(continued from Part 1)
Preparations. If you're talented in this area, offer to do everyone's hair and makeup. It's not a given that someone will go to a professional for these services, but some of the more formal or dramatic hairstyles are very difficult to do on yourself and thus need a bit of help to pull off. If you have any flowers left over from the previous craft, you can put them in the bride's or bridesmaids' hair.
Speaking of bridesmaids, lend some of your formal wear. This would work best if there were only one maid, but sometimes the maid of honor will wear a slightly different dress from the other maids. This would save the maids money more than the couple and their family themselves, but anyone who has ever bought one of those dresses knows that savings are greatly appreciated. If your husband has a tuxedo, offer the use of that to the groom or best man.
Make the food. My stepsister used to manage a high-end seafood restaurant in Ocean Isle Beach, NC. Her gift to my husband and me was to cater our rehearsal dinner. She "drafted" some of her employees to take over the kitchen of the church our service was going to be in and make a lot of "coastal" foods-hush puppies, fried shrimp, scallops, etc. If you are similarly talented and/or have access to a group like this, I'm sure it would be greatly appreciated. Since my husband's groomsmen and family lived in Georgia, this was a real treat for them. Red Lobster was about the extent of their "seafood experience", so her gift not only saved my family money, it showed an appreciation for us and gave us something we couldn't get anywhere else.
On a similar tip, cater the reception. This way, you can tailor it to your guest's preferences or needs. You don't have to make the *entire spread* vegetarian/vegan/gluten free, but you can make sure you at least have *something* those guests can eat. Restaurants and caterers may specialize too, but it usually costs more.
The service itself. These things might not cost much on their own, but it's a great way to get your friends and family involved. The minister who performed our ceremony is a family friend and refused payment for his services. I know not everyone is an ordained minister, but you don't necessarily have to be in order to officiate a wedding ceremony. If it's a commitment ceremony such as would be done for same-sex couples or others who don't want their marriage registered with the state, this isn't needed. Also, judges and civil officials may be able to perform marriages. If nothing else, you can pay for the license.
If you're musical, offer to sing or play during the ceremony. If you're good with a camera, offer to be the photographer.
As you can see, there are plenty of ways to give a loved one a wedding gift without necessarily having to go to a store. Even if some of these ideas cost more than a material gift, the time and care you put into everything will mean a lot to the happy couple. They probably have enough plates and steak knives already.
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