Weddingbee boards

So I don't mean to be sensationalist with my title, but there's only so much room for one! It's not like I tried to give him the gift and he turned it down. I guess I'll start at the beginning:

I've been wanting to get FI a watch for his wedding gift, ever since I started considering what to get him. I wanted to get him one with a sapphire crystal, because sapphire is my birthstone, and my engagement ring has aquamarine, which is his. I also wanted it to have tungsten to match his wedding band.

Here's the other thing you need to know about my FI-- he's a techie. He LOVES gadgets, and has about three of everything. He also replaces electronics every year/couple of years and buys extras even if he already has one that's working perfectly fine.

He's also picky. I know by now that the best way to buy him a gift is to let him pick it out himself-- especially when it comes to gadgets.

Now, he's never worn a watch, and I have known since I got the idea that it might not be a popular gift now, but one that he would (hopefully) come to appreciate over time. The thing is, I was trying to find a watch to get for him and wound up showing him one I wasn't sure of to see if he would like it, and his response was completely, "I don't want a watch, honey."

See, I already knew that was coming, but I think it was different once he actually said it, because now I have this huge mental hurdle to just getting the watch anyway.

But now I don't know what else to get him! He's sort of been dropping hints that I should get him a Droid (in fact I'm pretty sure he's expecting that's what he'll get at this point), something he's been wanting for a few months, or a Wii, but I don't want to get him something electronic. In fact, I refuse to-- because I want what I give him for our wedding gift to last. And if it's a gadget, he'll be done with it in a year.

I really liked the watch idea. Really, really did. I was going to get it engraved and I thought it would really nicely parallel my engagement ring with the sapphire crystal, and his band with the tungsten. I'm seriously tempted to get him one anyway.

But I don't want him to open my gift on our wedding day and be disappointed.

I should have never shown him the watch, but he's so picky I wanted to make sure I got him something he liked. :(

Any creative, non-electronic ideas for wedding gifts, ladies? Also, please help yourself to an e-cookie for reading this, and thanks!

Well.. if he does not want a wrist watch, what about a stylish pocket watch?  They make some beautiful "high tech" yet still elegant watches! 

It's tough to think up other things so I totally see your predicament!

Can you make him something personal from you that would mean a lot?  Like a book or poem you wrote? 

Maybe if you get him something small that you really put your heart into, you'd feel okay with giving him a tech gift with it?

I agree, get him what he wants and also give him a small token that means something more to you.

My FI wants a Kindle...so I'm in the same boat as you, trying to decide something sweet to go with it!

Thanks for the suggestions, ladies. My man is super hard to shop for-- I have to put a moratorium on him the month before Christmas and his birthday because he will just buy everything he wants for himself!

Yeah, I really don't want to get him a gadget. I know it's what he wants but I feel like I'd be taking the easy way out. The watch had meaning to ME, and it made me sad that he didn't want it. I have already told him this but it's been since that conversation that he's been making comments about the Droid.

Honestly, I'm concerned about hand-making something because I'm already making EVERYTHING (okay, okay, almost everything) for our wedding and I'm running out of time. I wouldn't know where to start for him and I didn't budget time for it because I thought the watch would take care of it!

He already has tons of tools and the ones that he would want are out of my price range. We are going on a mini-moon right after the wedding and then our big honeymoon in January. He's not really the sentimental/romantic kind of guy in general, either.

I am completely at a loss for what to get him!

The only other thing I can think of is that we saw a little model statue of a t-rex skeleton at our local museum last year and had jokingly told each other that it would be our wedding present to each other, but a.) it's also out of my price range and b.) that feels more like a gag gift and c.) it feels a little too much like buying a gift for myself.

Ugh! Why is he this hard to shop for???? Haha...

Oh-- and to add, he's not into sports, doesn't fish/hunt, his hobbies are cars, motorcycles, video games, gadgets, and the internet, lol. If I had enough money I would just buy him a new car or bike :)

@arachna-- aw, you're too sweet :)

I've actually been asking myself the same question, but I love surprising him with unexpected, meaningful gifts. I spend months picking out his presents for major holidays/occasions so I can see the smile on his face and know that I not only got him the right thing, but surprised him with it as well. Hence why this is bothering me so much-- I thought I already had the right thing picked out.

By not sentimental/romantic I mean that he doesn't do mushy cards and flowers and romantic getaways and that sort of thing but he definitely still has a deep appreciation for us and our relationship, if that makes sense?

You hit the nail on the head by sharing about your earrings though! That's exactly what I was thinking-- he may not want a watch, but it's just one of those things that you have, at some point during your life.

Double post! Meant to add that he works at the courthouse as a clerk.

I have strict orders from my fiance not to get him a watch as well.

You probably shouldn't do it. Get him something he actually wants.

Miss Chirpie, thank you-- you just gave me a wonderful idea.

I'm a writer by hobby and I can totally make this work.

I'm not set in stone but it can't hurt to write it out and see what I come up with!

Keep 'em coming though ladies... if this doesn't pan out I still need something, and thank you thank you thank all of you.

Okay, this I can do, I'm engaged to the biggest technie on earth.

Firstly, I'd steer away from the watch, getting it because you think he'll learn to like it is like that part in Mona Lisa Smile when Kirstin Dunst's Mother convinces her to force the poem on her fiance at the wedding, telling her that he'll thank her for it later. Seems a bit rough, then again, rough on you that he's put you in such a tight spot!

Secondly; Yes, techie stuff revolves and it will be only a matter of a few more years before the next Wii comes out. 

However, my man, like any true gamer (allegedly) is a Nintendo gamer first, here's the scoop; the big guns are the NES system - they were the foundation for most men of our generation (assuming you're in your 20's?). Find out his favorite game as a child, find it on ebay or at an elite gaming shop in mint condition (box and all, it will exist), get the NES, make sure it still works, then deliver it with the game. Or, better yet, just find out what his childhood gaming crush was, buy the game, the console and get it set up, wrap it up etc. Most guys who are serious about that stuff wore out their consoles over the years and go crazy over the chance to relive it and can never find the time to stake out the console or do the research. It ain't cheap, it'll probably set you back as much as the watch, but it could fit your sentimental but still techie criteria. 

Or if that's a no go, hopefully it might have sprung forth some new ideas? 

Good luck, I so get how hard this is.