I'd also like to recommend the Good Housekeeping Cookbook that is in the form of a binder so you can remove and add pages. It sounds like your biggest concern is giving them something they will really use, which is so nice. My mom gave this to me when I moved out on my own, and I use it at least twice a month. It has measurement and conversion charts, and recipes for the simplest things that most cookbooks assume you already know, like the temperature and time it takes to roast everything, and even explains different types of meat. It's the book I pull out when I'm in the mood to cook but not to go shopping for any more ingredients, I can always find something that requires only what I already have in my pantry. It has fancier recipes, too, and covers everything from main courses, side dishes and desserts, to candy, cakes and drinks. I also like the idea that I can add pages to it as I expand my own repertoire, as they can do together as the years pass. It's become the filing cabinet for all of the scribbled down recipes I tend to accumulate. It may not be the most visually stunning book you can get, but I proudly keep it out on my own counter. Enjoy the wedding, and good luck with the gift!