Gifts for a post-wedding travel basket?

July 11, 2008 1:58 PM

Help me build a "Post-Wedding Recovery Kit"

Some friends of mine are getting married this weekend. They are borrowing my stylish convertible for their drive away from the reception. I'd like to slip a small gift basket into the car for them to discover after they've left. They're fairly whimsical and I'm very practical, so I want it to have a few funny things that they'll be able to use right then and there. Things I've thought of: some water, throat lozenges (since they've been talking) and perhap a small foot massager (since they've been on their feet). Anyone have any other ideas for things you were glad to have immediately after your wedding reception?

posted by bruceo to shopping (18 comments total)

Food. What with the excitement, the greeting and mingling with guests, the photo ops with everyone, the dancing, and the speechifying, the bridge and groom don't always get a chance to eat more than a few bites at the reception. My SO and me drove off into the sunset with the "Just Married" sign on the back of our car and promptly ordered a pizza because we were starving.
posted by jamaro at 2:09 PM on July 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

What a cool idea! A few suggestions: Tissues (participants also cry at weddings), CD or tape of nice driving music (depending on your car's audio system), aromatherapy bath salts (to help them relax afterward), bottle of Champagne (classic, and they probably didn't get to drink much at their own reception).
posted by CruiseSavvy at 2:16 PM on July 11, 2008

What about a disposable camera? There will be a billion pictures taken that day, for sure, but a batch that won't get mixed up with ones to share with the family might be welcome.
posted by phunniemee at 2:22 PM on July 11, 2008 [1 favorite]

The Tingler.
posted by Metroid Baby at 2:28 PM on July 11, 2008

seconding food--both savory and sweet--and drink. a bottle of wine to open once they get where they're going.
posted by thinkingwoman at 2:28 PM on July 11, 2008

hangover remedies...
aspirin, something with ginger in it, multivitamins.

ugh, that was the worst day of my life.
posted by low affect at 2:49 PM on July 11, 2008

Chocolate is always good!
posted by Tren at 2:59 PM on July 11, 2008

Water!
posted by the littlest brussels sprout at 3:10 PM on July 11, 2008

toss in a scarf for her hair.
posted by acidic at 3:26 PM on July 11, 2008

A gift certificate for a drive through restaurant they'll pass on the way.
posted by ThePinkSuperhero at 3:33 PM on July 11, 2008 [2 favorites]

I would package things up in cute little boxes/bags/containers, with labels, eg:

"For the drive" could be a hair elastic, sunglasses, and a bottle of water;

"For the evening" could be something sexy (either seriously so, or jokingly so, depending on what kind of people they are);

"For the morning after" has hangover remedies, a gift certificate for brunch, something like that.
posted by Forktine at 3:47 PM on July 11, 2008

That's a really thoughtful idea! Suggestions for a great post-wedding care package would depend on the nature of their car ride. Will they be going away for a while (i.e. on a honeymoon/road trip, using your car) or are they just borrowing it for a short drive (i.e. from the reception to their apartment or to a hotel, and then not using your car once they're at the hotel, etc.)?
posted by parkerama at 4:01 PM on July 11, 2008

just be carefull that they don't mistake your "small massager" for a marital aid!
posted by kidsleepy at 4:15 PM on July 11, 2008

how's 'bout some nice tunes on the CD player for the getaway? you know: foggy mountain breakdown, handel's anvil chorus, holst's mars, the bringer of war, iron man...

well, you pick the songs.
posted by stubby phillips at 4:51 PM on July 11, 2008

Anyone have any other ideas for things you were glad to have immediately after your wedding reception?

Enormous bottle of aspirin.

seriously ... a few single-serving packets of Tylenol, or a Tylenol-caffeine mix, or something similar, would be both whimsical and useful
posted by Cool Papa Bell at 5:12 PM on July 11, 2008

Practical:
a puzzle book to kill time while traveling
band-aids for foot blisters
stamps for post cards (domestic honeymoon)
foreign money (international honeymoon; it's for quick purchases before getting to the exchange desk)
Sketch pad or notebook (it's useful to have a place to write down everything that happened that day before they forget)

Whimsical:
Outdated book from the 1940's about how to have sex (They can be found in good second hand bookstores)
Wigs & fake mustaches
Twister
Mini Bucket & Shovel (for beach honeymoon)
posted by Alison at 8:19 PM on July 11, 2008

Strawberries & dip (plain yogurt & brown sugar), crackers & cheese, sparkling water & a great mix cd. Ginger ale, tylenol, vitamin C, grapefruit juice and crackers for the hangover.

This is also your opportunity to play practical jokes, like a tape player with a tape that has a long silent pause, then something funny for then to hear as they drive along.
posted by theora55 at 8:41 PM on July 11, 2008

A pair of scissors labelled "corset aid". An old-fashioned key labelled "chastity belt." A couple suspiciously-shaped hand-rolled "cigarettes".

No, just kidding.

Nthing food. I got *nothing* to eat at my wedding/reception and nearly fainted. Well, I'm sure the corset didn't help with that either. And we really, really appreciated the little bottle of wine that our restaurant gave us - I think it was a half-size.

Peppermint foot lotion. A couple packets of aspirin. If the wedding was outside: aloe for their sunburns. If the honeymoon is going to be sunny: sunblock. If the drive will be long: goofy sunglasses (I'm sure the bride won't have hers tucked in her little beaded bag).

And the funny thing is, the only thing we really needed afterwards was a pair of pliers... Seriously.
posted by GardenGal at 10:02 PM on July 11, 2008