Bridal Shower Gifts

Bridal shower gifts are not in the same league as wedding presents. Instead, they tend to be modestly priced, and may include practical items (to help the bride-to-be set up her new household), gifts she would not normally buy for herself which are perfect for pampering, or presents which reflect the interests of the bridal couple.

As the hostess, you have a responsibility to guide the guests when choosing gifts for the bridal shower. By including the bride-to-be’s wedding registry in the invitation, guests have the option of selecting something moderately priced from that list, sure in the knowledge that it is something she would like to have.

Themed Gifts

Alternatively, if you were planning a theme party, then you would indicate this on the invitation and narrow it further by assigning a particular category to each guest. Theme parties simplify the choices and take the guesswork out of giving. When selecting bridal shower gifts for the theme , you can tie it in with the decorations, venue, food and type of activities you have planned or choose to recognize the couple’s interests and hobbies.

Afternoon Tea Ideas

Appropriate gifts for afternoon tea in the garden include teacups, teapot, tea cozy, teaspoons, sugar bowls and creamers, cake plates, tea samplers, tea caddy, trays, tablecloths, vases and napkins.

Garden Ideas

Of course, tea in the garden also suggests a garden theme. For a bride-to-be who loves gardening, guests can select from garden gloves, small hand tools, packets of seed, bulb collections, potted plants, gardening books and magazines, as well as larger tools such as rakes and shovels. Present the gifts in a shiny new wheelbarrow bedecked with bows.

Barbeque Menu

If you’ve planned a barbeque for the menu, and you know the couple love to cook outdoors, then a barbeque theme for the gifts is just perfect. Barbeque mitts, aprons, especially masculine ones to encourage the groom, cookbooks, utensils, cleaning brushes, special barbeque sauces and seasonings, rolls of non-stick aluminum foil, metal and wooden skewers are all great ideas for your guests to give. A portable propane barbecue, perfect for impromptu cookouts at the beach or campground, will put a smile on the couple’s faces too.

Spa Party

If you’ve scheduled an afternoon at the spa for the bridal shower, then make the party a spa theme. Gifts that pamper are sure to please the bride-to-be. Matching his and her bathrobes, gift vouchers for facials, baskets of luxury soaps and lotions, reading material such as magazines and books you’ll know the bride-to-be will like are sure to be appreciated.

Picnic

Choose a picnic gift theme to go along with your plans to have a picnic in the park for the bridal shower. A wicker picnic basket, which the guests have filled with place settings, cutlery, napkins, and a matching tablecloth, makes a wonderful gift. Don’t forget a bottle of wine, insulated cooler, plastic containers for goodies, glasses, a bottle opener, a bottle of wine and a generous-sized picnic blanket too, as well as an unbreakable steel thermos for hot drinks when the days turn cooler.

Beach Party Ideas

If you’ve planned the beach for your venue, and the bridal couple are off to somewhere hot and sunny for the honeymoon, they’re sure to appreciate a knapsack with a selection of sunblock, sun hats, beach sandals, lip balms, moisturizers, spritzers, beach towels, sunglasses, magazines and other light reading to help wile away their days on the sand.

For Rooms

Another option for theme bridal shower gifts involves assigning a room to each guest and having them select something for that room. For example, a guest who has been assigned the living room might choose a cozy throw for the sofa or a couple of plump cushions for sitting in front of the fire. A set of thick towels for the bathroom, a lovely print for the dining room, decorative pots for the patio, a spice set for the kitchen, relaxing CDs for the bedroom are just some of many ideas.

Round the Clock Theme

A “round the clock” theme is a great way to go. Each guest is given a particular time of the day, such as breakfast, morning coffee, bath time, lunch, and so on. The guest chooses a gift that is appropriate for that time. Matching egg coddlers for breakfast, a coffee grinder and beans for morning coffee, placemats for lunch: the choices are endless and it’s as much fun for the guests as for the recipients.

Kitchen Themes

Kitchen themes are very popular, especially for couples who are just setting up their household together. Assign each of the guests a letter of the alphabet and let them choose a kitchen item that matches. C is for cookbook, M for muffin tins, R for rolling pin, P for pastry board--you get the drift. The gifts can be presented in an attractive wicker laundry basket for ease of transportation.

Entertainment

For the couple who love music, the theatre and film, music CDs, along with gift certificates to concerts, plays and the cinema make wonderful presents that are sure to be appreciated. CDs of their favorite movies and packets of gourmet microwave popcorn for those cozy stay-at-home nights are also great choices.

Outdoors

If the bridal couple love the outdoors, create a camping theme where guests can choose from gifts such as a bird identification book, binoculars, bird calls, flashlights, warm socks for hiking boots, waterproof matches, whistles, a compass (in case they get lost), rain gear, disposable waterproof cameras, pots and pans for outdoor cooking, portable hiking stove and a camp lantern.

Holiday

If the party is scheduled near a holiday and you have incorporated that into your decorations and other aspects, and then extend it to the gifts. Christmas is a perfect time for giving ornaments to the wedding couple. Each one will be a treasured keepsake, a memento of their first Christmas together and of the friends and family members who have given them their love and support.

Valentine’s Day is perfect for gift certificates to a lingerie shop for the bride-to-be. As personal preference enters so strongly into the choice of lingerie, it is probably more appropriate to give the bride-to-be the opportunity to make her selections herself, unless you are absolutely sure you know exactly what she would like.

Otherwise, don’t risk a disappointment or embarrassment. She may prefer a pair of red tartan pajamas to a flimsy pink negligee. Heart shaped boxes filled with luscious truffles, delicately perfumed dusting powder, potpourris-filled neck rolls, pink satin padded hangers and lace-trimmed pillows make attractive gifts to the bride-to-be for a Valentine’s Day theme.

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