Trying to help my girlfriend...
June 6, 2011 9:34 AM Subscribe
[Asking-for-gf] Great bridal shower gifts bags for attendees. of course....
Alright, asking for my girlfriend as she is super busy, and has the task of having to set up a bridal shower and is looking for some awesome gifts to give to the attendees (thought I'd try to help her).
I'm not quite sure what these consists of, and I am just looking for any great ideas probably in the range of $10-20 a bag. So far, all she can come up with is candles and soap or some thing typical.
Thought metafilter would be a great place to get some great ideas, and I know she'd appreciate it.
Thank you so much!
Alright, asking for my girlfriend as she is super busy, and has the task of having to set up a bridal shower and is looking for some awesome gifts to give to the attendees (thought I'd try to help her).
I'm not quite sure what these consists of, and I am just looking for any great ideas probably in the range of $10-20 a bag. So far, all she can come up with is candles and soap or some thing typical.
Thought metafilter would be a great place to get some great ideas, and I know she'd appreciate it.
Thank you so much!
Oh I forgot to mention - lotion, lip balm, whatever. I gave my readers a sampling of burt's bees products and they seemed to love it.
posted by kthxbi at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2011
posted by kthxbi at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2011
Go with the theme of the party? Look at wedding favors or welcome bags for some ideas. Luau theme? Get everybody a lei and a kooky frozen drink glass. Oriental Trading Company can be your friend, even if just for ideas.
One that stuck out in my mind recently was an emergency bloody mary kit: tiny single-serve can of V8, airplane bottle of vodka, and an MRE-sized bottle of Tabasco.
Some nice chocolates, or a gift certificate for a "small" beauty treatment- I'm thinking eyebrow waxes or a manicure, depending on how splashy you want to go, and how many will be there, tend to be big hits.
posted by Hwin at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
One that stuck out in my mind recently was an emergency bloody mary kit: tiny single-serve can of V8, airplane bottle of vodka, and an MRE-sized bottle of Tabasco.
Some nice chocolates, or a gift certificate for a "small" beauty treatment- I'm thinking eyebrow waxes or a manicure, depending on how splashy you want to go, and how many will be there, tend to be big hits.
posted by Hwin at 9:42 AM on June 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Also consider what and where the shower will be held, and if there's a gifting theme or not- kitchen, bath and lingerie are typical.
Bloody mary kit may not go over so well with a more froufrou kitchen shower for the ladies who lunch set, vs a lingerie party with the girlfriends from college.
posted by Hwin at 9:44 AM on June 6, 2011
Bloody mary kit may not go over so well with a more froufrou kitchen shower for the ladies who lunch set, vs a lingerie party with the girlfriends from college.
posted by Hwin at 9:44 AM on June 6, 2011
The best favor I ever got in a bag was a super cute compact mirror that i still use nearly every day, 5 years later.
posted by gaspode at 9:44 AM on June 6, 2011
posted by gaspode at 9:44 AM on June 6, 2011
Response by poster: Awesome ideas!
Keep them coming, i intend to surprise my girlfriend with this thread and all of your great ideas!
Thanks again.
posted by handbanana at 9:58 AM on June 6, 2011
Keep them coming, i intend to surprise my girlfriend with this thread and all of your great ideas!
Thanks again.
posted by handbanana at 9:58 AM on June 6, 2011
Attendees are...starving students? Fortysomethings about to celebrate a pal's second wedding? Orthodontists' wives? Farmers? Tech geeks just out of school? Thirtysomething beauticians? Flesh it out a bit more for us...
posted by kmennie at 10:06 AM on June 6, 2011
posted by kmennie at 10:06 AM on June 6, 2011
A friend of mine recently sent me a "throw me this shower" email with a link to a 50's Housewife shower (ironic, of course). The favors were wooden spoons, which - hilarious, useful, doesn't take up a load of space. Pretty much no one is going to be allergic to wooden spoons (or measuring spoons, or a compact mirror) - unlike things with scent or things to eat.
You also avoid giving someone who's trying to avoid sugar a jar full of malted milk balls or whatever.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:06 AM on June 6, 2011
You also avoid giving someone who's trying to avoid sugar a jar full of malted milk balls or whatever.
posted by Medieval Maven at 10:06 AM on June 6, 2011
Note: I have three mason jars and one plastic bag in my pantry filled with mix for god knows what (cowgirl cocoa, grits, something that lost its label) and I have never used them and they are all pretty old. Not an awesome gift in my humble opinion.
However, the compact mirror idea is cute, or a small pretty notebook with magnetic flap, or one of those tea-for-one steeping cups. What about Matroyshka Measuring Cups? Or a bottle opener for the after-party?
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:19 AM on June 6, 2011
However, the compact mirror idea is cute, or a small pretty notebook with magnetic flap, or one of those tea-for-one steeping cups. What about Matroyshka Measuring Cups? Or a bottle opener for the after-party?
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:19 AM on June 6, 2011
What about awesome and hand-picked wine bottle stoppers? I'm sure you can find some interesting ones that are not too expensive. Not sure how they could be implemented by non-drinkers, though...
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:31 AM on June 6, 2011
posted by lakersfan1222 at 10:31 AM on June 6, 2011
The best travel-beauty favor I've ever gotten was this pop-up brush from sephora. Super-durable, compact and has a mirror too.
Plain.
Flowers.
Other Print.
I wouldn't do a big glass object like a mason jar if many of the attendees have to drive home.
posted by mercredi at 10:52 AM on June 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Plain.
Flowers.
Other Print.
I wouldn't do a big glass object like a mason jar if many of the attendees have to drive home.
posted by mercredi at 10:52 AM on June 6, 2011 [1 favorite]
Response by poster: Little more info,
her cousin is in her early 20s i think mostly students
Sorry i left that out those details.
posted by handbanana at 11:19 AM on June 6, 2011
her cousin is in her early 20s i think mostly students
Sorry i left that out those details.
posted by handbanana at 11:19 AM on June 6, 2011
Potentially cheap & cheerful gifts for a group of women you don't know:
Aprons: printed with cute/pretty/colorful images
Decent quality travel nailfiles for handbags
Flash drives
Keychains
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 11:35 AM on June 6, 2011
Aprons: printed with cute/pretty/colorful images
Decent quality travel nailfiles for handbags
Flash drives
Keychains
posted by Heart_on_Sleeve at 11:35 AM on June 6, 2011
What we did (which turned out pretty fantastic) was to buy picture frames in advance for the number of attendees and printed a clear sticker with the event and date on it, which we attached to the bottom of the frame's glass.
Then, at the beginning of the shower, we had everyone stand for a group photo. A friend brought the digital camera's SD card to a local pharmacy with digital printing, and had them print enough of that photo for every guest. We had a few volunteers (family members) quickly put the printed photos into the frames and then handed them out.
Voila, instant personalized favor. People loved them! The favors only cost about $1.50 per person (IKEA frames for a dollar or so each, plus the cost of the labels and printed photos.)
posted by rachaelfaith at 1:19 PM on June 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
Then, at the beginning of the shower, we had everyone stand for a group photo. A friend brought the digital camera's SD card to a local pharmacy with digital printing, and had them print enough of that photo for every guest. We had a few volunteers (family members) quickly put the printed photos into the frames and then handed them out.
Voila, instant personalized favor. People loved them! The favors only cost about $1.50 per person (IKEA frames for a dollar or so each, plus the cost of the labels and printed photos.)
posted by rachaelfaith at 1:19 PM on June 6, 2011 [2 favorites]
I got a really cute bottle opener, which was in the shape of the proverbial "church key" - except I think the end of the key, which you use to open the bottle, was heart-shaped? Adorable and useful, with the added benefit being that it's not something I'd typically buy for myself.
(I have a vague notion that they came from Michael's crafts?)
posted by Sara C. at 1:55 PM on June 6, 2011
(I have a vague notion that they came from Michael's crafts?)
posted by Sara C. at 1:55 PM on June 6, 2011
I made cookies with "THANK YOU" and the couple's names with these cookie cutters from Williams Sonoma for a shower I hosted. I think they're so cute. We made them a couple of weeks before and froze them so we wouldn't have to worry about making them the week of the shower. They were time-consuming but got a lot of compliments.
posted by NHlove at 2:14 PM on June 6, 2011
posted by NHlove at 2:14 PM on June 6, 2011
I prefer one or two really nice, thoughtful items rather than a gift bag filled with lots of little (and all too often tacky/junky) stuff. We nicely wrapped up a few homemade cookies for my friend's shower. Your girlfriend may also like to give potted plants (succulents are nice), in different containers for variety. She could also make some stickers with your names and the shower date and put them on each pot.
posted by lrrosa at 2:47 PM on June 6, 2011
posted by lrrosa at 2:47 PM on June 6, 2011
I love the idea of something personalized or with "Jenny's bridal shower, June 21st 2011" on it. Mugs from CafePress?
posted by radioamy at 6:19 PM on June 6, 2011
posted by radioamy at 6:19 PM on June 6, 2011
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by kthxbi at 9:41 AM on June 6, 2011