One-of-a-kind Gift Possibilities
by Maryann Ondovcsik

An interesting adjunct to the subject of handcrafted wedding gifts is the opportunity to do personalized, one-of-a-kind items that may be the heirlooms of the future.

Just as the older (or encore) bride brings a lot of practical household items to her marriage and presents an opportunity for unusual gifts, the wedding itself also offers special circumstances for commissioned works.

This may be the only time a woman has ordered an item and waited for it. Much of this 'MTV generation' is used to fast service, fast food and off-the-rack clothing. But virtually all bridal gowns must be ordered from a sample. Ditto for most bridal jewelry and unless she's very lucky, even her white shoes. She may even be ordering some furniture for a future delivery.

The point is that this woman is ripe for commissioning very special, personalized items that she will pass on to her children. Unfortunately, this is not an area galleries generally solicit, except for simple inscriptions like name and wedding dates.

Several galleries may point to items that lend themselves to inscriptions. Several others have craft artists who will make a momento out of the printed wedding invitation.

Larry Williams of Hanson Galleries in Texas has an artist who mats the invitation, paints a water-color flower garland around it and frames the piece in gold or silver as a keepsake.

Most owners would be willing to have a personalized item commissioned, but have never set up a system to encourage it. When it does happen, it has been by the instigation of a customer who specifically asks if they can find a craftsman willing to do 'X' on a 'Y'.

Think how much more business could be had if several craftspeople banded together to handle such commissions, and if the gallery actively promoted the service to brides.

For example, brides are invariably pleased and proud of their new name. Engaged couples are awash in sentimentality, especially about the name they will soon share. Remember the Russian proverb: The wedding is the birthday of the family.

Craftsmen who can incorporate a family name or the symbol of that name onto a handcrafted object are truly creating a heirloom. The story of that object and the artist who made it will become part of the family lore.

Americans seldom think about names as having actual meanings, but many names do. While one in four names is a 'patronymic' (meaning it has a prefix or suffix signifying 'son of') and many are simply place names, many others do translate into an object, characteristic or occupation.

Craft artists who want to learn more about this opportunity might investigate a useful book called The New Dictionary of American Family Names by Elsdon C. Smith (Gramercy Publishing). This reference book contains 2,000 of the most common U.S. surnames, with their ethic derivation and meaning.

If a name has an obvious symbol (Tannenbaum, for example, means pine tree), suggest working that into the crafted item. Do a brochure, explaining how you can work 'together' to create something special and unique. Then be prepared for the word-of-mouth business that the happy bride will send your way.

The final possibility here is to examine various ethnic and religious marriage customs which could be turned into craft sales. Some metalsmiths have had great success selling wedding bands with Celtic patterns to Irish couples.

Ukrainian couples were traditionally married standing at the altar on an elaborately embroidered cloth made by the bride's mother and kept as a momento. Since working mothers no longer have the time for intricate cross-stitch, perhaps there is a market here for another type of craft. Hungarian brides often wore elaborate headdresses woven with sheafs of wheat. Perhaps there is a place for a 'wheat' tiara made of metal which would be worn by all the brides in that family.

There are probably a lot of others. Many ethnic customs have been lost through assimilation, but as Americanized couples search out their roots, there are strong possibilities here.

Quaker couples have traditionally treasured a wedding registry signed by all the 'witnesses' at the ceremony. Perhaps they would like an especially artistic registry? Likewise, for hundreds of years, Jewish couples have had their ketubah, or marriage contract, illuminated with elaborate calligraphy.

One of the newest twists on an old tradition is the re-use of the glass broken at Jewish weddings. Both the Hanson Galleries and Osher-Osher work with a glassblower who makes a special goblet which will be broken during the ceremony.

"Then we send the pieces to the glass artist who encloses it in another cup to keep as a momento," says owner Shana Kazen. The finished object or Kiddush cup, will be used every Friday when a prayer is said over the wine at the Sabbath dinner.

The Hanson Galleries began working with the local Jewish community about four years ago, and Williams found a great market for crafts. "Now we even advertise in the local Jewish Herald Voice," he says.

"We just assumed our Jewish clientele would buy such items at their synagogue store. But, we found we were able to offer beautiful and unique religious items, and we've built a booming business."

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