Groomsmen Gift Ideas They Will Actually Use

A groomsmen gift is a thank you with a deadline. It has to be bought weeks before the wedding, it has to work for men who may have little in common except the groom, and it is judged months later by whether it is still around. Most lists of ideas are long and indiscriminate. This one is short and opinionated: nine gifts, what each roughly costs, who it suits, and the reason it might end up at the back of a cupboard.

We are a watch publication, so a watch is on the list, and we think it is one of the best answers. It is not the only one, and for some wedding parties it is not the right one.

WatchesUnder is owned by BlackRobin Capital Inc.

Set builder · prices checked October 9, 2026

Price a groomsmen set

Pick how many watches you need and which designs, and see the total with the current offer applied.

1. A watch

Rough cost: $40 to $350 per person. Suits: almost every party, especially one in matching suits.

A watch earns its place because it is worn on the day and every day after. It also looks like a considered gift without being sentimental, which matters for the groomsman who is the groom's colleague rather than his oldest friend. The drawbacks are real but manageable: you need wrist sizes, and someone has to shorten the bracelets.

The watch we would choose for a mixed group is the Lucky Fours Fortuno. It is a plain steel sports watch with an integrated style bracelet, a sunray dial that changes tone in the light and a day and date display, without the bold bezel or chronograph pushers that some men find too much. The teal dial is the one in the photos; there are 5 colorways in total, so a man who wants black or white can have it. Lucky Fours currently runs buy one, get one free with mix and match, so six of them cost three paid watches.

WatchesUnder is owned by BlackRobin Capital Inc.

For a party that lives in jeans and sneakers, the Timex Weekender 38mm at $77 is the honest alternative: a 38mm quartz watch on a fabric strap that slides through and swaps in seconds. It will not suit a suit, but it will get worn. Our full groomsmen watches guide compares the options at every budget.

2. A proper shave kit

Rough cost: $40 to $100. Suits: men who shave daily and like a ritual.

A safety razor, a box of blades, a brush and a good soap is a gift men use every morning, and refill rather than replace. The catch is that a man with a beard has no use for it, and some men are attached to their cartridge razor. Know your audience before ordering six.

3. A leather wash bag

Rough cost: $50 to $120. Suits: anyone who travels for work or weekends.

Unglamorous, and that is its strength. A well made leather or waxed canvas wash bag lasts a decade and gets packed for every trip. It also travels to the wedding itself, which is a nice touch if the party is staying away. Avoid cheap bonded leather, which peels within a year.

4. Cufflinks or a tie bar

Rough cost: $25 to $80. Suits: a formal wedding and men who wear a suit to work.

They tie the party together in the photos and cost little. After the wedding, though, they are only useful to men with French cuff shirts or ties at the office, which is a shrinking group. Pair them with something else if the party is mostly casual.

5. A good pocket knife or multitool

Rough cost: $30 to $120. Suits: outdoors people, practical men, anyone who opens a lot of boxes.

Carried daily by the men who like them, and never touched by the men who do not. Check that a knife is legal to carry where each groomsman lives, and do not give one at the wedding itself if anyone is flying home with carry on bags only.

6. A bottle, chosen with care

Rough cost: $40 to $150. Suits: a party that already shares a drink.

A good bottle is a generous gift and a short lived one. That is fine if it is opened together at the rehearsal dinner, which turns it into a memory rather than an object. It is the wrong choice for anyone who does not drink, and it is worth asking quietly before assuming.

7. A shared experience

Rough cost: $60 to $200 per person. Suits: close groups, small parties, men with too much stuff.

A round of golf, a cooking class, a day of fishing or tickets to a game. The value is in the day, not in an object, and for a group of old friends it can be the most memorable gift of all. It is harder to arrange for a party spread across several cities.

8. A hip flask

Rough cost: $20 to $60. Suits: very few people, honestly.

It is the most common groomsmen gift and among the least used. Most flasks are filled once, on the day, and then live in a drawer. If you love the idea, buy a well made one and expect it to be a keepsake rather than a tool.

9. Socks for the day

Rough cost: $10 to $25. Suits: a party that likes a joke.

Matching patterned socks make a good photo when the trousers ride up on the dance floor. They are a supplement, not a gift: pair them with something that lasts.

How to choose between them

Two filters do most of the work. First, will he use it after the wedding without having to change his habits? A watch, a wash bag and a knife pass for most men; a flask and cufflinks pass for some. Second, does it work for the whole party, or will one or two men be left with something that suits the others? If the group is very varied, choose a gift that comes in variations, such as a single watch model in several dial colors, so each man gets the version he would pick himself.

For a sharper take on what men keep and what they quietly throw away, read groomsmen gifts they actually want. If the best man deserves something more, our best man gift ideas are a step up from everything here.

One combination we like: a watch for each groomsman, given a week before, and a bottle opened together the night before the wedding. The watch is what lasts and the bottle is what they will talk about. If the dress code is black, the Lucky Fours Aura at $79.99 matches it exactly, with a black octagonal case, black dial and black bracelet. Whatever you choose, check the store's shipping times and return terms before the order goes in.

WatchesUnder is owned by BlackRobin Capital Inc.

Frequently Asked Questions

About the Author