Wedding gift ideas for nature-loving couples
Wedding gifts are tricky. You want something personal, thoughtful, and lasting — but also something the couple will actually want in their home. That’s where art can be a lovely choice. A fine-art print feels special and unique, giving the couple something beautiful to enjoy long after the wedding day.
So I’ve put together a collection of my favourite wedding gift ideas, featuring New Zealand native bird prints that I think work especially well for weddings, engagements, anniversaries, and group gifts.
Art makes a lovely wedding gift because it becomes part of a couple’s home. It doesn’t have to match the cutlery, it doesn’t expire, and it will be remembered far more than another salad spinner. Tūī are a great choice as they are beloved by NZers. Likewise, ruru owls, with their guardian status, are a lovely way to bring a protective presence to the couple’s home.
For the romantics: ruru with all the feelings
If you want to lean into the love theme without getting too saccharine, ruru are very obliging.
Aroha nui - All my love (pictured above) features a pair of ruru gazing at each other among native leaves and kōwhai flowers. It’s bright, joyful, and very much says “I love you” without needing a giant red heart slapped on it. But if you look closely, you'll spot subtle hearts in the shape of the kawakawa leaves, the soft-focus area behind the ruru, and even some of their feathers 💕
For something a little quieter but still full of affection, I only have eyes for you is all big yellow eyes and tender owl intensity. It’s one for the owl lovers, the romantics, and anyone who enjoys a bird with excellent eyeliner.
Art that hangs beautifully together
Some artworks are especially nice as diptych pairs, created to hang together but also beautiful as statements on their own. They make a lovely option for wedding or anniversary gifts.
Resolute Beauty and Graceful Splendour make a joyful tūī duo. One is bold and steadfast; the other has that wonderful tūī attitude, complete with poi-like throat feathers. Together, they have a nice balance of strength and elegance, with a subtle yin-yang vibe.
For something moodier, His Magnificence and Her Mystery are a dramatic pair: rich colours, gothic forest vibes, and absolutely no beige wedding blandness. They work well together, but each also holds its own as a single statement piece. (I've also been known to rename the pieces to His & His and Hers & Hers, as needed. Just ask.)
And for those with a sense of humour, The Boss and The Judge also make a lovely couple. When hung as a pair, a subtle heart shape forms in the space between them.
When you’re not quite sure what they’d choose
If you like the idea of giving art but choosing someone else’s favourite bird, colour palette, and wall size feels a bit too much like mind-reading, an Art by JLM gift card lets the couple choose the piece they love most.
A gift with a story
The prints featured here also support conservation, with 10% of my proceeds donated to organisations such as Forest & Bird and Zealandia EcoSanctuary. So as well as giving the couple something beautiful for their home, you’re also helping support the birds and wild places that they love, and that inspired the art in the first place.
You can browse the full collection here: Wedding Gift Ideas.
If you'd like me to handle all the fuss and muss, gift-wrapping is available — just make the selection at checkout and let me know in the comments if you want me to include a note.
