Tips on Buying the Right Bridal Shower Gift

Etiquette is an ever-changing concept that can be a little difficult to follow. When attending a bridal shower specifically, how on earth do you begin to figure out what exactly to gift the bride? This present is completely different than the actual wedding gift that you give to the happy couple on their big day, so what defines a really great and appropriate bridal shower gift? First, let’s take a look at the basic rules of bridal shower gifts.

Tips on Buying the Right Gift

Know what to Spend

First of all, it’s not expected that you break the bank when it comes to the bridal shower gift. The expense of the wedding gift should be more than the shower one, however the good news is that the acceptable price range is big enough for everyone to be able to afford. Stick with a gift between $25-$75.

Keep the Bride in Mind

A wedding gift is for the newlyweds as a couple, while a bridal shower gift is really geared towards the bride. Sometimes brides will have a registry set up just for the bridal shower, but most times, it will be the general wedding registry. While you can gauge this list as to what she would like, you can also wander outside of the registry to find something more suitable to just her.

Follow the Theme

The bridal shower invitation will clue you in on what type of gift is right to bring. For instance, if the bridal shower has a lingerie theme, then obviously you’ll use those details provided in the invitation to get a lingerie gift.

Keep it Classy

Naughty gifts are best saved for the bachelorette party, and a bridal shower is not one in the same. When picking out the right gift for the bride, keep in mind that her mother and elder relatives will also probably be at the shower.

Presentation is Everything

One of the most fun things about bridal shower gifts is all the gift wrapping options available. Wrap up your gift in something especially girly and bridal.

Now that you’ve gotten the basic rules down, it’s time to find the perfect bridal shower gift for the bride-to-be. Below are listed several really amazing gift ideas catered to different preferences to make your shopping an enjoyable experience.

Unique Gift Ideas

Your gift to the bride doesn’t have to be a typical, run of the mill item. In fact, brides really enjoy it when their loved ones put serious thought into a unique gift, as this makes it all the more special.

Stock the…

This is an incredibly unique idea that can be really functional for the bride as well. The idea here is to theme your gift to stock a certain part of the bride’s life, whether that be her bar, kitchen, garden, or powder room. By taking a bunch of little goodies and gathering them in a bridal basket, this becomes a gift that is really personal and pampering.

Handmade

Nothing is more one-of-a-kind than a gift that is homemade. This type of gift is as unique as it is meaningful Great homemade gift ideas can be anything from painted canvases to mugs or dishes to quilts or scarves.

Personalized

Every bride loves a monogrammed gift with her new married name, along with other monikers such as “Mrs.”, “Wifey”, and “Bride”. Shirts, aprons, totes, kitchen accents, or just about anything else you can think of can feature the bride’s new name or a similar bride personalization that’s just for her.

Useful Gift Ideas

One thing is for certain when it comes to bridal shower and wedding gifts—a lot of presents, while beautiful, are not so functional in day to day life. Though it’s great for the bride to receive lots of fun gifts, at the same time, it’s also equally important for her to receive gifts that she can actually frequently use in her new life as a wife.

Gift Cards

Yes, gift cards can have a bad rap for not being a personal enough gift, but don’t be so quick to count them out. Sometimes, gift cards to a bride’s favorite store or even a more generic gift card that can be used anywhere, is the best type of gift you can give. This gives the bride a chance to either go out and pamper herself, or she can use it after the big day to purchase gifts she wished to registered for but didn’t receive.

New Wife Navigation

There’s a lot of paperwork and changes that go into becoming a wife and it can be really overwhelming for the new bride to understand or know just what she has to do after saying “I do”. There are tons of sites and businesses out there now where you can purchase a package in which the bride can do all the necessary changes with ease. The bride simply puts in her information and all the legwork and paperwork is don’t for her. A gift like this takes a big chunk of stress off a bride’s shoulders.

The Big Appliance

Using the wedding registry for this idea can save you some time. There are always a select few big-ticket items that a bride really wants such as a coffee machine, a pasta maker, or a fancy mixer.

Affordable, On the Cheap Gift Ideas

Pampering your favorite bride-to-be doesn’t have to be an extravagant expense to be something special. In fact, sometimes a perfect gift turns out to be an affordable and even cheap one. Don’t cause yourself extra financial strain when shopping for the perfect bridal shower gift, as there are more than enough affordable options out there.

Optimize Your Creativity

Putting your imagination to work when choosing an affordable bridal shower gift is key. Goody baskets themed to the bride are wonderful and cheap ways to give the bride something that has a little bit of everything. Spa, manicure, or wine baskets are all great assortments of creative gifting. Other awesome creative ideas are canvas prints, a container of a first year’s worth of date night ideas, or a newlywed time capsule. DIY photo books, frames, and stemware are also all great options for a cheap, but a beautifully personal gift.

Sentiment over Expensive

The main thing to keep in mind when choosing a less expensive shower gift is to be sure it isn’t as cheap in meaning as it is in price. The bride will remember something more meaningful over a price tag, so make sure your gift is extra special to speak to the bride’s heart. Personalization cannot be stressed enough, as it is what makes everyday things extraordinary purposeful. Coasters with the bride’s new initials, a mini desk canvas with her favorite poem, or pillowcases monogrammed with “Mr. & Mrs” are all really inexpensive gifts that pack a rich meaning.

Appropriate Gift Ideas

Not all bridal shower gifts are created equal, especially when it comes to what is most appropriate for the specific bride. You have to take into account her personality, the theme of the bridal shower, and the general idea of what’s on the wedding registry specifically.

Use Common Sense

Remember that a bridal shower is an event in which all ages can attend, so stay away from erotically themed gifts. You also need to take the bride’s preferences into consideration, so for instance, even if a popular bridal shower gift is a set of wine glasses, this isn’t a great gift if the bride doesn’t enjoy wine. Use basic common sense to steer clear of any possible inappropriate gifting.

Don’t Group the Gifts

A wedding gift is a separate thing from a bridal shower gift, just as a bachelorette gift is separate from a bridal shower gift. It is highly inappropriate to group all events into one gift. Yes, it can get expensive with three separate gifts, but this is a special time in a bride’s life that doesn’t happen again.

Ensuring that your gift for the bride at her bridal shower puts a smile on her face doesn’t have to be a daunting affair. Regardless of your budget or schedule, you don’t have to sacrifice meaning or taste when it comes to the perfect gift. Remember—this gift is as much as a special experience for you in giving it as it is for the bride as she receives it into her life.