Guests' gifts for a bridal shower - need ideas?

I was just the maid of honor in a wedding like this (bride's second marriage--although she eloped the first time, groom's first). We did a honeymoon theme for her bridal shower and gave away airplane shaped luggage tags. If youwanted to, you could do a "light up my life" theme and give away scented votive candles in a floral scent to signify the bouquet at the wedding. You could do keychains and do the "key to my heart." What I found to be most important when choosing a gift for the shower is to get something that people would use. Most bridal shower gifts end up on a shelf or in the trash. I didn't want to waste money on something that wouldn't be used. You could also do bridal shower cookies or shot glasses, fill them with the red cinnamon hearts and call it a "shot of happiness." You could even get the shot glasses engraved/embossed w/the names of the bride & groom.

The website I used to buy the luggage tags had great ideas and great gifts! Check it out (listed below).

As for centerpieces--why don't you put a candle in the middle of the table (a thick, short one) and then put photos of her (get them from her mom/family members if the party is a surprise) that you have scanned and printed in color or color copied around the candles. It makes for a very cute and very personal centerpiece. If you are doing a theme, then find a themed centerpiece! For the honeymoon theme, I found paper stand-ups of pineapples, hula girls, flip flops and other tropical themes. I then got leis (enough for each guest--the cheap plastic ones) and put them around the center stand-up to make a cute, festive centerpiece. I also got the bride a fabric lei to wear at her party. You could also do a single rose in a bud vase--classic and elegant! But, whatever you do, make sure that it's something that the bride would like--whether that be simple and tasteful or outlandish and fun!

Gifts for the guests if games are involved are Bath and Body Works products or candles with pretty universally appealing scents. For a general gift my bridesmaid bought large $1 hershey chocolate bars and took the brown wrapper off (leaving the foil on) and used a computer and colored paper to design a new label that can easily be printed off, cut and taped on the chocolate bars. It is hard to find a woman (or anyone) that doesn't love chocolate.

For centerpieces, I would go down to the local bulk grocery stores like Sam's Club or Costco (or find a friend with a membership) and buy some bulk flowers. They are really cheap but still florist quality. We had some spray roses in vases around the house as a decoration. Also, party stores will have a combo pack full of decorations for a bridal shower. Some of those come with centerpieces.

Hurricane lamps with candles always make a good centerpiece. As for gifts, maybe soaps, or lotions or cute little picture frames.

I saw some heart shape paper that had flower seeds embedded in it, very pretty, she could send them in the invites. Don't spend loads of money on shower gifts though, they will be getting favours etc at the wedding.

I found that going online to this site gave me plenty of ideas, without going overboard too much...even though it's a second time around for the bride to be, make it a joyous event..

candels work wonders......at baby showers and bridal showers...trust me, go with the candels. get some ribbon and stuf beads whatever and decorate plain candels. or buy them already decorated. picture frames also do ok. and bath stuff is good. like those little sets of soaps shaped like sea shells or whatever.

If you need wedding favors, email the quotes department, we carry over 300 elegrant...very affordable favors.

www.asmgoods.com

support@asmgoods.com

look on orentialtrading.com

they have a ton of stuff.