20 best engagement gifts to celebrate betrothed couples in 2023

We've found the best engagement gifts for every betrothed couple in 2023, from classic and traditional treasures, to unique finds and thoughtful presents

A composite image of three of the best engagement gifts, on a white background with pink florals.
(Image credit: Future)

To help you choose the best engagement gifts, from the traditional to the unusual and unexpected, we've enlisted the help of wedding etiquette and engagement gift buying experts to curate our list of ideas below.

Engagement gifts can be tricky to choose because unlike finding the best wedding gifts, there's no gift list or wedding registry for you to select from and it's also difficult to know what the etiquette is for buying an engagement gift.

How much do you spend? Do you buy an engagement gift and then a wedding present for the couple later down the line? We've answered these questions and more in our FAQs section at the bottom, as well as putting together a list of the best gifts for couples who are due to tie the knot below. 

Where to find the best engagement gifts in the UK

Our pick of the best engagement gifts in the UK

1. All You Need Is Love Vintage Frame

1. All You Need Is Love Vintage Frame

An unusual engagement gift, but one that is both thoughtful and memorable, these striking framed prints by company Vintage Playing Cards come in a variety of different phrases and quotes. The prints can also be personalised, to mark the next step the newly engaged couple will be taking. We personally love this framed print, featuring a classic lyric by The Beatles, which not only would make a lovely addition to any home but could also be used as a quirky decoration at the wedding venue on the day of the nuptials, too.


2. Paris, Portrait of a City

2. Paris, Portrait of a City

If you know a couple who have just got engaged in a magical destination somewhere, why not buy them a book of photography from their engagement location? Something a little different from the map prints and engagement coordinate posters that have become popular in recent years, a stunning book of photography focusing on the location of the proposal will be a sweet and chic reminder of that special destination whenever they see it sitting proudly on their bookshelf or coffee table.

This book, celebrating the beauty, romance, and poetry of Paris through photographs, also includes an extensive appendix of some 100 books, movies, and records inspired by the city of lights – perfect for a couple with a Parisian engagement love story.


3. Mixed Wine Case

3. Mixed Wine Case

Treat the newly engaged couple to the ultimate 'cheers' with a mixed case of wine from reliable wine retailer Majestic. This case is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser and something both members of the couple will enjoy as it's made up of six of Majestic's bestselling wines. The couple can use the case as a mini wine tasting experience too, and they may just find their new favourite wine to serve during their wedding breakfast in the process. 

Majestic also sell low alcohol wines and have some of the best prosecco and champagne deals too, if you're looking to gift a bottle of fizz.


4. Photo Print

4. Photo Print

Celebrate an engagement with a gift for couples that they will really appreciate. Choose a photo of the couple they will love and have it printed in high quality and beautifully framed as a keepsake for their home. Delivered in a mounted, handmade wooden frame, this sentimental and thoughtful engagement gift will be ready to hang on the newly engaged couple's wall – when they have decided on the perfect spot for it!

Check out the latest Papier discount codes to get money off on this gift.


5. Personalised Couple Photo Playing Cards

5. Personalised Couple Photo Playing Cards

A small but sentimental gift for the couple that always packs a deck of cards for their holidays and won't go on a weekend away without them. Both the cards and travel tin are customised with a photo of your choice, creating a sweet yet practical keepsake that can be used for years to come.


6. Rumi, Selected Poems

6. Rumi, Selected Poems

"May this marriage be full of laughter, our every day a day in paradise. May this marriage be a sign of compassion, a seal of happiness here and hereafter." Rumi's poetry is loved the world over for his inspiring words reflecting on life, love and matters of the soul. His verses are revered as masterpieces of Persian literature and often quoted, printed or posted on social media by those who find his words still resonate today.

What better gift for a newly engaged couple than a beautifully bound book full of poems by the visionary thinker, providing words of wisdom and maybe even some inspiration for wedding ceremony readings later down the line.


7. Wedding Planner Notebook

7. Wedding Planner Notebook

Ticking off two of the four bridal must-haves, this new and blue notebook is the perfect piece of stationery to start any bride-to-be or husband-in-waiting's road to wedding planning. Leave it plain or personalise with a name or initials up to 15 characters in the bottom right corner for the ultimate personal touch. A stylish way to store memories, jot down ideas and collect notes together ahead of the nuptials.


8. Custom Address Stamp

8. Custom Address Stamp

Both a personal and a practical engagement gift, this bespoke address stamp will come in handy when the couple need to include return address envelopes in their wedding invites. A stylish and useful addition to anyone's stationery collection, you can choose between over 100 different fonts and nine different illustrations, so your lucky recipients can get stamping thank you cards and notes straight away.


9. Spa Days for Two

9. Spa Days for Two

For the person getting down on one knee, getting the proposal out of the way might mean that the stressful part is over, but any married couple knows that planning a wedding brings with it a whole host of nerve-wracking moments – so they're not out of the woods yet!

Gift the newly engaged couple a spa day for two, which will allow them to choose from a carefully curated list of spa hotels and day spas, to book an experience that is perfect for them. Whether it's a romantic night away at one of the best spa hotels in London to celebrate their engagement or a weekend at one of the best spa breaks in the UK in the future - give them the chance to relax when wedding planning gets a little bit too much and they need a break!


10. Personalised Bottle of Champagne

10. Personalised Bottle of Champagne

Nothing says celebration like a bottle of champagne, and when it comes to fizz, Moët & Chandon is a classic. For a personalised engagement gift that will show the couple you care even if you can't be with them to celebrate, why not send a bottle of bubbly in a personalised Moët box. Customise your engagement gift with the couple's names, a nod to the 'Future Mr & Mrs' or a simple 'Congratulations'.


11. Waterford Elegance Crystal Champagne Coupe Glasses

11. Waterford Elegance Crystal Champagne Coupe Glasses

The champagne coupe is a take on the classic champagne flute, bringing back the chic glassware style that first became fashionable in France in the 1700s. Champagne glasses are a must for any newly engaged couple – how else will they sip their congratulatory fizz and toast to their new future together? And these coupe style glasses are a fun and fancy gift idea.


12. Flower Subscription

12. Flower Subscription

Sending a bunch of flowers to people when they've just got engaged is lovely, but it's not a unique gift. The newly engaged couple's home will look like a lovely florist for a few weeks, but soon the bunches and bouquets will be gone. Have the joy last a little longer by signing the newly engaged couple up to one of the best flower delivery services.

Pre-pay for three, six or 12 months' worth of flowers to be delivered to their door and they'll get to enjoy beautiful bouquets long after they've stopped displaying their engagement cards.


13. Cake Cutting Set

13. Cake Cutting Set

This cake serving set consists of two parts, a cake knife and a server, in a stylish matt gold finish. Both a practical and a thoughtful engagement gift for any betrothed couple, this chic set is a special present that can be saved for the big day, but can then be used for years to come afterwards.


14. Couples Personalised Scandi Wreath Glass Bauble

14. Couples Personalised Scandi Wreath Glass Bauble

For a Christmas engagement, there's no present more perfect to mark the moment and celebrate the special date than a festive tree decoration personalised for the couple. Choose from seven different ribbon colours and add both the couple's names and the year they got engaged to this delicate glass bauble.


15. Grow Your Own Confetti Seeds

15. Grow Your Own Confetti Seeds

Sometimes the most sentimental of gifts come in the smallest packages. When planted, this seed mix will eventually grow cornflowers which can then be cut and enjoyed in a vase before being dried to make natural flower petal confetti for the happy couple's wedding day. Small and light enough to slip in an engagement card and send through the post, this is the perfect little thoughtful engagement present.


16. Guest Book

16. Guest Book

A practical engagement gift that will come into its own when the wedding day rolls around, this gorgeous guest book designed by Swedish brand Printworks is bound and filled with 100 high-quality, blank pages. The perfect place to scribble down heartfelt messages on a special occasion.


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17. Deluxe Name A Star Gift Box

A truly unique gift, they won't be expecting this thoughtful present. Name a star after the happy couple (you could use their new surname if you like), and they'll have all the information about their personal star to last them for years to come. You could even throw in a frame and present the star's certificate of registry inside it.


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18. Fortnum & Mason The Congratulations Hamper

You can't go wrong with a Fortnum's hamper, and our experts all noted that a gift which combines food and celebratory drinks will always go down well. This hamper includes loose leaf 'celebration' tea, raspberry preserve, salted caramel treats, a tin of cinnamon milk chocolate almonds and a drum of luxurious Marc de Champagne truffles, alongside a bottle of champagne to toast the happy couple with.


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19. Personalised Engagement Bottle Stopper

Bottles of fizz are a popular engagement present, but they don't last forever. This personalised bottle stopper is a sweet way to show your love for the couple in question; customise the wooden stopper with both of their names for a unique, thoughtful gift.


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20. Personalised Metallic Star Map Print

Not only one of the best gifts for long-distance couples, this personalised constellation map is also perfect for a couple celebrating their upcoming nuptials. Most people opt for the date of an existing anniversary or the date of the couple's first meeting, but you could personalise the star map print with the date of the upcoming wedding, too.

Engagement gift giving advice from the experts

What Do You Give As Engagement Gifts And How Do They Differ From A Wedding Present?

When it comes to how engagement gifts differ from wedding gifts, Lucy Menghini, founder of wedding gift site Six Stories, explains that, "engagement gifts are typically given to celebrate the recent engagement and express your well wishes for their future together, but these gifts are often smaller and less formal." Menghini suggests presents such as engraved photo frames, experiences such as a couples' spa day, kitchen gadgets, or champagne and wine for an engagement gift. "Wedding presents, on the other hand, are given to the couple on their wedding day and are typically more substantial, ranging from honeymoon funds to larger monetary gifts; they're intended to help the couple establish their new life together."

Tara Butler, gifting expert at Getting Personal, suggests personalised gifts such as "a wedding fund box or a wedding planner notebook," make good engagement presents, "or if they were lucky enough to capture some pictures of the actual engagement, then a photo frame might be perfect."

Is An Engagement Gift Necessary?

This will depend on your lots of factors, including how close you are to the engaged couple. Menghini tells us that "engagement gifts are not strictly necessary or obligatory, but they are a beautiful gesture to celebrate the couple's new chapter in life. Giving an engagement gift is a way to show your support and excitement for the couple's upcoming wedding and future together, but it's a personal choice, and your presence and well wishes at their engagement party or celebration can also be sufficient."

What Is An Appropriate Amount To Spend On An Engagement Gift?

"The amount you spend on an engagement gift primarily depends on your relationship with the couple, your personal budget and the customs within your social circle," says Menghini. "There is no set rule for the specific amount to spend, as gifts can range from small tokens to more substantial presents. It's important to consider what feels comfortable and meaningful to you."

She also stresses that engagement gifts don't have to set you back too much: "hand-painted pictures of that engagement moment or even a handmade candle reflecting the place they got married" are just some of her suggestions. "Try to take time to think outside the box about little touches," Menghini adds.

Can You Give Cash Or Gift Cards As An Engagement Present?

Butler tells us that "cash or gifts will always be welcomed, but you can make the gift feel a little more personal by giving the couple their gift in a memory box, or with a small token like a notebook." Menghini says that "cash or gift cards can be perfectly acceptable and appreciated engagement presents; they offer the couple flexibility to use the gift as they see fit, whether it's contributing to wedding expenses, saving for their future, or purchasing something they desire."

However, she adds that "if you choose to give cash or gift cards, it's always a nice touch to accompany them with a heartfelt note or a small, symbolic item to make the gift feel more personal. Ultimately, the choice of engagement gift should reflect your relationship with the couple and the level of your personal connection."

Rachael Martin
Digital Editor - Woman & Home

An internationally published digital journalist and editor, Rachael has worked as a writer and editor for both news and lifestyle websites in the UK and abroad including Metro UK, Homes & Gardens, Ideal Home, GoodTo.com, honey.nine.com.au and body+soul. 

 

Rachael's published work covers a broad spectrum of topics and she has written about everything from the future of sustainable travel, to the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on the world we live in, to the psychology of colour.

With contributions from