Most wedding gifts come in the form of those given to the newlyweds, and many of these will have been chosen from a wedding list. In The Wedding Planner Antonia Swinson explains how wedding lists work. You could make up your own list. However, more and more companies are offering a gift list service, from department stores to specialist shops. There are also gift list companies giving you an enormous choice of products and brands.

It is usual for the bride and groom to present gifts to the attendants, the best man and their mothers at the wedding. These don't have to be extravagant, simply carefully chosen reminders of the day. Presenting the mothers with bouquets during the groom's speech at the reception is a way of publicly acknowledging their help. There are also special gifts for the bride to wear during the ceremony 'something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue. And a silver sixpence in her shoe.' This old verse refers to the bride's passage from her old life to her new one. 'Something borrowed' means that marriage involves sharing; 'something blue' alludes to the colour's association with constancy; and 'a silver sixpence in her shoe' refers to the hope of prosperity in marriage.

Other gifts for the bride (and groom) could include Wedding Anniversaries by Cookie Lee, a little books that explores the symbols that traditionally mark each year of marriage. Recipe for a Good Marriage by Cheryl Saban, which takes a clear-eyed look at marriage and the roles we play within it as lovers, partners and friends, is another perfect gift for a newly married couple.