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Inexpensive Bridal Shower Gifts--Ideas?

Hi all, My best friend is getting married in June.

Her shower is in two weeks.

I recently gave her and her df a nice housewarming gift, and I plan on giving them a substantial wedding gift.

Also, I've purchased my bridesmaid dress (and everything that goes with it) and I'll pay for part of the bachelorette party.

I don't feel that I can spend equally on the shower gift.

I need some ideas for an inexpensive gift for her shower.

Preferrably, something hand made that doesn't require a ton of supplies.

I'm pretty crafty, but I don't have many ideas for this.

I love her and want her to have a great time with the wedding and everything, and I want to create something that will be meaningful, memorable, and all about her. My ideas so far include: --Buying some small notecards with envelopes, and creating a card for each day for the month leading up to the wedding.

In each note I would include a funny story or memory, a relaxation tip, and easy recipe, or an inspirational message.

I would use pretty cards and embellish them with stickers, ribbon, cut-outs from magazines, and other wedding-related stuff.

I would label each one with the date on which it is to be opened, and put them all in a nice pretty box.

I will include a card explaining that she has to open them one at a time, on the right dates.

I'm hoping that this gift would give her a moment to herself each day, when she'll probably be caught up in the pre-wedding frenzy. --Creating a Recipe book or box of recipe cards with some of my old standbys and her favorites.

I would organize it with the recipes in it, and leave room for her to add her own.

I could also include handy tips I've learned, etc.

--My mom's suggestion was a "wedding day survival kit".

Find a pretty but inexpensive tote and fill it with things a bride would most likely need on her wedding day.

My mom's ideas include: sewing kit, wardrobe tape, waterproof mascara, stress relief bath salts/bubble bath, etc.

What do you all think?

I would love any ideas you have.

Thanks in advance!

What a nice idea!

Any of those are just lovely. Does she like to cook?

Because if she does, the recipe cards would be a great gift.

Especially if you have the time to personalize them and make 'em really special.

I think the recipe book is the a great idea.

It's both useful and a keepsake.

I'd do a nice recipe book--maybe a pretty binder, or one of those large hardbound journals that Barnes and Nobles sells for $10.00.

I'd fill it with recipes and maybe some cute pictures and Quote: s and leave some room for her to add on some other recipes of her own.

I'd probably nix the card idea, because while its lovely that sounds like a lot of cards to hold on to and most likely they'll get looked at once then shoved into a box or discarded.

The tote idea is cute, but it wouldn't have the same keepsake quality as the recipe book.

Technically, you don't owe her another gift. But my SIL did get something really cool from one of her bridesmaids - a window herb garden, with 4-5 little terracotta pots hand-painted by the bridesmaid, herb seeds, a mister to water them a little bag of potting soil, some baby tools (this is probably overkill, but you get the idea).

She's had to replant the herbs a few times but she uses fresh herbs a LOT now that she has them available.

I did a "wedding day survival kit" for a friend and she loved it...and while much of it wasn't needed, we ended up using a lot of stuff that she may not have otherwise thought to bring.

The beauty of it is that for the month or so before the wedding, the bride doesn't have to worry about possibly forgetting to bring bobby pins or a sewing kit or whatever else. I don't know about the cards....I've seen some people give the bride to be a set of nice note cards and stamps and a nice pen (presumably for writing thank you notes), and I have mixed feelings about whether that's appropriate but if its something that would be acceptable in that circle, I think its a nice thought. I think a better twist on that would be maybe a set of all-occasion cards and one of those books to keep track of birthdays, etc.

I know I have a lot of trouble remembering DH's family events and since he never would think to send a card for his mom's birthday, it's nice to have stuff like that around for last minute things.

Plus, MIL likes to call me and tell me that someone I've never heard of and DH may never have met has passed away on her side of the family and I should send a card, so I keep plenty of sympathy cards on hand so I can do that, even though I know its silly to send a sympathy card for someone you've never met.

It makes her happy and that can go a long way with MILs. I've also done the recipe box gift for friends before and it always goes over well.

But I would only do that for someone who already enjoys cooking!

You could ask her mother, grandmother, aunt, etc.

For recipes they make that she loves to include as well to make it even nicer.

Personally, I like recipe cards but a three ring binder with page protectors would be nice as well.

Some basic scrapbook kind of supplies would dress it up really well.

If you are going to the shower, you  need to bring a gift;

You are right. You are also right that it need not be expensive. The kit is a great idea, but it can ADD UP, moneywise! I've always wanted to get some flannel and use my scalloping scissors (or the scalloping stitch, probably, bcs flannel unravels too much) to make plate protectors in a color to match someone's china. I made a recipe book once using 4x6 recipe cards, a huge binder ring, and a hole punch;

I punched a hole in the same exact spot on the upper left corner of each card, and put them on the ring.

If I were doing it again, I might laminate them.

I liked the format so much, I made one for myself, and I use it all the time!

For some friends for their shower (it was a co-ed shower), I gave them a laundry basket with detergent, softener and stain removal stuff (the theme of the shower was "things to do during a quiet evening at home"). At their second shower (also co-ed and the reason I was invited to both wasn't gift-grabby but because I'd just moved to the area, they wanted me to get to know more people and they were very blunt that I didn't have to bring a gift to either shower, they just wanted me to have a good time) they got an ice cream scope with a recipe on how to make ice cream (it was a recipe shower and we were requested to give a gift that matched the recipe). Both of those gifts were enjoyed and over 15 years later (oh,my...has it really been over 15 years?

), they still remember the gifts that I gave them.

Heck, I still remember the gifts and I couldn't tell you what types of gifts I've given at the many showers I've attended since then.

Except for matf's shower, which I couldn't attend and I mailed her some cheap funny books I found.

Quote: from: TootsNYC on April 20, 2009, 02:30:42 PM I've always wanted to get some flannel and use my scalloping scissors (or the scalloping stitch, probably, bcs flannel unravels too much) to make plate protectors in a color to match someone's china. This is a cool idea.

You could do it with fleece or felt as well, which don't ravel.

But felt can be pretty expensive.

Plus it can be thick (the polyester craft version would be thinner, but it's hard to find except in 9"x12" sheets, and that can be expensive, actually) I really researched it once w/ the felt idea;

It's not as inexpensive as it seems it would be.

It's really cheaper to buy it. But I just love the idea of having it color coordinated, and (if I owned a monogramming or embroidering sewing machine) putting a monogram in the middle, etc.

Quote: from: wordgirl on April 20, 2009, 04:06:31 PM Quote: from: TootsNYC on April 20, 2009, 02:30:42 PM I've always wanted to get some flannel and use my scalloping scissors (or the scalloping stitch, probably, bcs flannel unravels too much) to make plate protectors in a color to match someone's china. This is a cool idea.

You could do it with fleece or felt as well, which don't ravel. I think I have a project to keep me busy after I leave work and before the baby arrives...Thanks!!

OP here.  I like to knit, and I've found a few really neat patterns for dish towels.

Would a few hand-knit towels in their kitchen's colors be good? I'm thinking about this because you have given me some really great craft ideas, but I think I need a little more time, so may make one for the wedding gift instead.

Thanks.

I made my cousin a recipe book for one of her showers, and she loved it! I compiled family recipes from our moms, her MIL (who sent me the recipes via email, as she's in TX), and some of my own favorites.

I printed them all out in easy-to read format on 8.5x11 paper, put them in those plastic sheet covers (to protect from spills/splatters), and made dividers for all the different types (I think I did appetizers, side dishes, main dishes, vegetarian (cousin is one), and dessert).

I put it all into a 3-ring binder, which I made a really cute cover for, and wrapped it up all nice with a note.

She almost cried when she opened it and looked through LOL!

And she randomly lets me know she uses it all the time, and has added to it since I gave it to her   It's one of my favorite shower gifts I've given to someone.

One of my mom's friends gave me a handmade recipe book of her mother's tried-and-true favorites (friend's mom is Italian - so everything was delicious!).

Friend wrote a note on the front that said that food is more than just nourishment for your stomach, and that you cook because you love.

I'll have to get it out later and copy it down, it's really quite touching.

My go to shower gift is a "Movie Night Kit" Go to Target.

Get a nice serving bowl (usually @ $10)  Fill it with movie candy, a bottle of wine or sparkling cider or inexpensive champagne, microwave popcorn and a gift certificate to Blockbuster.

Target has some really nice fancy candy - make sure you take that and the popcorn out of the box otherwise nothing else will fit.

Comprable gift baskets online are $50 and up and IMHO weren't nearly as nice as the one I ended up making.

Including the bowl, candy, popcorn, sparkling cider and $15 gift card it was still only @ $35.

I like this gift because it gives the HC an excuse to stay home and relax in the midst of wedding planning and they still end up with a really nice serving bowl.

I like the kit idea, although it could easily add up in price if you are buying bath salts, sewing kits, totes etc.

To keep the price down I would suggest - if you can sew, instead of buying a tote, sew small bag from fabric scraps, or remnants.

You could even make it coordinate with the wedding colours. Put in   - a pack of mints, a travel toothbrush and paste (for bad breath, a jolt to the blood sugar)   - a bottle of clear nail polish (fix nails and stop runs in fabric or hose)   - a needle with a few skeins of thread in appropriate colours, safety pins of various sizes, clear tape, a small pair of scissors, a stick of fabric spot remover (clothing problems)   - a pen and small pad of paper (last minute notes)   - a tube of super glue (fixing shoes or bouquets)   - a pack of tissues   - bobby pins + a small tube of hair gel (hair emergencies)   - a light coloured washcloth That'll help with most clothing/hair/makeup/accessory problems, but not break the bank.




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