Once upon a time, wedding gifts were given to couples as a token for their new life together. So, it was not rare to find a bride with a forced smile while unwrapping the fifth ice cream bowl set. These gifts were usually presented as material blessings, sometimes heavy enough to cause real shoulder aches.

Somehow, in the present, that notion seems to have snowballed into the art of gift-giving that adds a few laughs and, at times, side-eyes. However, with mood boards, colour palettes, and digital wallets, wedding gifts are no longer surprises for the bride and groom; they are totally curated events.

Nobody wants just ceramics anymore. In fact, couples do not need an ice cream bowl set, or already have one. What they do not have is support towards paying off that hefty wedding bill. And this is where cash comes in the conversation — light, effective, and perfectly foldable into a clutch or envelope.

"Cash was the best wedding gift for me. I got to use it to buy an AC, fans, refrigerator, and other home appliances when my husband and I began our marital journey. You could say it was a game-changer to buy our new life's much-needed necessities," shared Tasfia Tahrin, reminiscing about when her newlywed life began.

Tasfia's words were echoed by several other couples who either utilised the cash they received to build their new home, or take a quick honeymoon trip. Needless to say, cash is that one gift that can fit any purpose of the bride and groom, all while keeping their smiles big.

Now, for a controversial stand — crockery. Though often villainized, crockeries still have their undoubtable benefits. For a couple moving into a new house (read: still figuring what to buy), a good dinner set or a cooking pan can be crucial.

This kind of gift will spare you all the extra fuss of sentimental pieces with flowers and gold rims. But, remember to keep it modern, sturdy, and microwave-safe. In the end, functionality will always triumph over excessive flair.

Such sentiments were reinforced by 30-year-old Safin Howladar, who said, "My wife and I were pretty torn over receiving so many crockeries in the beginning. But, once we got past that initial hesitation, we realised so many of them were actually helpful for us.

I guess there will be multiple versions of the same crockeries, since not everyone knows the others' gifts, but we decided to give away the doubles and triples to our cousins who asked for a few of them."  

Nevertheless, if both cash or crockeries are out of your realm of possibilities, you can surely explore the world of gift cards! Gift cards are cash's cousin because while not being real cash, they are actually helpful; the couple gets freedom to choose, and you get pats on the back.

It is thoughtful for them without breaching personal space. A gift card to their favourite restaurant or home store goes a long way to show your love for them.

"I had received a gift voucher from one of my favourite brands. It was worth a lot and I enjoyed shopping for me and my husband so much! When we were gifted sarees and panjabis, we did not really have any option but to accept them. But with the gift card, the choice was ours and that was the best part," expressed Tasnia Esha, who got married a year ago.

Esha further added, "Even cash was a remarkable gift for us. My husband and I took a trip to Thailand for 2 weeks with it!"

All that being said, there are people that still cling to the brass plates and the heroic effort to gift furniture. However, the modern couple usually looks with polite horror at those, wondering if selling it online would be insensitive or just practical.

So, what can you wrap? Here are some safe bets: One, money. Two, more money. Three, some functional crockeries. Four, worthwhile items: dinner vouchers, a spa day, or a gift card. Five, if you really must give a physical gift, it should be something lovely, branded, and easy to exchange.

Bengali weddings may be noisy, lengthy, and at times, puzzling, but when it comes to gifting, some rules are simple: Make it thoughtful, make it useful, and if that fails, just make it cash. Because, truth be told, nobody ever cried with sadness while opening an envelope full of money.