Cutting Board as a Wedding Gift Ok?

as a young bride if i was just entering the adult world I would say why the hell would I need a cutting board. Now after 10 years of marriage and knowing better it would probably be one of my favorite gifts.

Knives are ok as gifts with one caveat: in the thank you note, they should send you a penny for the knives. In this way they "bought" them from you and the bad luck that goes with giving knives is repelled :) We actually did this, someone gave us a nice set of expensive knives as a wedding gift and we sent them a penny at their request.

I would love it and the details on who created it as well as the fact that the proceeds helped someone out.

I think it would be a wonderful idea! Of course, some people do prefer other types of cutting boards, but many would consider this a treasure. Do include the note about the history of the board. Add any instructions on keeping the maple beautiful and healthful. Towels and apron would be fine; do you know the couples' preferred kitchen colors?

I love presents that are both useful and beautiful - and being handcrafted just puts icing on the cake. I wish you could send one of those cutting boards to me! (I also wish any woman who has been married over 25 years could be given another shower, because by that time everything she received has worn out!) ;^D

I think it's a FANTASTIC gift. I would definitely add in the details. I like knowing where my products come from and if the purchase benefits anyone else. I think that makes it even more special, and may even provide the craftsman with more orders in the future.

Great idea!

I would have loved to receive such a gift. I love knowing the background on hand-made items.
Knives? Luck, schmuck - I wouldn't turn down a good knife.

I'm a "young woman" (I like to think so, at least...) and I would love a hand crafted wooden cutting board. I have so many cheap plastic ones that warp or melt, it's really hard to find a nice quality wooden board that isn't going to break the bank.

With it, maybe a nice bamboo salad bowl with tongs? Those can get pricey, so if that's not in your budget I'd consider nice dish towels (an apron isn't for everybody and the style is so unique to each person - I love to cook and bake but don't own an apron, I think I might like one, but I'm a no-frills kind of girl and I'm pretty picky, so I don't know, for me at least, if someone would be able to "nail it" with picking one out for me).

The gift sounds lovely, as does the cause, the maker, and your proposed "add ons."

Just a thought, you might want to include a little sheet with care and maintenance instructions. I ruined a wood cutting board by putting it through the dishwasher.

Mom likes to remind me that despite my advanced degrees, I sometimes lack common sense.

Good luck to you and yours,
F. B.

Absolutely great idea... Cash will be spent and forgotten...my favorite things from my wedding are the lovely wood cutting board and wood rolling pin engraved with my married name on it...it has a special place in my heart and is proudly displayed in the center of my kitchen island. And you are supported a wonderful absolutely great cause.

Love the idea. As an add-on I would wrap up my favorite cookbook!

Very cool idea! I would leave out the note, personally. As for what to add with it - how about wooden salad tongs and some fun tea towels (Crate & Barrel has lots of fun designs)...or a cookbook ie something they can both use.

Don't know about a young bride, but this old married lady loves the idea -- and I also love the idea of buying local!

Love it!! And my husband has a very high appreciation for fine wooden kitchen items. He'd be thrilled. He's the one who always wants to buy the beautiful wooden salad bowl...

I like to give money as a wedding gift. I would figure if they want a cutting board they could go buy it with the money I gave. I think it makes a great shower gift though:)

I would LOVE that kind of gift, and I would also love the extra info on the note. Very unique and thoughtful. Guarantee they remember and appreciate your gift above the others.

I never use an apron and I cook daily. Towels, well you can never have enough of those!

I think it is a fantastic idea.

Even after being married 25 yrs I would treasure something handmade like that!!

How unique and original! Go for it!

I would love it. It sounds great, and I'd like the background info :)

Updated

I would love it. It sounds great, and I'd like the background info :)

It's perfect. I got a handmade cutting board for my wedding shower, 22 years ago. I still use the thing nearly every day.

:)

I would like a handmade cutting board, I do have one, although I don't use it often. Perhaps you could talk to the craftsman and see if he could make the cutting boards in to trivets? Same basic workmanship with a few more cut outs.

Either that or a small cutting board for say cheeses when entertaining?

I would include a note about the craftsman being local, but not about the charity he is currently supporting.

I love my wooden cutting board, so I would love a gift like that, personally. Especially if you included a note about it's origins and the proceeds benefiting a local family. That would really warm my heart.

And did the brides and grooms register anywhere? Maybe another small kitchen item to go w/ the cutting boards.

I'm a cookish type person.

One of my FAV wedding gifts (that I outright HID in the divorce. Mine. Mine mine mine mine) is my cutting board.

The only thing I like better than my boards are my knives.

Thank heavens for a brother who lived in Solingen!!! Although, come to think of it, those were Xmas & birthday gifts (as well as "Hey, brother darling, Im wiring you $300, would you grab me xyz at the factory??? Puh-leeeeeze????)

Being a totally embittered divorcé, I hesitate to suggest this, but being hopelessly romantic... See if he'll burn their initials or wedding date in it.

((OMG!!! I looooooove the flirty aprons! One of my grandmothers had these! I always wanted some!!!! Drop jaw loooove! Happy dance :) :) :). LOL... I usually use half fold white restaurant supply aprons for cooking. But my Grandmother had GORGEOUS (and WTH??? Who wears a black sheer silk and lace ape-proooooon. Grom!!! Please tell me this was my for cooking! I EAT at this table. <wink> You go, Grom.))

I think it's a lovely gift, and if it were me, I'd love to hear the story behind it in a note. Really, a truly thoughtful gift. Those brides are lucky.

oh my!
i think it sounds lovely!
:) khairete
S.

I always give cash as a wedding gift. I think a cutting board as a wedding shower gift would be great. I think what the man is doing by selling these to help the family out is great but like you mentioned so many people won't use wooden cutting board these days. And to receive a gift you might not want and can't return would be very disappointing.

I myself would make a donation to that family and write it off your taxes. And buy the bride's something off their registries.

I think it may depend on the person but personally I love the idea!

Sounds wonderful! I had one like that for years and last year, it cracked and I had to throw it away. Big bummer. So yes, I think she would love this. Forget about the bad luck idea, good grief! If nothing else, she can use it at Thanksgiving for the turkey. That's what I used mine for, that and a honeybaked ham...

I would not include the info you're talking about - too heavy. This can just be for you.

Dawn

I think that is a wonderful idea! I use wood cutting boards for vegetables, but not meat..... so I have a plastic one I use for meat.

I would also include the details of who made it, and the story behind it.....

If you felt you needed another gift, then a cookbook, or something else to go along with it would be nice, too.....

I would really love it. Get some pretty/colorful/modern looking towels at Crate & Barrel to go with it and that would be a wonderful gift!

I've been married for quite a while, and I would STILL love a cutting board like that!! Wood cutting boards are not unsafe. They aren't to be used with meat, but they are wonderful for veggies, fruits, herbs, etc.

I wouldn't mind a note, but I think you might pass on that one.

I have FIVE wood cutting boards and an antique butcher block. I LOVE cutting boards! I use all of them all the time. I dont panic about wood, I clean mine, run some bleach on them if I've done raw meat, I oil them, I LOVE them. I could not do my kitchen without my lovely cutting boards. My husbands daughter sends us a wine gift every Christmas, and in that basket is always another cutting board... I love her!!
* My DIL sent me a pizza stone for Christmas a couple of years ago, it's another good culinary gift. Goes well with a cutting board.. And, yes, if the boards are made special, I'd add that advice from the maker..

I love cutting boards. You could throw in a gift certificate to a meat store as well. Wow I never knew knifes were bad luck. LOL I registered for some as a gift and even wondered why I didn't get them. Oops. I say go for it. Can the guy somehow personalize it for each couple i.e. maybe with the wedding date or such?

I love cutting boards. And I HATE all the non-wood types. They get cut-marks in them also, and then they are terrible to get clean.

I mostly use bamboo ones, these days. Love them. For everything.

And yes, I think a brief note about them being handmade and the benefits going to a family in medical distress is perfectly acceptable, and possibly very touching.

Certainly would indicate (to me, anyway) that the giver spent some time actually contemplating a thoughtful gift, rather than just running through a registry list somewhere or grabbing a cutting board off a shelf. :)

Sounds nice. Maybe add a special cook book(to their taste) if you think they would like it. and yes add the note.

I love the idea! I would include a note about who made them and a cookbook or some cheese picks

I think it's a fabulous gift idea and love getting gifts with meaning/story. So, yes I would definitely add a note.

You mentioned maybe an apron ~ I LOVE the ones here:

http://www.flirtyaprons.com/

I love the idea of a hand crafted gift for a wedding
as opposed to a mass produced piece of plastic.

I say order them !!!!!!

I would include at least a card from the carpenter/kitchen designer about his work - most artisans have a blurb on a card :) at least most of the ones I know.

Love it! I would include the back story with it and a bottle of oil used for cleaning - mineral oil???

I think it's a wonderful idea, I use my cutting boards (I have a dishwasher safe one for meat) every single day, and YES, include the note. I think it's very thoughtful!

Honest answer... wooden cutting boards are beautiful, but a pain. They cannot go in the dishwasher and need to be scrubbed and maintained or they become bacteria-infested. We have a beautiful one given to us as a wedding gift. I use it ONLY as a serving piece and if I could have returned it, I would have.

If you elect to purchase these, then I would go on the registry and purchase one or two small kitchen items that the couple has selected. The registry is there as a guide to their style and preferences...If there is not a wooden cutting board on there... well, it's a gamble and the item cannot be returned. I have a number of serving pieces that were "one-of-a-kind" given to us as wedding gifts. I HATE them, never used them, but couldn't return them. Needless to say, they didn't make the move from NY to FL because they have sat on a shelf for nearly a decade collecting dust.

Do not include a note with the cutting board about the family and the donation. While it is an excellent cause... weddings are about celebrating love and life.

I would love one myself so I believe that it would make an excellent gift! I love your reasoning behind the purchase as well as your add ons and the note as well. I don't find anything inappropriate about it; however I also am a very simple woman, always have been and would've loved one of those as a gift for prior to marriage as well.

I love the handmade wooden cutting boards and would have been honored to get one as a wedding gift especially knowing the history and that it was helping the family as well. I think it's a fabulous gift.

What a great idea. i would love it and the story behind it.
many blessings to you