweeping views across the Peninsula.
With locations across Australia and prices starting at $39.95, Soak Bathhouse experiences or gift vouchers are another great option for a couple needing a refresh and relax. Options include soak sessions in mineral pools, saunas, massages, and even LED facials.
For the Couple Who Are a Bit of a Mix
If the couple you’re buying for are a little bit in the middle of practical and sentimental, or you’re a bit on the fence about what to choose, something they can use but also have as a keepsake is a great way to go – think unique homewares or decorations.
Give the newly engaged couple something they can enjoy together with a set of Nick and Nora glasses from Maison Balzac. The playful yet elegant two-piece set comes in at $89 and makes the perfect addition to their home bar for celebratory drinks, date nights and future dinner parties.
Nothing says practical yet fun quite like a pair of matching bath robes. Hommey has a gorgeous collection starting from $129, with plenty of colours and styles to choose from. If robes aren’t quite their thing, their bath and hand towel sets are another stylish and practical option for couples setting up their home together.
Our Final Thoughts
At the end of the day, though it might not seem like it, engagement gifts don’t need to be that complicated. Whether you are an experienced engagement gift-giver or a newbie, if it’s for your best friend or a mutual connection, any gift is always appreciated. However, sometimes, going that extra mile and making a little bit more effort in a busy time to choose a gift that has thought and care behind it can provide just a little bit more happiness and comfort to the engaged couple.
Not sure what to get your Bridesmaids? Check out our guide here.
Read more of our Gift guides here.
