As your bridal shower guests honor this joyous time in your life, you’ll want to thank them for all of their time and effort. Bridal shower favors are a lovely way to show your appreciation. You can keep it simple or get creative. There’s no right or wrong here. If you need some ideas to inspire you, read ahead for a list of extra special bridal shower gift ideas for guests.
1. Custom drinkware
Toast to the future with unique glasses or mugs. Your guests will love this practical and fun gift. Add a personal stamp to wine tumblers or beer steins with a custom monogram of your guests’ names or initials. Or simply add a special “thank you for celebrating with us” message to copper mule mugs. Your guests will look back on your shower fondly each time they fill their cups.
2. Home spa
Encourage your guests to enjoy some self-care (especially the night after your wedding!) with home spa items. You can get elaborate with a gift basket or bag filled with relaxing items such as face masks and bath bombs. Or you can focus on one luxurious item such as a sugar scrub or set of essential oils. If you want to get crafty, add your own personal touch to any of these items and create custom labels for the occasion. For an extra personal touch, you can design labels that match your invitations.
3. A little something sweet
Send your guests home with delicious treats. Fill small elegant gift boxes with candies or ask your favorite bakery to decorate cookies with a design of your choice. Your guests will love indulging after your bridal shower (or during if you choose desserts that are tempting enough).
4. Handmade soap gift sets
Like with most bridal shower gift ideas, this is a pragmatic and simple concept that you can make as creative as you want. Find soap in popular scents and wrap in custom-made packaging. There’s plenty of opportunity to play on words here for this shower gift. You can go with colorful bar soaps or choose a decorative design that your guests can put on display. You can also work within your venue’s theme: Floral aromas are a great choice if you’re getting married against an ethereal garden backdrop.
5. Note cards or stationery
Some messages are best said as a handwritten note. Thank your guests with their own set of elegant thank you cards they can put to good use. Choose an eye-catching design or pattern and if you wish, customize with your guests’ names.
6. Gourmet snack bags
If your guests prefer savory over sweet flavors, you can still send them off with a little something to nosh on later. Gather well-loved foods such as cheeses or spicy popcorn and arrange a palate-pleasing gift bag. Get all your food favors from one shop or put together a spread from several of your favorite local places.
7. Mini alcohol bottles or cocktail-making kits
It’s no surprise that boozy gifts tend to be a hit. Guests will be thrilled with adorable and fun mini champagne or wine. Or you can give them a fun activity for later with cocktail ingredient kits. If you’re hosting your shower during a colder month, embrace the season and give away spiced cider or mulled wine kits. If you’d prefer a non-alcoholic gift, you can still use this theme and offer mini sparkling cider bottles or hot chocolate kits.
8. Kitchen utensils and gadgets
Guests will always love a gift that’s both fun and functional. Kitchen gear often checks both of those boxes and the possibilities are almost endless. Staying on the boozy theme, bottle openers or corkscrews are a great idea. Or you can personalize cooking tools such as serving spoons.
9. Flower arrangements
Give your guests something to brighten their day and their home. Small floral arrangements are a delightful way to say “thank you for coming.” Choose charming fragrant flowers or find beautiful blossoms in your wedding colors.
10. Small potted plants
Potted plants are a great way to show guests that your appreciation for them is ever-growing. Go with something low maintenance like a succulent for a terrarium or a low-light leafy plant for a gift that lasts. This is especially great for giving your guest a hint at what’s to come if your wedding venue is surrounded by nature.
11. Hand-stamped tea towels
Decorative tea towels are an easy way to add a bit of practical refinement to any kitchen. Give away towels with hand-embroidered floral designs or select an ornate pattern, or you can keep it light and fun with a unique message.
12. Personalized recipe books
If your heart is set on a homemade gift, personalized recipe books make a fun DIY project. Pass on a variety of your favorite dishes for your friends and family to recreate at their leisure. You can even show off your artistic skills with illustrations if you want to go above and beyond. You can assemble the recipe books yourself or outsource binding to your printing vendor. Either way, this is a gift that’s sure to stand out.
13. Cooking essentials
On the culinary theme, gourmet cooking staples are another great way to wow your guests. You can go with topline olive oil or balsamic vinegar or gift your favorite herbs and spices. And as with most bridal shower favor ideas, you can add your own personal touch and customize however you see fit.
14. Handcrafted jewelry
Send your guests home from your party with something they can wear to their next event. Unique, handcrafted jewelry makes a great favor idea. You can even incorporate your wedding theme if it fits. If you’re hosting a fall wedding, give your guests exquisite bracelets adorned with leaf or apple charms. If you can’t find exactly the design you’re dreaming of, you may be able to find a handcrafted jewelry business that will work with you to make your vision a reality.
15. Coffee or tea
Give the gift of comfort and dazzle their senses with a warm beverage. Gourmet coffee and tea gift bags are a great way to end an afternoon brunch shower or during the colder months. But since these beverages are enjoyed daily by most people, they’ll probably be appreciated at any time.
16. Beauty kits
Assemble gift bags with make-up samples and beauty products. You can add your favorite lip balm or eye shadows and take advantage of the opportunity for “tie the knot” puns with a pack of hair ties. Your guests can get plenty of use out of these items. And they’re also great to have on hand for touch-ups between the ceremony and reception on your big day.
17. Magnets
Small and easy to make, send guests home with magnets they can pop on the fridge or use on a magnetic whiteboard. This practical gift will be right at hand when your guest needs it — and they’ll think of you each time they use it.
18. Custom slippers
Who doesn’t love a comfy pair of house slippers? Give your guests something they can relax in and add your own personalized embellishment to commemorate your celebration. You can even ask guests to RSVP with their shoe size, so you know exactly how many of each pair to get.
19. Tote bags
It never hurts to have an extra tote bag on hand. Monogram with your shower date, add a witty message, or simply stamp with your guests’ names.
20. A gift that reflects your interests
It’s important to find a gift your guests will enjoy, but you should also add your own unique flare to your gifts. If someone is a bookworm, why not give your guests personalized or unique bookends? If the couple bonded over a love of sports, give a gift branded with your favorite team.
Shower your guests with appreciation
There are endless possibilities for fun and memorable bridal shower gift ideas. Think practical when deciding your gift: What would you want to take home if you attended a bridal shower? And if you like more than one gift idea in this list, you can always save one for your wedding favors.
