Dear Heloise: I work as a wedding planner, and in at least half of the weddings I handle, the bride asks what to get the groom as a wedding gift. First, it should be personal, and second, gifts are always nice if you can have them engraved with a date or a phrase that means something to both of you. Consider the following ideas:

• If he wears cufflinks, you might look for a pair in an antique shop or a pair worn by your grandfather or great-grandfather.

• A desk clock with the inscription: “Making time for each other.”

• A simple silver picture frame of the two of you with the date you got engaged.

• Is he a fan of James Bond? How about a metal contact lens case with the engraving “For Your Eyes Only”?

• A watch with the date of your wedding on the back, along with both of your initials.

• Does he have a hobby that you can use to find a gift for him?

Does he collect something such as first-edition books, hand-carved birds, or baseball cards?

• Does he enjoy woodworking?

There are all sorts of things you can find for someone who likes to make different things out of wood. — Margaux L., Williamston, N.C.

Send a great hint to:

Heloise@Heloise.com

Dear Heloise: I inherited about five porcelain dolls that date back to the Civil War. They are wearing their original dresses and, for many years, were stored in a cedar chest. While the dolls are in good shape, their clothing was wrinkled and musty-smelling, so I carefully handwashed the dresses. Now the dresses need ironing, but I’m afraid to iron these tiny dresses for fear of damaging them. What should I do? — Esther M., Wilmington, Del.

Esther, if the little doll dresses are delicate and you’re unsure of the fabric, you might want to call a museum and ask what they would recommend. They might know someone who specializes in antique clothing.

The only other recommendation I would make (and this is a risk) would be to use a flat iron for hair straightening to get rid of the wrinkles. If the dolls are in their original dresses, the fabric is probably very thin and too delicate for much heat or handling. — Heloise

Dear Heloise: I’ve discovered a number of things that can be cleaned in my dishwasher. About once a month, I do a cleaning of my dishwasher with a cleaning packet while it is completely empty. However, before I do this, I run a few things through the dishwasher instead of dishes. These are:

• My hairbrushes and combs. I remove all hair before placing them into the dishwasher, and they come out very clean.

• My makeup trays. I remove everything from the trays and place them in the lower section of my dishwasher.

• All the kitchen trays that hold silverware, knives, and other kitchen gadgets.

This also gives me a chance to go through items in these drawers that should’ve been thrown away. — Sabrina R., Beaverton, Ore.