Shower Favors

This list was taken from a post by Lucy Diaz (diaz@iastate.edu) on the alt.wedding newsgroup and is reprinted with her permission. A lot of effort must have gone into compiling these posts (thanks Lucy!). Enjoy!

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Another shower favor that we did for my cousin was miniature wreaths.  We
bought small wreaths, wrapped ribbons that matched her wedding colors around
the wreaths, added some babies breath and two small hearts with her and her
fiance's names on them.  We made them into refrigerator magnets.

I just remembered another one that I really liked.  The bridesmaids bought
the 3x5 clear, acrylic magnet frames and wrote the bride's name on them
using shirt paints.  They added ribbons around it too.

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My friend threw me a bridal shower and she made some really neat favors.  
She bought these little baskets about 2 inches long and 1 inch wide.  
Then she sprayed them white and used a hot glue gun to glue some pink and 
white lace around the edge of the basket.  For the shower she got the 
hotel to make chocolate dipped strawberries and put these in the basket.  
For the centerpiece she used a medium sized white basket.  She glued pink 
and white lace around the edge of this basket too.  The basket was filled 
with nice things for the bride (eg. scented soaps, face cloth, etc).  It 
was very nice.

Another shower I went to had cookies for favors.  The bride loved 
chocolate so she baked chocolate chip cookies (3-4 inches diam) and 
sealed them in seal-a-meal bags.  Then she baked a huge cookie (over 12 
inches across) with Congratulations written in chocolate chips.  Yummy.  

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At a friends wedding, they got netting and ribbon and Andes' mints, and 
tied up a pair of mints together in a square of netting.  It all went 
together very fast.  Netting and ribbons were in the wedding colors, 
of course, and available at fabric shops.  

Or, just wander thru a few of the crafts supply stores in your area.  
One near me has tons of bridal type stuff, from the tiny plastic 
champagne glasses to bulk jordan almonds.  Wander thru and decide 
what you like.  I bet they have idea books there too.  (Wish I'd 
found this place before my wedding....)

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For my bridal shower, the hostess made potpourri bags.  She bought
blue fabric and white ribbon 1/4" wide (blue & white were my wedding
colors), cut the fabric into squares using pinking shears for a "ruffled"
edge, placed a small amount of potpourri in the middle of each square
and tied up the "bag" with the white ribbon.  She also wrote "Gail's
Bridal Shower" and the date on each ribbon (probably before tying).
They were easy and inexpensive to make, but they looked very pretty.
She had them sitting in large basket as a table centerpiece (also 
adorned with blue & white ribbon).
   
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My sister made the favors for my bridal shower.  She started with small
candles (6" tapers).  Each candle had a piece of lace wrapped around it
and tied into a bow.  A small piece of baby's breath was tied into the
bow.  These were done in my wedding colors (pink candles with white
lace).  They looked very nice and were quick to make.

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If you have access to a fabric and craft store, a quick, inexpensive
bridal shower favor idea is 8" squares of white bridal veil netting
filled with either mints or potpourri (a little more expensive than the
mints).  Place the mints in the center of the netting and gather up
with a thin, white satin ribbon (or you could use white wrapping/curling
ribbon).  Craft stores sell gold plastic wedding rings which are very
inexpensive.  Before tying the final knot, slip on two of these wedding
rings on each favor.  Curl the ribbon, fluff the netting above the knot
and you have very nice looking favors that don't cost too much to make.
If you use the potpourri, look for netting that is tight or use two
squares so it doesn't shake out.  If you use mints, smaller (and white)
are better.

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One more thought about shower favors.  I have been to several
bridal and baby showers and have a cupboard full of stupid little
do-dad dust collectors I dont know what to do with but just cant
throw away.  Based on that...I would make a favor that could be
used.  For my sisters wedding we wrapped small bars of fragrant
soap in cloth that matched the bridesmaids dresses.  We then
tied ribbon around it-like you would a gift and put a small ribbon
rose on top.  When I got tired of looking at it-I unwrapped it and
used it.

I guess my point is : if you're going to spend hard-earned money on
this stuff it might as well be useful.  

At one wedding I went to, small silver jelly/condiment spoons were
tied w/ribbon and silk flowers.

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A friend had a 'kitchen' shower.  The favors were small metal whisks, with a
small silk flower hot-glued to the handle (the flowers that come 10 to a
small pack, only cost a few cents).

For a Cousin's shower, someone made little wreath magnets - the 'wreath' was 
premade, I think.  Small dried flowers where hot-glued onto it.  its about
1-1/2 to 2 inches in diameter.

Another friend's favors were potpourri gathered in nylon mesh, tied with a
pretty bow.  This was a couple years ago, and it still smells nice!

For my shower, we ended up buying very small 'gift' bags (about 1 inch or 
so high).  We got the very thin ribbon, and the small silk flowers (come in 
bunches of 10 or so), and glued a flower and ribbon bow to the outside of 
the small bag.  Inside, were a handful of mints in nylon mesh, closed
with the same ribbon.  We had also considered getting the mini plastic 
gift baskets (wrap the handle with the ribbon), or mini champagne glasses.

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We didn't have much time or much gumption to drag out the glue
gun, so I went to a place called the Christmas Tree Shops and bought a
couple of cases of glass crystal votive candle holders and boxes of candles
in her colors (pink and blue). Votive candles, by the way, are tiny and
squat. The holders are no more than 2 inches tall I would say.

There was *no* exertion necessary and they were an amazing hit. The whole
thing cost about $1.00 a favor. I don't know if you have Christmas Tree
Shops, but I'm sure there are different similar type discount stores near
you.

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When my sister had a bridal shower for me last spring, she gave the guests
pots with tulip bulbs.  They were simple clay pots, and she wrapped them in
netting and tied them with pretty ribbons.  She also attached watering and
other care instructions.  Everyone I spoke with said they thought this was
a wonderful idea.

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I gave a shower last March for a very close friend of mine.. the shower favors
(which I have received some sort of at every bridal shower I have been to)
were small crocheted (spelling?) hats that doubled as pincushions for sewing.
The bride was planning a victorian style wedding so the lacy-edged hats with
ribbon and flowers fit right in.

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I went to a bridal shower once where everyone was sent a 4 inch square
(either blue or off-white) with the invitation and asked to do something
creative with it...all squares would be pieced together to make a small quilt
for the bride and groom. People either cross-stitched, used fabric paint,
made their own 4 in. quilt patch, or whatever. Even people that didn't sew
participated... One person sent back the square without doing anything,
another just sewed on a pretty lace design that she purchased at a fabric
store.  The resulting quilt came out pretty nice.

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You can always make silk roses in the same color theme as that of the
wedding. These roses can be filled with candies, potpuri etc
The cost to make one is approx 50-70 cents appiece, and in one evening
you can make about 50 if you never made one before.
For complete instructions on how to make them please send $5.00 to
Classic Keepsakes P.O. Box 97143 Pittsburgh Pa, 15229.
Please send check or money order only!!!

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My favorite favors of all the weddings I've been to were cast paper
hearts in the wedding colors...they were about 2 inches across, maybe a
little more, pale pink, with a pink bow glued on. I liked them for the
simplicity, and also because I could then glue my heart on a card and
send it off to my mom and tell her about the wedding! The cast paper
things also make great xmas decorations.

I believe they were made by making the paper "sludge" and then pouring
in into a heart-shaped tin cookie mold that's sitting on a paper-making
screen.  You could also do pressed paper in the clay cookie molds.
There are a couple of books out on the market with good instructions on
this. I get my molds and paper linter sheets and instruction books at
Michael's crafts, and I've seen several articles in past issues of the
craft magazines on the subject. Good luck!

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My mother's friend came up with a cute poem to include in the shower invitation
along with a recipe card.  Then of course, the bride will have a nice new
recipe box filled with favorite recipes from her family and friends.

Here's the poem:

        Enclosed for you is a recipe card.
        To fill it in shouldn't be hard.

        (Bride's name) might like to try your favorite cake,
        or whatever it is you like to make.

        So don't forget this card on this special date
        Fill it in now, don't hesitate.

        At the shower, there will be a recipe box to fill.
        So bring this card along, if you will.

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One of my bridesmaids made my favors.  She bought small grapevine wreaths
and decorated them with dried flowers and some spanish moss at the bottom
with a ribbon in the middle.  It was all done in my colors and everyone
really loved getting something different.  She also put a ribbon at the
top, so you could use it as a christmas tree decoraton or on a doorknob, or
just a simple decorative keepsake.  She used ribbon in two colors so that
everyone could have a choice.  I believe the wreath means welcome or
something along that line.  It is in a circle, so it could also mean
neverending love.

Another idea is having wooden spoons with a small bag of potpurri tied on
them in your wedding colors.