The Best Budget Groomsmen's Gifts - $25-$250
Weddings are a wonderful time, a special event solely dedicated to celebrating your union with your life partner. Weddings are also horrendously expensive, and even the highly frugal bride and groom can find themselves slapped with a bill for thousands of dollars by the end of it. As a result, sacrifices are made, family pitch in to help, and in the end, it all works out brilliantly. But one thing you’ll learn when planning your wedding is that every little expense counts.
When planning my own wedding, I noticed just how much an effect these seemingly small increases had on bloating the budget. When selecting groomsmen gifts, I was conflicted: I wanted to get them all something special, but I couldn’t afford $1500 worth of groomsmen gifts! So how do you show those guys how much they mean to you without breaking the bank? I’ve done this many times for folks, and I guarantee you’ll have found the perfect groomsmen gifts that fit your budget once you finish this article.
If you’ve read my other article on groomsmen gifts, you’ll know a good groomsmen gift should be three things:
- Something extraordinary.
- Something that lasts a lifetime.
- Something that engages with their hobbies, passions, or aspirations.
With this in mind, let’s start with a generous $250 per gift and work our way to $25 for those with extremely tight budgets.
Groomsmen Gifts Under $250
We’re starting on easy mode; there’s a lot of really cool stuff to be had under $250. For me, a handmade axe is the way to go; incredibly badass and designed for a lifetime of use. The Qvarfot, Ekelund, or Hultan hatchet from Hultaforsn would be my first choice, as they have 300+ years of history and their axes are stunning.
A knife is another tool likely to delight your groomsmen, and we have so many to choose from. As far as outdoor camping, survival and hunting blades, you can’t go wrong with anything from the Norwegian brand Helle, especially the GT, Arv, or Eggen. The James Brand makes some superb everyday carry blades if folding blades are more your style. Boker has a wide range of folding and fixed blade options, both modern and classic.
Finally, a traditional shaving kit is another one of those items that most guys have always wanted but perhaps need a little nudge to get into. Using a safety razor and brush will give them the best shave of their life and many more for decades to come. Our Deluxe kit has everything they need besides shaving cream and comes packaged in a sturdy travel bag. The Hoxton shave kit is also a great choice if you’re after something more basic.
Groomsmen Gifts Under $100
This is a real sweet spot for gifts because the choices are narrowed enough to make choosing simple, but there’s still a good range of options! Starting with the grooming gear, we have our classic beard care kit, which includes everything a beard needs to look its best, for only $69. While you may not find a complete shaving kit at this range, you could snag an excellent razor by Henson to get them started, or grab a Hoxton razor, synthetic brush, and inexpensive shaving cream and just squeeze in around the $100 mark.
You may think you can’t get a good axe or knife under $100, but we have tons! The Council Tool Flying Fox axe is a high-performance camping tool and throwing axe that is immensely popular among beginner campers. We have a hefty handful of fixed blade knives under $100, and most of our folding knives from Kershaw and CRKT are in this range. Alternatively, you could build a little starter survival kit with a fire-starter, book, and fire-lighting gear from our outdoor accessories page. If they’re not into shaving OR the outdoors, the classic Secrid wallet is easily the best wallet ever made, long-lasting and available in various styles.
Groomsmen Gifts Under $50
While things get tighter here, we’re well prepared to help you save. Keeping with our three tenets from earlier, the Buck Deuce is a super classic folding blade, the kind your grandfather would pass down to you. Or, for something more modern, the Mora Eldris is a compact survival blade designed to tuck away easily in a bugout bag.
A Hoxton safety razor is right on the mark and will deliver show-stopping shaves for decades with proper care. Also, from Hoxton, their Shavette mimics the design of a straight razor and is popular for lining up beards and as an introduction to straight razor shaving. While just slightly over budget, this Kent of England hair and beard brush serves dual duty and is designed to last up to 50 years!
Groomsmen Gifts for $25
Believe it or not, there are many great gifts at this price point! Immediately the Mora companion and classic Japanese Higo no Kami knives come to mind. Easily the two most fantastic items for $25, either will delight and serve the user well. The Hoxton Beard Comb is a must-have accessory for maintaining face-fuzz, made from wood and paired with a stylish leather case. Finally, the UCO fire-lighting kit is an exceptional bag of tricks that may literally save their life one day.
I hope you found exactly what you're looking for, and I wish you luck with the rest of your planning! While your wedding is an unforgettable day, it’s only one day, and there’s no need to go into debt or blow all your savings on that one day. Get your groomsmen something meaningful, present it with care, and they’ll be delighted no matter the price tag. They’re your groomsmen, after all.
