Post Punk Kitchen Forum

I've got a bridal shower for a friend coming up in April and I'd like to maker her something that is unique and inexpensive. That's as much as I've come up with, though. She already owns a house, as does her fiancee, so they don't really need house stuff.

One idea I came across is making a "bridal survival kit" from a mason jar, and packing it with stuff a bride might want to relax and calm her down as well as emergency stash things that are good to have on the wedding day. But I have no idea what that might be. Perhaps a lip balm, some calming tea...

I don't know, I've never really made/purchased a shower gift before so I don't know what the value should be, either, but I don't have a lot to spend.

We gave a bride in our group a Wedding Emergency Kit.

A nice looking smallish toiletry bag - that she can continue using afterwards - filled with stuff like bandaids, blister-bandaids, thread and needle for emergency sowing, painkillers, chewing gum, a comb, an extra pair of tights/stockings, a granola bar and so forth. You could even include a mini-bottle of her favorite liquor for shiitakes and giggles. :) And then have her maid of honor keep this thing on standby all day, because you're bound to need something from it. (We ended up stitching her dress straps to her dress again.)

What about including a facial mask, foot bath material, her favorite snack (or maybe even a jar with cookie mix to bake her own cookies with minimum fuss?), a nice movie (like Amelie, or something else that's sweet and uplifting). Or, for someone who's less into traditionally feminine stuff, it could be a pair of warm house socks or a fleece blanket instead of the facial mask.

Sometimes buying a premade emergency kit ends up being cheaper, and then you can just add in a few personalized items. I've learned the hard way from doing bathroom baskets and bride's kits that those little items add up quite quickly.

Another great idea is thank you cards. If you can get the invite list from the host, print up mailing labels on your home computer, and buy/make thank you cards for her to use.

A bridal survival kit is such a cute idea! If she drinks maybe you could include a little bottle of liqueur and it could be cheap if you made it. In fact, I'm giving some homemade liqueurs as bridesmaid gifts and they are super easy to do. And you could put some funny/practical things in there too, like breath mints, tissues, dental floss, bandaids.

I've only been to one bridal shower and I was also looking for something inexpensive. I knitted a throw using giant knitting needles and 3 strands of yarn at once so it ended up coming together really quickly. I think it was about $30 for yarn and took me a weekend on and off to put together. I don't know if you knit or sew, but I like the idea of giving stuff like that too.

If you're going to do an emergency wedding day kit and she's wearing a traditional white dress, you might throw in a piece of white chalk. The photographer at my bff's wedding said she tells all the brides who wear white to have one. She uses it to cover any light marks that might get on the dress.

Oooh fun!

Small comb, travel hair spray, oil blotting sheets, bandaids, painkillers, TAMPONS, bobby pins, love the mini bottle of booze idea, floss, nail file.