Think outside the box for wedding gifts in 2012

Traditional wedding presents tend to be practical gifts - items, for instance, that could help pad out a new home. But times have changed.

Nowadays, many couples already share a home prior to sealing their nuptials. Most already have their furniture, and their kitchen cupboards are already bursting at the seams with dishes, glasses, cookware and the like. While most brides and grooms would appreciate the universal gift of money, many wedding-goers feel a cash-stuffed envelope goes against etiquette and is impersonal as a gift. The Prague Post has rounded up a list of creative wedding gift solutions to appease every type of couple from the practical to the thrill-seekers.

The practical

While most people think glasses and china are the most practical gifts for newlyweds, De'Longhi and Kenwood have teamed up and created some chic appliances that are as functional as they are fashionable. The PrimaDonna S De Luxe is the ultimate gift for coffee lovers. The one-touch, sleek, stainless steel design is easy to clean and can make a variety of coffees: tall, short, macchiato, cappuccino, mild or extra strong, one cup or two. The machine self-cleans, grinds beans and even makes hot milk for a perfect cocoa. While a little on the high end as a wedding gift for some at 34,990 Kč, the machine will save money for the couple that usually buys their specialty coffee drinks.

For those who aren't coffee drinkers or want something a little less expensive, but still stylish and useful, Kenwood has created a colorful collection of kitchen mixers called kMix Stripes at about 7,990 Kč and the equally colorful kMix Boutique collection of toasters and kettles for 1,790 Kč each, ranging in color from orange to magenta. The Kenwood appliances are sure to brighten any kitchen, even during the darkest days of winter.

The whole range of De'Longhi products can be found at Delonghi.cz and Kenwood's new colorful line at Kenwoodworld.cz.

The cultured

With an extensive permanent collection and a constant rotation of special exhibits, a museum membership to Prague's renowned National Gallery is a perfect gift for couples who like to while away an afternoon taking in art and culture. The Society of the Friends of the National Gallery (SPNG) in Prague offers memberships for one year, which offer such benefits as free entry to permanent exhibitions, evening tours of selected exhibitions with expert commentary by a curator, two invitations to spring and autumn events for SPNG members and a free subscription to the museum's annual publication. Memberships costs 650 Kč ($35) per person for individuals between 26 and 65 years of age.

SPNG: Hradčanské nám. 15, Prague 1. Tel. 220 514 599, ext. 61, 65. Spng.org

The thrill-seekers

Marriage itself is a leap of faith, so if the couple getting married are the types who like living on the edge, then consider buying a tandem jump from Sky Service. No course or medical check-up is required for a tandem jump, only a strong stomach and an adventurous spirit.

During a tandem jump, each person is attached by harness to a trained tandem pilot, and together they jump from an aircraft at 13,500 feet in the air for 50 seconds of freefall at 125 mph. The tandem pilot then opens the parachute and lets the person steer up to 8 minutes while using the canopy.

The whole jump can be recorded by a digital Camcorder or can be photographed by an experienced skydiving cameraman. A deposit of 500 Kč is payable upfront. Gift vouchers can be purchased for a basic jump for 3,600 Kč or a tandem jump with photos/video for DVD 5,100 Kč.

Main office: Airport Příbram (Letiště Příbram) Dlouhá Lhota. Tel. 318 690 373. Prague Office: Dlouhá 10. Tel. 732 333 777. Open daily 9 a.m.-4 p.m. Skyservices.cz

The romantics

What could be more romantic than sharing the scenic view of the beautiful Czech landscape with a loved one from the basket of a hot-air balloon? One company has been providing newlyweds with romantic sightseeing flights for the past ten years.

Aeronautik Praha offers one-hour flights for newlyweds and even performs the legal wedding ceremony in the air. Orders can be made online or by phone and the company coordinates a pick-up point for the flight. The main flight season is from May to October, but the company flies all year, depending on the weather conditions. Flights for two passengers cost 14,000 Kč and special ceremony flights are made up of two passengers, two legal officials for the ceremony and a pilot. At the end of the flight, the passengers are given a certificate and invited to the ballooning fraternity. Aeronautik Praha, Krusičany 70, Týnec nad Sázavou 257 41. Tel. 736 486 132. Aeronautik.cz

Megan Battista can be reached at
features@praguepost.com