The men standing next to you on your wedding day are important to you and have made an impact in your life. Don’t forget to show your groomsmen and best man how much you appreciate them and what better way to say thank you than with a thoughtful, yet practical gift. 

In this article, we will cover the interesting history of groomsmen, how much you should spend on groomsmen gifts, and when to give them their gifts. We’ve also included a list of thirteen unique gift ideas to show your appreciation for your groomsmen and best man.

Groomsmen: an Origin Story

The history behind having groomsmen on your wedding day is quite diverse and varies from culture to culture. During the Roman era, the groom with the help of his groomsmen had to capture his bride-to-be in order to marry her. The groomsmen would protect the groom and the bride from her family, ensuring that the two were able to successfully run off together and get married. Also, in Rome it was the law that marriages must be witnessed by ten men.

Another origin story behind the reasoning for groomsmen and bridesmaids was to confuse any evil spirits that were thought to put curses on the bride and groom. So, the groomsmen and bridesmaids would dress the same as the bride and groom in an effort to confuse the evil spirits on who was who and protect the bride and groom.

While your groomsmen hopefully don’t have to worry about evil curses or warding off the bride’s family anymore, giving your groomsmen and best man a gift is a great way to show your appreciation for their friendship and their help with your wedding.  Nowadays, you thank your groomsmen for their more modern groomsmen duties, such as throwing you a bachelor party and supporting you during the wedding along with their time and financial commitment.

How Much Should You Spend on Groomsmen Gifts?

There is no set price you need to spend on their gifts. As long as the gift is thoughtful and something they will enjoy, it doesn’t matter if you spend less than $25 or more than $100. All that counts is that you thought of thanking them while planning your wedding day. 

When Should You Give the Gifts?

Many men give their groomsmen their gifts at the rehearsal dinner. However, the timing is up to you and what feels like the right moment. It could be at the rehearsal dinner, the bachelor party, or while you are getting ready on your wedding day - it’s up to you. Just be sure to consider the gift you are giving and if it’s something they will need to use or wear on the wedding day, you’ll want to give them their gift beforehand. 

What to Get for Groomsmen and Best Man Gifts

Since each of the men standing next to you during your ceremony likely enjoys different things, don’t feel like you need to get them all the same gift. Below are fifteen gift ideas (many of them from local Kalamazoo shops) that will help you decide on the perfect way to say thank you for standing by your side.

BroCrates - When you don’t know what gift to get your best bros, leave it to BroCrate to take care of the gift giving for you. They offer a variety of themed gift baskets from beer, whiskey, food, sports, and BBQ. And the best part is that they come in rugged crates, not gift boxes, so they are very practical to use. 

Engraved cufflinks and tie clips - It’s common for many groomsmen to receive cufflinks or tie clips as their gifts. Not only is it a great way for all the groomsmen and the groom to look good standing at the altar, but it’s a practical gift that your groomsmen can wear again and again. This cufflink and tie clip set from WendyGiftFinds is the perfect set.

Make your own beer kits -  Give your boys the gift that keeps on giving, free beer that is. With a home brewing kit all of your groomsmen will get to be true beer-ologists in the comfort of their own home. Bell’s Brewery has a ton of home brewing options that are sure to fit every one of your groomsmens favorite styles of beer. 

Whiskey & Spirits - Ease your best guy’s nerves on wedding day with a locally distilled bottle of whiskey. Consider, Green Door Distilling a medal winning distillery and the first in Kalamazoo since 1858. Or, The Kalamazoo Stillhouse, which has a 100% Michigan wheat whiskey that's perfect for sipping or mixing while getting dressed. 

Whiskey or shot glasses - Rather than splurging on a bottle of whiskey for each of your groomsmen, get one nice bottle to share and custom whiskey or shot glasses for each of the guys. This whiskey glass from MagicWoodShop has custom side and bottom engraving that comes with a set of three complimentary stones. 

Watch - If you’re looking to splurge a little on your groomsmen, then consider a nice watch. It’s a gift they will be able to enjoy everyday! Or if watches for all your guys are out of the budget, you could always splurge on just your best man one to let him know how special he is (just be sure to give him his gift in private!). We are big fans of Morrison’s signature watch collection.

Take them golfing - Who says your gift has to be a material object. Why not give them a lasting memory instead by rounding up the guys for a golf outing. There are a ton of amazing golf courses in Michigan to choose from. You can even customize some golf balls for the day like these ones from BuffaloBottleCraft. 

Or virtual golfing - If virtual reality is more your speed, then you will have to check out virtual golfing! Just a two hour drive from Kalamazoo, TopGolf in Auburn Hills has different virtual golf games your group can play, along with food, drinks, and a crazy view up top.

Personalized passport holder - This is a great option if you are having a destination wedding outside of the U.S. Just make sure to give your groomsmen their gift before heading out of the country. This one from EcoEngrave is a top pick for personalized passport holders, they even come with luggage tags too. 

Cigar box - Smoking a cigar with the boys is a classic way to celebrate your wedding day. Smokes on Burdick has been in Kalamazoo for over 25 years, stop by their store and take a look at their large selection of cigars in stock. To take this gift up a notch you can get cigar boxes personalized for your groomsmen on Etsy.

A guy’s self care day - Treat all of your groomsmen to a self care day, so that they can look their best on wedding day. Damn Handsome Grooming makes and sells many of the daily grooming necessities online. The Waiting Room provides a variety of haircut and shampoo services, along with beard trims and they have a store to shop around while waiting for the rest of your group to get serviced. 

Sweets and fun - For the kids at heart, you can’t go wrong with candy and other sweets. Visit Rocket Fizz to grab all of your best friend’s their favorite sweet treats, old-fashioned pops, and other fun items. Once you’ve got everything from Rocket Fizz, grab some gift boxes to put it all together. Now you’ve got a sweet treat to give them. Top off this gift with some apparel from the Spirit of Kalamazoo. 

Playing card set - If you and your best guys play games, or know that one of your groomsmen does check out this playing card set from BlankCanvasByPotter. This set includes playing cards, dice, a funnel, shot glass, and a personalized flask. Not to mention the box it comes in can be engraved.

Whatever gifts you choose for your groomsmen and best man, be sure to give them with love and let them know how much you appreciate their friendship and support on your big day!