Things You'll Need:
- Gift bags (1 per celebrant)
- Tissue paper
- Ribbon
- Thank-you cards
- Jewelry
- Gem stones
- Joke gifts
- Something old
- Something new
- Something borrowed
- Something blue
-
Step 1
Start with the bag itself. Since the gift bags often are given amid the beautiful setting of the wedding or rehearsal dinner, you want to pick a bag that matches the overall decor and design of the wedding. It can be made more specific with the wedding date and names of the bride and groom. For an extra special touch, have each recipient's name printed on the gift bag or have someone write it in very pretty cursive. The last thing you want is confusion when handing out the gift bags.
-
Step 2
Get coordinated. Choose a similarly matching batch of tissue paper, decorative ribbon and thank-you card set. If you are using a "theme," for example, you may choose a "hippie love" bag. You'd want to get tie-dye style tissue paper and decorative ribbon and use a thank-you card with a peace sign. The options for themes are endless.
-
Step 3
Choose a gift card that is specific to each recipient. Gift cards are only thoughtful gifts if they are given with care and attention to who the person is and what he likes. A generic restaurant gift card is about as exciting as getting a fruit basket, but a gift card to someone's favorite theater--or to spend at Madonna's online gift store for a diehard fan--can create some huge smiles upon opening the gift bag.
-
Step 4
Add a small piece of jewelry for bridesmaids and perhaps cuff links for male members of the bridal party. Monogram them with initials when possible for that added special touch. A gemstone in the individual's birthstone is a nice touch if funds allow.
-
Step 5
Include a joke gift. This can be small, but it can bring smiles to the faces of those on the receiving end. This can be given from the honeymoon spirit of the wedded couple. Inside joke gifts are even more fun, yet may take a more elaborate thought process. If the bags are open in public, this can also create confusion for the others, but it will likely provide the recipient with an interesting story to tell to explain the gift.
-
Step 6
Consider coordinating tradition with the gift bags. While it's tradition for the bride to have something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue, this can create a fun way to plan the gift bags. The bride can give the party all something a bit old (think dated wine if the bag is large), something new (the jewelry gift), something borrowed (will require planning, but the bride can ask to borrow something along the way from all recipients and puzzle them by placing it in the bag), and something blue (think something fun!).
-
Step 7
Fill out a thank-you card for each recipient. This should go within the bag. It should state things that you are specifically thankful for from that person during the wedding. Try to think of all they did for you. Name as much as space allows. You then want to expand to how much you are thankful for them in general, and go on to write your personal feelings for each person. This will create a card that is likely to be the favorite part of the present.
