Catholic wedding gifts for a couple’s first home

Marriage is a sacrament: two people promising each other their whole lives, and asking God to hold them to it. Most wedding gifts are for the house. A statue is for the marriage itself — something that will stand in their home through the good years and the hard ones, and remind them who they asked to bless it.

Irish weddings already have a quiet Marian custom built in. At many church weddings the bride, or the couple together, brings flowers to Our Lady’s altar during the Mass and asks her to care for their new family. A statue of Our Lady for their home continues that moment.

Statues also suit couples who have everything. If they have been living together and the kitchen is full, a religious gift does not duplicate anything — and it is often the one present from the wedding they remember who gave.

Hand-painted resin carries the traditional colours and fits easily into a modern kitchen or a small apartment. It is also the easier gift to send: it goes by post with tracking for a flat rate per order.

Hand-carved marble has a weight to it, literally and otherwise. A marble Holy Family is the sort of thing a couple hands on to one of their children. It is a larger gift, and we deliver it ourselves, so if you are sending it to the couple, give their phone number at checkout so the delivery can be arranged with them. You can read more about marble statues before you decide.

If several friends or cousins want to give one larger present together, a marble Holy Family or Sacred Heart is a good way to do it: one person places the order, and the card can carry everyone’s names.

A practical tip: a newly married couple may be moving within the year. If you know they are, a medium-sized resin piece is the kinder gift; a large marble statue can wait for the first house.