We’ve all received our fair share of gifts that were, shall we say, less than exciting. The novelty ties, salad tongs, and ceramic knick-knacks that all eventually find their way to the back of the cupboard, never to be seen again.

And deciding on a heartfelt gift doesn’t get more serious than when you’re invited to a wedding.

At Parrot Print we believe it’s important to give a gift that means something - and the good news is that it doesn’t have to be complicated. Picking the right gift for your friends and family can be as simple as choosing a treasured memory to print onto canvas, which they can hang on their walls and cherish forever.

So whether you’re one part of the happy couple, or you’re scratching your head to decide on what to give, we’re here to help you give your loved ones a gift that they actually enjoy. Here’s how you can create a splash with a beautiful, timeless, wedding canvas print.

Photo canvas prints make ideal wedding gifts

When it comes to choosing a wedding present, you don’t have to fork out excessive amount of cash in order to get a first-class gift. Something as simple as a high-quality photo canvas can be an ideal present.

It’s thoughtful, it’s meaningful, and it’s something the couple will cherish in memory of their big day.

We’ve made finding the perfect wedding gift easy. We’ve put together a few wedding-inspired canvas ideas that’ll not only stand out from any wedding gift you’ll find on the high street, but that the happy couple are bound to love.

Here are some wedding canvas ideas that make unique wedding gifts.

Celebrate their love through the ages

Everyone loves the story of how the bride and groom met, so why not put their love story in a picture? Create a collage from when they first met, through the years of being together, to the moment they popped the question.

It might take some time and effort finding all the photos, but we’re sure friends and family members will be more than happy to help. Plus, once you see their faces light up, you’ll know it was all worth it.

Remembering hen/stag parties

It’s an unwritten rule that what happens on a hen or stag party, stays on a hen or stag party.

But that doesn’t always have to be the case. With a weekend filled with friends, fun, and the occasional fancy dress costume, there’s bound to be some hilarious photos you’re dying to share.

Now, you don’t have to reveal every embarrassing photo, but a collage of a few key moments is a great way to capture those once-in-a-lifetime memories, without giving away every detail to the other half.

Inspirational quotes

Thanks to photography apps such as Instagram and Pinterest, a new trend that’s donning the walls of our homes are pictures of inspirational quotes. Some popular quotes include “Every love story is beautiful, but ours in my favourite,” and “A successful marriage requires falling in love several times, all with the same person.”

Creating wedding canvas prints of inspirational quotes, either overlaid over a favourite photo, or on a suitable background, is a minimalistic and stylish way of making canvas art that’s a staple piece to any newlyweds’ home. The hard part is choosing which quote to use.

Welcome home present

After planning the big day and then jetting off on honeymoon, you’ll find newlyweds come home only to be greeted with the stresses of getting back to normality—not to mention the jet lag.

And once real life starts again, you’ll find everything gets put on hold. Wedding albums are particularly prone to this.

So, rather than them waiting months to get photos printed, or receive their photographs from their professional photographer, we know they’ll love receiving a canvas print of snaps you’ve taken of them on their special day, ready to hang instantly in their home.

‘Thank you’ gifts

It’s just good manners to thank your guests for attending your wedding, and creating a personalised thank you gift makes it even more special. So why not put your wedding photos to good use by giving miniature wedding canvas prints as gifts to say ‘Thank you’ to your guests?

They’ll get a memento of your special day that’s ready to hang wherever they choose.  You can even choose to personalise your image by taking new photos, posing with a thank you sign, or layering your photo with a special thank you message.

Or, to show your guests how much you appreciate their wedding gift to you, think about taking a candid photograph of it in use and transferring your print to canvas. It’s a little bit dopey, yes, but so much fun to receive, and a wonderful reminder that they’ve directly helped the couple start on their new life together.

Fantastic favours

Creative wedding favours are very in vogue at the moment, but if you don’t fancy making your own fudge or potting up hundreds of tiny house plants, you can definitely turn to your photo collection. It’s great fun, as you can choose photos that best represent your relationship with your friends, and have them ready on the wedding table as a ‘thank you’ for coming.

Anniversary prints

If you’re wondering how to put those shots you took at last week’s wedding to good use, give yourself some more time to think, and stow them away ready to present as an anniversary gift.

Wedding guests and members of the wedding party often take some of the best photographs at weddings, particularly those who pay attention to the candid moments, or have behind-the-scenes access. Take time to look at the selection of snaps you’ve taken at recent special occasions and think about whether your handiwork might be turned into an attractive customised canvas print you could wrap as a gift for the couple on a future anniversary.

Our museum grade canvas prints aren’t quite the traditional paper item that you’re supposed to present for a first anniversary, but they’re certainly close, and with free delivery you can even opt to have the canvas sent straight to the recipient.

Not sure how to compose the right shot? There’s more on this below.

Finding the perfect photo for wedding canvas prints

Every year sees new and exciting photography trends emerge, which naturally pave the way for unique, personalised gifts. So if you’re thinking about capturing moments, it can be fun to keep an eye on these trends to see if you can incorporate them into your shooting.

But while trends come and go, it’s all about capturing the right moment. Here are some ideas to get you thinking about when, and how, to take that photo.

Because it’s all about the timing.

The proposal

It all starts with a question: will you marry me?

Some people choose to propose in a public place in front of a crowd, while others opt for a more intimate setting to ask the all-important question. Whichever you choose, you might want to consider capturing the moment on camera.

There are two ways to do this. The first involves a third party and some sneakiness, the second relies on you setting up a camera that’s timed for just the right moment… and also a large amount of sneakiness.

However you choose to do it, capturing the moment your significant other says yes will be a photograph that you will treasure for a lifetime.

Natural light

If you’re blessed with sunshine on the day, then you’ll be blessed with natural light in your photographs. But sometimes it can be quite harsh. Luckily, these days the glare of the sun is no longer a photography problem if you have the tools to manage it.

One natural tool you can use is getting the time of day right. The perfect time for gorgeous, gold-tinted photographs requires the help of the rising or setting sun. The effect of the natural light coming in from behind the wedding couple creates a super romantic setting that perfectly captures the mood of the day.

Soft, warm light will flatter the subjects, and once you’ve found the perfect angle so that the sun’s rays don’t turn into glare, you can snap away. Simply let Mother Nature do her thing.

Selfie shots

While we’re all probably sick of the word ‘selfie’, don’t knock the use of it in the wedding setting. It’s a simple, no-nonsense way to capture a memory of you and your friends celebrating on the day.

For a creative twist, taking a photograph of wedding-goers attempting selfies is a great way to capture the fun of the celebration, and adds to the candid photos that you can look over long after the day has passed.

Another method is to get guests to hold your camera as if taking a selfie and then let you take the picture. Simply get into position, and then ask one of the guests to hold the sides of the camera, and it will appear as though they’re taking the picture themselves. Hey presto, professional selfie achieved!

Instagram

The old wedding trend used to be leaving disposable cameras on the tables for guests to capture the wedding atmosphere in their own way. With the film revival this is still going strong, and makes for an excellent way to breathe some ‘vintage’ air into your wedding photos.

But with the ubiquity of mobile phones, and social media platforms, it’s also a great idea to create your own unique wedding hashtag. This way, your guests can take as many pictures as they like and upload them to their own Instagram accounts, being sure to include your unique hashtag.

Then, while the newly married couple jet off on their honeymoon, you can look over all the images of your big day, wherever you go.

New to Instagram? Take a look at our introduction to the photo sharing network.

Be inspired

Hopefully this post has given you a few ideas to help you make the most of the next wedding you attend. Who knows—it might be your own!

However you’re celebrating love, once the dust settles and it’s time to look over all the photos that you’ve taken, we’ve got a selection of great ideas for turning your photographs into excellent wedding gifts.

Have we missed any? Let us know in the comments.

Make sure you don’t miss future image inspiration by liking our Facebook page.