I’ve given many an engagement, bridal shower, and wedding gift in recent years, and here I’ve compiled a list of my favorite gifts to give for wedding events. I’m a huge fan of personalized, meaningful, creative gifts for friends and family – all while on a budget. When you have 17 weddings (…which means 17 engagements, at least 17 showers, 17 bachelorette parties, and 17 weddings) in two years, you gotta do what you gotta do! But I simply love to give gifts that I’ve tried to put a little extra thought into, and here are some tried and true gift ideas! I hope you’ll find these lists helpful…

Best Bridal Shower Gifts:

• Wedding Vows gold foil print (frame it!) from the Southern Weddings Shop
• Wedding dress hanger
• A custom photobook of the couple’s engagement pictures
• A gold or silver necklace with her new monogram
• Hand-painted, calligraphied Mr. and Mrs. coffee mugs
• Hand-painted monogram wooden tray
• Canvas print of a favorite engagement picture of the couple
• A massage/spa gift cartificate to alleviate any pre-wedding stress or jitters
• Monogrammed bathing suit for her honeymoon
• Perosnalized beach towels for the couple’s honeymoon
• A custom ring bearer bowl
• A beautiful customized clutch in her wedding colors for the wedding day
• Letterpress stationery with her new name
• If you know the couple’s favorite Bible verse(s), use that as inspiration for a creative gift – wall art, perhaps?!
• Pre-planned Date Nights for the couple for a night, a few months, or a year (a personal favorite gift idea of mine! Ask me for details, if you’d like)
• Offer to host a bridal shower as your gift, or offer any services (calligraphy wedding invitations, singing during the ceremony, etc) as your gift!
• Monogrammed anything!
• If you really feel compelled to buy something off the couple’s registry, pick a gift or a few that really speak to your relationship with her! Do you have a lot of wine nights together? Buy those wine glasses, a cheese board, and include a bottle of your favorite wine to jazz it up!

Best Engagement Gifts:

• A beautiful, hand-written card wishing your congratulations, excitement, and joy for the couple on their engagement – and don’t forget to offer your help throughout the wedding planning process!
• A bouquet of flowers, tied with a ribbon
• Champagne (bonus points: on the bottle, write the couple’s name, proposal location, and engagement date!)
• Your favorite wedding magazines (my go-to is always Southern Weddings)
• a wedding planner to keep her organized – my favorite from Emily Ley

What are the wedding shower/engagement gifts that you like to give the most? Former brides, what gifts were the most unique, meaningful, touching, or special for you? I’d love to hear your thoughts and ideas!