Bridal Shower Favors Explained

Bridal shower favors really make a party. Doesn’t everyone love to receive a gift, no matter how small, especially if it is beautifully packaged and attractively presented?

While it’s not mandatory that you give the guests a small gift, it certainly adds to the fun and excitement. Of course, the most important gifts are the ones the bride-to-be will receive and there are many options here to guide the guests in the selection process.

Bridal shower favors should be small, portable gifts that can be easily taken home by the guests at the end of the day’s festivities. Ideally, they will reflect the theme of the shower or the personality of the bride herself in some way. Bridal shower favors are actually quite easy to pull together on a shoestring budget with a bit of creativity.

Keeping in mind the unique shower theme or décor, you can pull together lovely favors by visiting your local craft store. You can get potpourri and gather it in fine netting, then tie it up with ribbons and a tiny sprig of silk flowers in colors to match the décor to make bridal shower favors. Scented soaps are also nice. Wrap them in squares of pretty cotton floral and tie with a ribbon. If you go to a fabric store you can find great remnants in a variety of colors.

Check out the cost of miniature, jeweled frames that can be used as place card holders. Mark each person’s place by writing their name in script and tucking it into the frame, then let them take the frame home at the end of the day.

Spoiling your guests is always a nice idea, too. Scented candles, bath crystals or samplers of nail colors and manicure supplies are unusual ideas that will be sure to be appreciated. Choose colors that can be worn the day of the wedding and they’ll love using them on the big day!

Special Party Favors

Keepsake gifts, placed at each table setting if planning a sit-down meal, or displayed in a wicker basket near the door, to be given to the guests as they leave, add that special touch to a bridal shower favor.

There are so many wonderful little favors from which to choose. Place card holders or place card frames, displaying the guest’s name on fancy card stock and positioned where they are to sit at the table, make lovely keepsakes.

Scented votives in frosted glass containers are sure to please. Luxury chocolates in small sampler boxes, wrapped in pastel tissue paper and topped by a fluffy bow, are great crowd pleasers.

Organza bags are affordable containers for a variety of items and are available in craft shops where they can be purchased in different sizes and colors. Try wrapping favors in tulle, available in lengths at fabric stores, and tying them with a pretty satin ribbon.

If you are doing a theme party, then match the favors to the theme. Packets of wildflower seeds, packaged in little organza bags and tied with silky ribbon, make a unique gift for each guest if you have planned a garden theme for the green-thumb couple.

For a spa theme, let your guests pamper themselves: fill the bags with luxury soap, bath salts, bath foam, soothing body lotions, hand creams or pumice stones. Tiny bottles of liquor, such as are served on airplanes, make perfect favors for a “stock the bar theme.” If you are planning ice cream sundaes for dessert, a fancy ice-cream scoop for each guest is a fun gift and practical too.

Another party favor idea is to make your own crackers. The snaps are readily available in craft stores and all you need is thin cardboard, tissue paper, and ribbon for the ends and perhaps a fancy gold seal for decoration. Then tuck the favor in the cracker, along with a paper hat, also available at the craft store, and a riddle.

In this case, it can be questions about the couple’s likes and dislikes. For example, “What type of dog does Patrice like best?” or “What sport does Max hate?” The guests each help each other pull the ends of the cracker and the resulting loud bang adds to the fun. Then they can compete to see just how well they know the couple.

A prize is awarded to the guest who gets the highest number of correct answers. The crackers do double duty: not only are they a party favor but also a party game!

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