It’s tradition to get your buds something for their efforts, but no matter how close you are, finding groomsmen gift ideas is always a challenge. (And it won’t be any easier in 2024.)
Groomsmen gifts can be pretty much anything, but the downside is that they can be pretty much anything. There are too many options, so we narrowed our focus to only the best groomsmen gifts—the ones your buds won’t regift to their dads come Father’s Day. Read on for groomsmen gift ideas and advice.
Table of Contents
FAQ
How Much Should I Spend?
Should Everyone Get the Same Gift?
Best Groomsmen Gifts
(Too) Popular Groomsmen Gift Ideas
Alcohol
Gear
Experience
How Much Should I Spend on Groomsmen Gifts?
Setting (and sticking to) a budget is an important part of wedding planning, so when it comes to groomsmen gifts, work within your budget, erring on the generous side. Your groomspeople didn’t agree to your wedding for the swag, but it won’t hurt your relationship to spoil them a little either. You can easily find thoughtful, useful groomsmen gift ideas within any budget.
Also, consider how much your groomspeople are spending just to be in your wedding. The more you’re asking them to spend on travel, the more space you should carve out in your wedding budget for groomsmen gifts.
Should Everyone Get the Same Gift?
Your groomsmen are likely all over the map (maybe literally, probably figuratively), with differing needs. Just because one guy always loses his keys doesn’t mean all your groomsmen need (or want) the same keychain tracking device. Maybe they love their own stupid keychain.
When you choose groomsmen gifts, match the gift to their needs and their interests. It’s a little more work, but it’ll be worth it when they open up that thing that shows you totally get them. Just try to keep each gift in a similar price range as the others.
(Too) Popular Groomsmen Gift Ideas
Finding groomsmen gift ideas for the wedding party is a chore, so a lot of grooms default to the same three gift options—usually the same gifts they were given as groomsmen in the past. If these staples are right for your groomspeople, choose a version of the classic that’s better than the other flasks/knives/koozies they already have, like these:
The Flask
With my giant collection of groomsmen flasks, you’d think I was a depression-era alcoholic. Make sure the container you give your groomspeople can take a beating, like this classic by Stanley.
Stanley Hammertone Wide Mouth Flask $26
The Pocket Knife
No need to pass gift-wrapped machetes out to your groomsmen. Most of us could use a small, reliable, sharp blade for practical tasks, like cutting into heavy packaging. This pocket knife balances form and function, and you get high build quality for the price.
Best Made Brass Higo Pocket Knife $60
The Koozie (Bottle Jacket / Coldy-Holdy / Beer Hugger / Drink Sheath)
Whatever the hell you call these things, you have to agree that the flimsy foamy ones don’t even catch all of the can sweat, much less keep your beverage temperate. This multi-function take on the koozie keeps your drink cold and bonus, the glass attachment creates a heavy duty travel tumbler for a cocktail.
Thermos Stainless King Can Insulator $18
Alcohol-Related Groomsmen Gifts
As the saying goes, teach a man to fish (make cocktails), and he’ll eat (drink) for the rest of his life. Sounds healthy. Below are gifts for the wine snob and the cocktail aficionado alike, and recommendations for spirits to put in those cocktails, too.
Bar Tools & Gear
The Savoy Cocktail Book
$20
Over 700 classic cocktail recipes (and a few stories) from the bartender of the iconic bar in London’s Savoy Hotel. This guide’s been around for almost 90 years. Sign the inside cover, or bookmark a recipe you know your buddy will want to try.
OXO Garnish Tool + OXO Citrus Squeezer
$30
Fresh lemon juice for your Tom Collins (what, it’s delicious). Fresh lime for your Margarita. Cut a strip of orange peel to garish that Old Fashioned. Complete domination of all things citrus is very literally within your grasp.
Libbey 9-Piece Cocktail Set
$40
All the essentials required to craft a quality cocktail in one tidy package.
Rabbit Super Aerator + OXO Steel Corkscrew
$30
You won’t change anyone’s life by giving them any old corkscrew, but you could make their life a little easier with this one from OXO. The real life-changer is their new aerator that makes $10 bottles of wine taste like $20 bottles of wine, and also, they’ll stop spilling wine everywhere.
Ăśllo Wine Purifying Filter + Carafe
$130
Every bottle of wine is packed with sulfites, a bitter preservative that can trigger asthma and allergy symptoms. The Üllo filter removes sulfites (using science!), which means you get only the normal consequences of wine—like blaming autocorrect for sloppy texting—plus better flavor.
iSi 1 QT Soda Siphon + Extra Cartridges
$80
The list of drinks you can make with carbonated water (in one form or another) is long. The list of your groomsmen who own a soda siphon is short. You know what to do.
Decanter & Double Old-Fashioned Set
$100
This isn’t going to magically make a bottle of scotch taste better, but it’ll make a $40 scotch look like a million. As the owner of several decanters, I can honestly tell you I’d toss them all into the L.A. River if given this set. And that’s littering.
The Scotch Malt Whisky Society One-Year Membership + Tasting Kit
$195
This is the best gift for groomsmen who would definitely consume a lot of scotch this year anyway. The SMWS partners with over 100 distilleries to curate a robust collection of single malt scotch, available to members only. Add the tasting kit for something tangible and delicious.
Bottles
One of the most obvious groomsmen gifts is a bottle of alcohol, so put some thought into the bottle. They like whiskey isn’t specific enough. Is it rye or scotch? Once you know the varietal each of your friends enjoys, find the best bottles in your price range below.
Bourbon
Evan Williams Black Label Bourbon
$15
Don’t let its price tag fool you—Evan Williams could easily sell a bottle that tastes this good for as much as our upgrade picks, but you can get a bottle for as little as $11 in some parts of the country.
Buffalo Trace Bourbon
$25-$35
It does everything. You can sip it, you can mix it. And its lineage traces (no pun intended) back to Pappy Van Winkle. (If you have to ask, you can’t afford it.)
Four Roses Single Barrel Bourbon
$50
Each batch of this bourbon from Four Roses is made in a single barrel. Sip it, don’t mix it. (See if you can taste the toasted marshmallow.)
Rye
Old Overholt Straight Rye Whiskey
$20
You don’t keep selling this rye since 1810 because it’s relatively cheap. It’s also easy to drink, especially in an Old-Fashioned.
Rittenhouse Bottled-in-Bond Straight Rye
$27
Sweeter than many other ryes, and at a relatively low proof, especially good in a cocktail.
Pikesville Straight Rye Whiskey
$50
A distiller called Heaven Hill bought the bottom-shelf Pikesville in 1982. Twenty-three years later, it’s an award-winning rye.
Scotch
Aberfeldy 12 Year Old Scotch
$48
Another award-winner, this is a super smooth Highlands scotch has a very reasonable price point.
Ledaig 10 Year Old Scotch
$80
A strong, small-batch scotch. Y’know the way leather is beautiful? That’s how this tastes.
Aberlour a’bunadh Single Speyside Malt
$100
Yes, the bottle’s label in that photo says 60.1% alc./vol.—over 120 proof. But right above that, the label mentions sherry butts, which smooth out the alcohol. This is the one time you want your scotch to taste like butt, trust me.
Tequila
Pueblo Viejo Añejo
$30
Aged 18 months in Kentucky oak and brick oven cooked. If we were talking about a steak it’d cost you hundreds and taste terrible. This is $27 and tastes great. If you can’t find it, try this.
7 Leguas Tequila Blanco
$55
PatrĂłn stole the 7 Leguas recipe, but 7 Leguas has an intense flavors and a rich, velvety texture that PatrĂłn does not. So go ahead, do those PatrĂłn shots. Save the 7 Leguas for better drinks.
ArteNOM de 1146 Tequila Añejo
$80
This añejo is aged in wine barrels, and spends a year in a bourbon casks, giving it a spicy, dried fruit flavor. Yeah, tequila can taste like that.
Absinthe
St. George Absinthe Verte
$60
Since the United States lifted its ban of Absinthe in 2007, it might be worth reviewing how to drink it (because I had no idea). Dissolve one sugar cube in a mixture of one part absinthe, three parts water. Then you tip the glass toward your lips and—this is important—open your mouth.
Gear for Groomsmen Gift Ideas
The best groomsmen gifts are items so perfectly tailored to your friends’ lifestyles they’ll wonder how they ever functioned without them. These are high quality trinkets your groomsmen will actually use.
We don’t recommend gifting clothing—a gamble on both the fit and style of the garment. Opt for accessories instead. They’ll probably get more use, and they’re less likely to miss the mark.
WEARABLES
Weld Mfg Field Trip Hat
$35
Like the baseball cap they already own, but better.
Pendleton Bandana
$20
Some of your groomsmen will understand how good this gift is, some will not. For those who don’t “get it,” bring them up to speed on a few of the many ways to use a bandana (aside from wearing it). This one from Pendleton comes in several colors and patterns.
Parachute Home Waffle Robe
$130
Better than being naked. It should be easy enough to ballpark the sizes your groomsmen would need.
Ray-Ban Original Wayfarer Classic
$153
Retro.
Ray-Ban Aviator Classic
$153
Timeless.
MUSIC
Vinyl Me, Please 3-Month Subscription
$119
Monthly special-edition pressings, plus cocktail pairings and exclusive album art. Choose from jazz, blues and soul, rap and hip-hop, or the best of all genres. Warning: This is a gateway drug.
Grado SR80x Prestige Headphones
$125
When headphones make music sound this good, I’ll dongle it up until my dying dongle. Or upgrade to their wireless model.
U-turn Audio Orbit Basic Turntable
$200
If you’re into analog, you know that $200 may as well be $0 when it comes to a new, quality turntable. Usually. These American-made tables skip bells and whistles, to deliver great sound (which is the whole point) at an unbelievable price.
TRAVEL
WP+Standard Monogrammed Leather Passport Wallet
$75
Replacing a passport is such a pain in the ass. Do your buds a favor, and help them protect theirs with this supple leather passport wallet from WP+Standard.
Kiehl’s Ultimate Skincare Starter Kit
$50
One of the best groomsmen gift ideas for your buds on the go, but basically, give this to your bud just so you can use the facial moisturizer every time you stop by their place.
Outdoor
Coleman Steel Belted Cooler
$150
Perfection is overrated. This vintage-inspired cooler will get nicked, dinged, and dented, making it look cooler with every adventure.
Stanley Classic Easy Pour Growler
$50
Holds roughly a 6-pack of beer, keeps it cold and carbonated for 24 hours, and is dishwasher safe. Any questions?
BioLite CampStove 2
$150
This little camp stove needs only a handful of twigs to create a smokeless flame for cooking, and captures the heat produced to generate 5V of energy—enough to charge phones or run camp lights. They’re also just a good company.
Pendleton Camp Throw Blanket
$150
The back of an old SUV is the ideal setting for one of these cozy, pure virgin wool blankets, but they’ll do just fine on your groomsmen’s couches, too.
Best Groomsmen Gift Experiences
The best groomsmen gifts cannot be contained in any box or gift bag. A shared experience with friends will be a likely cost more, but the memories will outlast any one item (unless that item is made of plastic).
Explore your area for activities or entertainment that you and your groomsmen have never experienced. If you can’t convince everyone to travel, or you and your friends don’t live in the same area, we have a few ideas for you, too.
For Gamers
Playstation Plus 12 Month Membership
$60
Maybe you live in different cities and it’s a struggle to keep in touch. Or maybe you all just love video games. Either way, this groomsmen gift will make it so much easier for you to endlessly trash talk one-another. Guys are weird.
Xbox Live 12 Month Membership
$60
While Playstation is the superior gaming console (don’t @ me), Xbox people should have fun with their buds from a distance, too.
For Foodies
6-Course Meal at Blue Hill at Stone Barns
$511 per person
All you really need to know is yes, that is the correct price per person (for six courses with wine pairings), and two, Blue Hill at Stone Barns has been called the best restaurant in America (and has ranked as high as #11 in the world).
Two-Day Culinary Portuguese Train Adventure
$585
You can see a Wes Anderson film, or you can live a Wes Anderson film. You know the correct choice, and it does not include theater popcorn.
RELAX
Sensory Deprivation Float Session
$60-$75
It may seem to conflict with the “shared experience” idea to lock yourself in separate pods for an hour, but it’s an experience none of you will forget. Compare notes over drinks afterward.
Dunton Hot Springs Long Weekend
$5000
Recharge your batteries in the hot springs pool of this former Colorado ghost town, then belly-up the the same bar where Butch Cassidy, en route to his hideout, congratulated himself on a successful bank robbery in Telluride.
FEEL SOMETHING
Austin City Limits 3-Day Pass
$300
I’m really not sure what I’m supposed to say here, because this just seems like a slam dunk. Like, am I supposed to ask “Do you and your groomsmen like good music and amazing food in a great city?” I’m not asking you that.
NCAA Final Four VIP Experience
$885 per person
Action. Drama. Drinks included. The package includes a meet and greet with the coaches and players, and access to the VIP lounge, with open bar and an all-you-can-eat menu featuring regional cuisine. Oh, and also semifinals basketball.
Vespa GTS HPE 300
$7100 per person
Because when you have a scooter gang, you can do stuff like this.
Groomsmen Suits That Don’t Suck
While the groomsmen gift ideas above should leave your crew throwing a dangerous amount of high fives, there’s one surefire way to erase all that good will: force them to rent a boxy, cheap tux for your wedding. There’s a better way to outfit your groomsmen.
We design suits and tuxedos with a modern fit, made from high quality Italian wool. Our online sizing technology makes getting the right fit a sure thing, and so do our showrooms across the country. No more bad measurements—just suits that actually fit.
Try it for yourself here.