Friends of mine are getting married this summer and although they have registered for housewares at the usual places, they have also asked their parents for a fine art photograph as a wedding gift. This photograph will be the start of what they hope will be a life long hobby of collecting fine art together. A brilliant idea, no?

When I heard about this, the wheels in my head started turning immediately. Could I buy them art as a wedding gift, too? I barely even had to ask, they could see the excitement in my eyes. Luckily, I’m brave and I know the couple well enough to attempt this tricky task. I wouldn’t try it otherwise. Art is a very personal choice and no matter how well you think you know your friends, there’s always a risk that art you choose for someone else may never get hung.

That said, I’ll give myself a budget of $150, and I’ll make a list of some things I know about them:

– They’re foodies and they spend hours in their kitchen cooking delicious meals for all their friends

Zatista.com S. Josephine Weaver "Big Tomato" $135

– They’re dedicated to their organic garden

Zatista.com Susan Beauchemin "Lemon Tree" $120

– One of them buys sunflowers all season long at the farmer’s market

Zatista.com Jim Larimer "Sunflower at Day 68" $250

– One of them lived in Maine for several years

Zatista.com Jim McGinley "Enroute Popham Number 8" $120

– They meditate

Zatista.com Tadeusz Smusz "Flower Mandala"$120

– They love color in their home

Zatista.com Sharis DeJaynes "30" $150

– and they love the outdoors, especially hiking with their dogs in the woods

Zatista.com Keith Dotson "The Enchanted Forest" $110

It’s going to be a tough choice.

Encourage your marrying friends to request original artwork for the walls of their new home as a wedding gift. If you want to select art for them, make sure you know them very, very well and get their permission first. If you understand their tastes you will have fun buying original artwork for your friends. If you’d rather they pick out their own artwork, give them a gift certificate to their favorite on-line original art seller instead.

Make it a wedding gift they’ll truly remember and treasure.