The next time you're stuck for a wedding present, try shopping for backpack coolers. A lot of people give picnic baskets as wedding gifts, and I can certainly understand why. Picnic baskets are festive, they're romantic, and they're unusual. Backpack coolers are just as festive, in my opinion, but they're also extremely practical.

Picnic Backpacks and Backpack Coolers

Some of these backpack coolers are just meant to carry wine. They are quite small and light, intended only to hold the wine, a corkscrew, and two glasses. Others are able to hold wine, plates, glasses, and accouterments for four people, with plenty of room left over for food.

If you can afford it, I think these make the nicest gifts. That way, the couple can use them for just about anything. They can take their wine and food on a hike, in a boat, to a concert, or on a picnic.

In fact, they may end up seeking out opportunities to use their cooler! I know that once my friend gave me a wine backpack for my birthday, I started combing the weekend section of the newspaper looking for outdoor concerts and films. I even went on one of those star gazing hikes sponsored by the local observatory! And of course, I brought my wine with me.