Jan's Library

Easy Ideas for Wedding Shower and Wedding Gift Bags

By: Jan K., The Proofer

Here are a few ideas for inexpensive and easy-to-make gifts bags that are appropriate for wedding showers and weddings. These few simple ideas can be used to make gifts to give to the bride-to-be, favors for the guests of the wedding shower, gifts to the bride and groom, or as mementos for the guests of the wedding.

For illustrations of the gifts bags, please go to:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/Wedding_Gift_Bags.doc

These illustrations contain several pictures, so it might take several (long) seconds for the page to open. Once the page does open, then allow a few extra second for all the pictures to appear.

To make these simple gift bags, you'll need items such as the following (although you aren't limited to what is listed here):

• Gift Bags (any size, any color)
• Novelty containers (heart-shaped plastic containers as shown in the illustrations)
• Shredded Paper (also called excelsior)
• Simple gift items for wedding shower favors and wedding table mementos (pictured are peppermints, chocolates, votive candle and holder)
• Tissue paper, curl ribbon, gift tags (see below for free printable gift tags)

Wedding Shower Favors

A thoughtful idea is for the bride-to-be to give small gifts to all her guests at her wedding shower. As illustrated, one inexpensive idea is to give away a votive candle in a small votive candle holder. (I shopped at a "Dollar Store" for these items and purchased the votive candles 4 for $1 and the votive holders 2 for $1. The gift bags, like the pink one pictured, were 3 for $1.)

Wrap the candle in the candle holder very loosely in a piece of tissue paper and put it in the gift bag so that the ends of the tissue paper stick out. Write a personal note on the Wedding Gift Tag (see below for the links to the gift tags), punch a hole in the corner of the card, and then use curl ribbon to tie the card onto the handle of the bag. Shopping for items at a Dollar Store, then entire gift, including the tissue paper, is less than $2.00.

Wedding Table Memento

It is customary to provide a small memento for the guests of the wedding, typically placed on the tables at the reception.

The illustrated sample shows novelty container, in this case a clear plastic heart (which I found at the Dollar Store, 3 for $1). Put in a few wrapped peppermints and wrapped chocolates (I bought the candy in bulk at the grocery store). Use curl ribbon to tie on a personalized Wedding Gift Tag (see below for the links to the gift tags). Place one at each table setting. By shopping at the Dollar Store and buying the candy in bulk, the estimated price of each table memento is about 75 cents.

Gift Bags for Wedding Gifts

No matter what the gift is inside the bag, you can make use a plain gift bag, tissue paper, shredded paper (also called excelsior), curl ribbon, and a Wedding Gift Tag. Color coordinate everything in whatever color you prefer.

Use the shredded paper to fill the bottom of the bag, or just to fill in the side so that the gift sits nicely in the bag. Wrap the gift item itself loosely in tissue paper, and nestle in the bag, in the shredded paper.

Use curl ribbon to tie on a Wedding Gift Tag.

Wedding Gift Tags

The gift tags provided are meant to be printed on sheets of business cards. If you are unfamiliar about working with business cards to make personalized gift tags, then please see my tutorial:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/businesscardgifttags.htm

For your convenience, I have provided Wedding Gift Tags that are already made, using a free printable provided by The Craft Cafe, which is hosted by Amanda. One set has a simple heart on each card, and one set has a heart and a place for you to type in someone's name:

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/WeddingTagsBlank.doc

http://readingroom.janktheproofer.com/WeddingTagsText.doc

For more tutorials about working with jpg (picture/graphic) files, with easy-to-follow illustrated instructions, go to:

http://freecontent.janktheproofer.com/#Tutorials:

For other free printables for wedding showers and weddings, please visit The Craft Cafe.

Jan K., The Proofer is a freelance copyeditor and proofreader. Visit http://www.jansportal.com for more information about Jan's free crafts, recipes, tutorials, other resource sites, and free content articles, as well as Jan’s business services. Be sure to visit Mom's Break (http://www.momsbreak.com/) for free printable crafts and projects. © Copyright 2005 to present. All rights reserved.