Pass favors out at the end of the party.
Choosing bridal-shower favors that will appeal to all guests may seem tricky, but it shouldn't be a stressful decision. Favor gifts show your appreciation to each guest for coming to the shower, so it's more important that they be thoughtful than cost a lot of money. Consider who will be attending when choosing favors. If the guests are all in their 20s, racier gifts will be more appropriate than if the guest list is filled with the bride's grandmother's friends.
Edibles
Edible favors are popular because they're affordable and easy and guests generally love them. Anything homemade is a sweet gesture, as long as the person in charge can actually bake well. Package up bagfuls of cookies and attach a cookie cutter and the recipe, or make sampler packs with three types of Grandma's famous fudge. To make sure each guest gets a favor she really enjoys, have a bar with candy instead of drinks. Put out bowlfuls of wrapped candies along with disposable plastic containers. Before she leaves, each guest can fill her container with her favorite candies.
Get Pretty
Girly knickknacks appeal to a broad range of guests, from the teenage cousins to a great-aunt. Buy scented candles, jeweled picture frames, scented body wash or flower vases. Use pretty vases to double as shower decorations and favors for guests. Buy one small vase that matches the shower color scheme for each person. Another option is to buy glass vases and wrap colored ribbon around the rim of each one. Fill vases with soil and replant one or two blooms in each. Group the vases on the shower tables as centerpieces, then send one home with each person.
Environmentally Friendly
If the bride is a big lover of nature or if you just want to give feel-good gifts, give favors that are "green" and organic. Put small pots of herbs like basil, thyme or lavender out at the shower and let guests choose which one to take home. Packets of seeds, flower bulbs or gardening gloves made from recycled materials will also appeal to guests. For green gifts that don't require a green thumb, give homemade soap, beeswax candles or jars of organic honey or jellies.
Themed
If the shower or venue has a theme, favors that match the theme will always remind guests of the event. If the shower is modeled after a classy high tea, give each guest a delicate tea cup and saucer. For a cooking-themed shower, pass out new cutting boards packaged along with some of the bride's favorite recipes. If your shower is a lingerie-themed event, pass out bottles of body lotion or massage oils.
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