You only need to do a quick Google search to realise that personalised gifts are ‘the thing’ right now, and with good reason. When it comes finding those one-of-a-kind items for your loved ones, there really is nothing more special than creating something that shows that you’ve thought about them specifically and picked something that they’ll really love.

But it can be difficult to get it just right. Here’s my top tips for creating a memorable and special personalised gift.

Start shopping now!
With everything that there is to do with planning a wedding, buying thank you gifts will enviably be left to the last minute. However if you start thinking about who you need to buy for NOW you’ll have lots more time to find something perfect.

Listening
The best way to figure out what kind of gift will be right for someone is to listen to them all year round. Truly awesome gifts generally do not just fall in front of you when you’re Googling “gift ideas for dad” the day before his birthday. It’s the thing that he’s mentioned in passing several times or that item he’s always going to visit when he pops into town.

Get personal
Candles, bottles of Champagne and silver necklaces all make lovely bridesmaid gifts, but you know what’s better? A personalised candle, a bottle of champers that comes in a keepsake box with her name on it, or a necklace with a charm that says ‘Thank you Sarah for being my bridesmaid’ on it.

These are the kinds of thing that are going to make the recipient feel special, like you were really thinking about them specifically when you picked out their gift.

Small can be mighty
Good things come in small packages and all that, right? Try and avoid feeling pressured into spending a lot of money or having to buy something massive or extravagant. Something small that really suits the person you’ve bought it for will, in my opinion, always be more special than something over-the-top and generic.

It’s all about how you present the present
One of the best gifts I was ever given was by an old friend who wrapped it in pictures of my favourite metal bands from my teenage years and covered it in personalised stickers with our faces on. The accompanying homemade card had a photo of us on the front and the message inside was filled with in-jokes and references to all the silly things we’d done that past year.

This always sticks in my mind but you know what? I don’t remember what the actual gift was! It was the fact that she made such an effort on the presentation, and made it just for me, that made it amazing.

So that’s it! Great gift giving doesn’t have to be expensive or difficult, its all about really thinking about what the receiver will like as well as making things as personalised as possible.

This post was written in collaboration with Personalised Gift Shop, who celebrate the wonderful world of unusual presents. 100% UK owned and run, with no minimum order amount, free personalisation on every gift and no hidden charges, they are dedicated to providing high quality, unique gifts that everyone will love.