Monogrammed Wedding (etc.) Gifts

Growing up (on the west coast), I thought monogrammed items were so stuffy, so preppy, so East Coast. Nothing wrong with that. Just that no one entertained in the style of the Kennedys or the Vanderbilts. Maybe we were just unschooled in the ways of etiquette. Now there are all sorts of companies breathing new life into the monogram, and I'm all over it. As in: loving it. We've got lots of fun monogrammed lines coming into the shops, and here's our first ingenious program of glassware that we're offering.

Here's how it works: you choose the glassware set or item(s) you wish, from sets of tumblers and goblets, to champagne buckets, carafes and pitchers. Give us the one, two, or three-letter monogram, and it will be made to order in a few short weeks. The glassware is made in the Czech Republic, and sand engraved in the US, so it's a very nice quality (non-lead) crystal with a good "ping." Set of four engraved tumblers is $39 (in a sturdy gift box); the goblets shown here are $44 for a set of four (sorry, lousy photo). Champagne/wine bucket is only $52. [Also: short tumblers, tall coolers, pilsners, and a vase.] Add $3 to each set if you want it drop-shipped elsewhere.

Et voilà. You have a fabulous, original gift for a wedding or wedding shower, housewarming or hostess. And here's what I would do for a girlfriend going through a divorce: get her her own set of wine glasses with just her first name initial on them. Hers and only hers. Harumph.

Anyway, this is a can't-go-wrong gift, and we're very excited to have them. Visit us to see examples; we can also fax or email an order form.

Here's a short version of monogram guidelines, in case you're thinking about it:

Married couple with the same last name: first initial, hers; middle (larger) initial, their last name; last initial, his.

Single woman/man: first name; last name; middle name (you can also put your three initials in order, but they would all be the same size – doesn't look as good, in my opinion).

Married woman with her own monogram (especially for stationery): first name, married name, maiden name.

You can also just do a single initial: first name only for a more casual use, or last name initial for a bit more formal application. Or, for all those couples with different last names, we have a great solution: pair your first or last name initials with an ampersand and it's all good. Thanks, J & R