Groomsmen Gift Guides, Groomsmen Gifts

15 Groomsmen Gifts for Architects, Designers, and Artists

A groomsman gift aims to be sentimental but not sappy; meaningful but not staid; and relevant to their interests, but not cliche. It’s a tall order, and the choice becomes even more challenging for friends with finely tuned aesthetic sensibilities — designers, architects, artists, and the like.

The following objects and objets d’art may appeal to the design-minded groomsman. Created by architects, artists, and design studios, these 15 items reflect their makers’ dedication to thoughtful design and excellent craftsmanship — and will echo your attendants’ great taste.

And if you take just one thing away, let it be this: Please, don’t buy your creative friends an adult coloring book.

For the bachelor party invitations

knot card

Assemble your wedding party with a thoughtful note, letting each person know you don’t want to “tie the knot” without them by your side. Printed on 100 percent post-consumer recycled paper, this striking notecard will add a bit of style to groomsman “proposals.”

$8 at Set Editions

For the guy who prefers a twist on the classic flask

cool flask

Giving groomsmen a flask is so passé — unless it’s this gorgeous stainless steel one, originally designed by The Principals. The Brooklyn-based firm, which has now exists as SAW.EARTH, was founded in 2011 by a master craftsman, an industrial designer, and an architect after they pulled an all-nighter in a metal shop. Sounds like as good an ethos as any for your inner circle to embrace on your wedding day.

$60 at Shop Horne

For the stylish guy who'll just throw his suit on the floor

brass hanger

Picture this: your wedding party’s coordinated ensembles, artfully hanging from a window frame or doorway and illuminated by the early morning light, which is reflected and refracted by… a jumble of dissimilar hangers, some wood, some plastic, some straight from the dry cleaner. This classic “detail shot” looks infinitely better if all the hangers match, so endear yourself to your wedding photographers (and your future spouse) by giving each person in the bridal party a Brass Hanger ($32) from Japanese lifestyle brand The Superior Labor. After the wedding, this handsome item can serve to hang art or papers — just throw in some attractive binder clips.

$32 at Baum Kuchen

For the unorganized former art major

planners

From bachelor party to “Big Day,” ensure each of your attendants keeps track of important dates with this classic Simple Planner ($36) from Los Angeles–based accessory and lifestyle brand Poketo. Available in gold, red, fuschia, cobalt, green, and midnight, the open-date calendar with yearly, monthly, and weekly layouts of Smyth-sewn pages is neatly contained within a flexible cover, and fastened by an elastic band. Buy the planners online or at one of Poketo’s few storefront locations.

$36 at Poketo

For the mixologist who loves to invite people over

martini mixer

Danish architect and designer Arne Jacobsen created the Martini Mixer in 1967, as part of his Cylinda Line of tableware for the Scandanavian design house Stelton. Mixologically speaking, it’s the ideal vessel for making cocktails composed of entirely of spirits, like a Negroni, Manhattan, or martini (despite how James Bond orders his drink). The gentle stirring action that takes place inside the mixer is also perfect for libations with soda, tonic, sparkling wine, or other effervescent ingredients. Added benefit: The stainless-steel cylinder will look a lot sharper sitting in the background of your “getting-ready” photos than a handle of booze.

$96 at Finnish Design Shop

For the minimalist fan of fine liquor

memobottle

The wedding weekend is often a marathon, not a sprint, and hydration is key. Gift your groomsmen a BPA, BPS-free plastic memobottle for an earth-conscious and travel-friendly way to keep water on hand. Australian designers Jesse Leeworthy and Jonathan Byrt first launched the flat bottles, named for standard sizes of paper, on Kickstarter with the goal of reducing single-use plastics. The 750mL A5 and 450mL Slim bottles slide easily into backpacks or briefcases, fitting right in alongside electronics, books, and papers, while the 180mL A7 is sized just right for a blazer pocket.

$22 at Memobottle

For the executive who needs something sly for his desk

fancy football

For the groomsman who values high design as much as athletic ability, invest in a Football by Killspencer. Founded by industrial designer Spencer Nikosey, the Los Angeles–based studio crafts dark, sexy, functional objects for travel, work, and leisure, manufacturing them in their Atwater Village headquarters. Add a monogram for an extra $50.

$296 at Kill Spencer

For the coffee snob who also likes sculpture gardens

During the full days just before and after the wedding, caffeination comes second only to hydration. British architect David Chipperfield designed the Moka Espresso Maker for Italian brand Alessi, reinterpreting the classic kitchen object for a new generation. A flat lid allows coffee aficionados to sit their demitasse on top, warming it while their espresso brews. Available online in three different sizes, we like the three-cup ($33) and six-cup ($40) capacities for everyday use. Pro tip: Top this gift off with a bag of locally roasted beans.

$33 at Finnish Design Shop

Guggenheim Blueprint Pocket Square

blueprint pocket square

Add a tasteful architectural flourish to your groomsmen’s wedding-day attire with the Guggenheim Blueprint Pocket Square. The 14-by-14-inch silk handkerchief is printed with the floorplan of Frank Lloyd Wright’s iconic New York museum.

$25 at Guggenheim Store

For the whiskey lover who sees the beauty in physics

whiskey glass

Elevate your wedding party’s whiskey experience with a tumbler informed by fluid dynamics, created by Icelandic designer Sruli Recht, and refined by master distiller Jim McEwan. The shape of this double-walled whiskey glass aims to create wave-like movements in the liquid it contains, increasing the surface-to-air radio and intensifying the smells and flavors of your favorite whiskey. The snifters come in pairs; give a set to each of your buds, or split them up for an even more budget-friendly option.

$48 at Norlan Glass

For the smoker with style

fancy matches

If you plan to enjoy a cigar with your friends sometime during the wedding weekend, up the ante with the Fire Kit by FS Objects, a design studio based in the industrial Brooklyn neighborhood of Red Hook. The waterproof match canister comes in hefty brass, which develops a patina with time, or lightweight aluminum, ideal for hiking or camping. Use the strike-anywhere matches inside on the rough bottom surface to light up your celebratory stogies.

$78 at FS Objects

For the networker who doesn't want to come off like Patrick Bateman

card case

For a more interesting and sustainable take on the standard business card holder, give your groomsmen a striking card case from Puebco. The Tokyo-based design studio creates and curates objects made from found and recycled materials, striving to “bring new meaning to those that have finished their duties.”

$50 at Puebco

For the architect who's always losing his good pens

pouch

Designed by Japanese lifestyle brand The Superior Labor for Los Angeles–based retailer Baum Kuchen, this utilitarian Engineer Pouch with Pockets ($50) is the everyday dopp kit of a designer’s dreams. The durable canvas bag, which measures 12 ¼ by 7 ½ by 2 ⅓ inches, has internal pockets sized to fit a passport or smartphone — a highly useful feature, because everyone knows there’s no quicker way to ruin a formal photo than with the visible outline of a smartphone in a suit pocket. (Right? Right.) For bonus points, fill the main compartment with essentials like gum, miniature bottles of whiskey, and spare collar stays — like these, from Set Editions, printed with the delightfully threatening message “THEY’RE ONTO YOU.”

$50 at Baum Kuchen

Flip Alarm Clock

red alarm clock

No matter how late the rehearsal dinner or welcome party runs, groomsmen (not to mention, ahem, the groom) are expected to arrive bright-eyed and bushy-tailed on the wedding day, so give your attendants a gadget that supports their success. Created by design duo Adrian and Jeremy Wright, the award-winning Flip Alarm Clock and Flip Travel Alarm Clock eliminates any confusion, with ON and OFF clearly written on opposite sides of its flippable silicon faces.

$35 at MOMA Design Store

Kikkerland Shoe Ponchos

shoe poncho

Weather can be one of the most stress-inducing variables for any couple approaching the altar. While you can’t control mother nature, you — and your bridal party — can be prepared. Keep your friends’ dressy kicks safe and dry with the cheeky Shoe Poncho by Kikkerland. Pop these durable waterproof covers over footwear to protect Tod’s, Yeezys, and everything between.

$11 at Kikkerland

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