WRITTEN BY MARISSA DONOVAN
Have a bridal shower right around the corner and want your gift to be a little extra special? Want to stand out from the standard wedding registry items and surprise your soon-to-be newlyweds with a gift from a small Maine business? Here are eight gift ideas to put in your online shopping cart.
Custom Felt Family Portrait
From GiraffeBear — Old Orchard Beach
Candice LaSalle of GiraffeBear can turn a photo of your favorite couple into a heartfelt piece of decor that is sure to be cherished for anniversaries to come! Each portrait is crafted by needle felting that can be displayed in an embroidery hoop or frame. When placing an order, select a high-quality photo of the engaged couple to ensure a more detailed final piece.
etsy.com/shop/giraffebear
Customizable Wedding Candles
From Near and Native Candles — Westbrook
Wrap up a tradition for the couple by gifting multiple customizable wedding candles from Near and Native Candles. For each future anniversary, they can both light a candle that has their names, wedding venue, a special fragrance, and their wedding date listed on it. Sizes range from 4-ounce gold tins to 8-ounce glass jars. What typically might be featured in a goodie bag for wedding guests can also be meaningful to the couple for years to come!
shopnearandnative.com/pages/new-wedding-candles
Lilac and Hummingbird Flower Pots
From Rustic Comfort — Fayette
Couples with green thumbs who have a soft spot for the rustic farmhouse aesthetic will love these flower pots. Vintage images from designer paper napkins are upcycled into a decoupaged design for each plant container, perfect for indoor houseplants or spring blooms on an outdoor patio.
Rusticcomfortmaine.shop
Floating Vinyl Record Storage Shelves
From Krovel Furniture Co. — Portland
Record-collecting couples will appreciate having a new storage space for their collection. Krovel Furniture Co. crafts modern floating record shelves from a selection of different woods such as walnut, white oak, maple, and cherry. There are also sizes from small to large, with additional options to purchase a set of all three sizes or a set of six with two of each size. Use the special coupon code BANGOR15 at checkout for 15% off your gift purchase, plus shipping is free!
Custom Couple Portrait
From ItsyBitsyScissors — Portland
Is the soon-to-be married couple a fan of animated movies? Cut paper artist Christina at ItsyBitsyScissors can reimagine any photo of the couple into a fantastical piece of art.
Share your favorite photos of the couple and ideas such as the landscape, adding the couple’s anniversary date and other creative elements. Once you have brainstormed the details with Christina, she will create a custom 3D cut paper artwork that is carefully framed, packaged, and shipped to your door!
etsy.com/shop/ItsyBitsyScissors
Cornhole Boards
From The Muddy Dog — Portland
We all know that one couple whose favorite spot is their backyard, and maybe they get a little competitive when it comes to playing cornhole. Why not surprise them with their own personalized cornhole boards? The Muddy Dog has several designs to choose from with the option to customize. Each design is UV printed onto the surface of the board to avoid the cracking and peeling that sometimes happens with vinyl stickers over time. The boards can be moved around by holding the nylon rope carrying handles and stored away by snapping the collapsible legs. Plus, you can add LED lights to go around the hole in each board. A Bluetooth phone app can create a light show by strobing, flashing, fading, and changing the color of the lights. It’s a fun gift for the couple to enjoy together or with friends.
themuddydog.com/collections/cornhole-boards
Rabbit Laundry Basket
From Maidsamakin — Searsport
Home accessories are not only helpful for the couple but can also be an upgrade to what they already have. This Rabbit Laundry Basket from Maidsamakin will add a whimsical touch next to any washer or dryer. It is made with a linen and cotton canvas fabric and lined with a thin layer of foam, plus a layer of fleece. There are three variations of sizes to choose from, as well as the option to have a custom size designed. The basket can also be machine washed and tumble dried on low. If you’re looking to gift a laundry set, you may also want to add maidsamakin’s fabric storage baskets that would be great containers for detergent, softeners, and dryer sheets.
etsy.com/shop/maidsamakin
Ski Wicks Collection Candles
From Seawick Candles — Richmond
Gift smells inspired by Saddleback, Sunday River, and Sugarloaf, even during the off-season from the slopes. Ski Wicks Collection from Seawick Candles features comforting scents such as fraser fir (featured in the Hit the Slopes candle), cypress and bayberry (in the Fresh Powder candle), and saffron, sandalwood, and amber (in the Ski Lodge candle). This gift is a little nod to the couple’s favorite hobby and love for snow.
seawicks.com
