Wedding gifts in Czech Republic

Discussion in 'Culture' started by chebygena, Aug 27, 2008.

  1. chebygena

    chebygena New Member

    Hi all,
    I have a question regarding wedding traditions in your country.

    I am going to a wedding in Prague at September for a close family member who lives there. I was wandering what gift can I bring him.

    Originally I am from Israel, at weddings here we simply give money (checks), about 100$ per person for friends and 200$ and more for close relatives.

    Can you advice what can/should I give/bring to him? Money? or Other gift? What gift?

    Thanks all in advance for your answers :)

    Chebygena.
     
  2. MK

    MK Well-Known Member

    Maybe this wedding will not follow czech etiquette???

    If so then money are not proper wedding gift. Generally - gift in CZ should be something which will make donee happy. Hard for donor...

    Wedding gift - it shall be something "practical"/usefull for both of them.

    Anyway - do not go for something without consulting it. Sometimes mother of bride keep list of gifts so it is her who can help you. But it is not always so.

    I recommend to ask the person who invited you to the wedding. Ask him/her what they wish and how much money you plane to spend on it. Without doubt more people will have the same ideas like you so give them more sugestions to choose from.
     
  3. Polednikova

    Polednikova Well-Known Member

    Do they not have 'wedding present lists' here? In the UK, people tend to go to one big store and draw up a list of the things they would like, ranging in price from expensive items down to small things like tea towels. Then they can chose which range of crockery or glasses they would like and people can buy what the couple actually want, rather than imposing their own tastes on them. The guests then go along to the store, look through the list to see what has already been bought and choose their own present from what's left on the list.

    I suppose it depends on the age of the couple. If they're young and just starting out and need lots of household goods, this works well but now that it's getting more and more common that they've been living together for years, or are onto their second marriage, and don't actually need all those things, I'd much rather give them money towards the honeymoon or a very big item such as a new fridge/freezer.
     
  4. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Good idea wanting to get them something from the country in which they married. I'd recommend pink porcelain such as

    http://www.thun.cz/en/production-programme/chodov/zuzka

    or glass such as... well I couldn't find it anywhere on the internet but it's all over Czech Republic. It's a colored glass like green or red or purple and it has raised flowers on it. We have shot glasses, flower vases, a bell and a candy dish of it in our house so its traditional czech and you can find it all over there. I wish I could find you a pic.

    Also, if they are religious, a crucifix might be nice. We had a wedding guest give us a 200 year old crucifix that hung on the door of some famous family. He told me the family, but I don't remember.

    Then there is of course Bohemian Crystal.

    There are other ideas. We got married in Hluboka and one guest gave us a nice canvas painting of Hluboka.
     
  5. Polednikova

    Polednikova Well-Known Member

  6. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    Yes, more precisely, the HIGH ENAMEL, which is the 10th one down, it's blue with raised flowers on the gold. But all those would make nice wedding gifts, imo.
     
  7. dzurisova

    dzurisova Well-Known Member

    I really like the set of PANELED GLASS - 6th one down.
     
  8. Irena M

    Irena M Well-Known Member

    What about some nice, hand cut Czech crystal? Maybe a pair of wine goblets for the bride and groom?
     
  9. MK

    MK Well-Known Member

    I heard you have it pretty organised in UK. We do not. "Official" wedding present lists does not exist here. Soon to be married usually know what they would like but do not prepare such list for wedding guests. Main problem are doubled presents.

    I googled "svatební dar" and found this link: http://diskuse.dama.cz/d.php?d=3892, it is named "Howto wittily wrap money for wedding present." Anyway it is targeted mainly on parents (grandparents) who sometimes give directly grand money as wedding gift.

    It gave me idea: When it is common in Israel to give money, why not to try some originaly wrapped money or some kind of voucher (again in some pretty looking "packaging") acompanied by letter describing that money are usuall wedding present in Israel?????
     
  10. Polednikova

    Polednikova Well-Known Member

    I think that's a really good idea. Most couples would probably prefer the money but think that it looks mercenary but if you explain it's your country's way of doing it, then they're absolved from blame!
     
  11. chebygena

    chebygena New Member

    Thanks all!
    especially MK! for the great idea :)
    since money is the common present here, it is really hard to know what present other than money to get to someone, also when they don;t have a presents list :)
     

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