So I am a firm believer in registries. I think if people have taken the time to walk through a store for an hour with an electronic gun after hours of research to decide what fork fits best in their hand, I should honor that process and not buy them some crystal vase that I happen to think is pretty. Having been married and receiving more crystal vases than I care to remember, it is also not fun to be a new bride running all over town returning gifts from your “creative” (better known as those with bad taste) friends and relatives. Again, if you are a friend or relative of mine who gave me a crystal vase for a wedding present, I love it and use it to hold the flowers that my hubby lavishes upon me on a daily basis.
However there is something decidedly un-fun about wrapping up a set of steak knives to give to someone at their wedding shower. So I like to have fun with their wedding registry. Here are some ideas to get you started.
- Make a basket filled with measuring cups, spoons, a cookie sheet, brownie mix and a recipe for killer chocolate chip cookies.
- Give them some of their towels from their towel set along with some pricey bath products they would never buy themselves.
- Get them their margarita glasses with some drink mix and a gift certificate to a local Mexican restaurant.
- Or try a grilling tool set with a gourmet BBQ sauce and a homemade meat rub.
Your gift will be the hit of the shower and a will be a welcome relief for the bride who has spent the last hour faking a smile while saying, “Ooh, stemware!”
For more Works for Me Wednesday ideas, check out Rocks in My Dryer.
The Diaper Diaries 
Nice ideas. I appreciate creative gift giving…
Fun ideas! I have done the first one before. I think I’ll jot these down for later reference. Thanks for sharing!
Great ideas, Jill! I’ll keep them in mind next time I’m shopping for that special gift. 🙂
Such terrific ideas and a timely reminder…I have a friend who’s about to be married soon!
GREAT ideas! Now I need some baby showers ideas!! Thanks for sharing!
Great ideas! A wedding gift I gave recently: a crystal pitcher from her registry, a good bottle of wine, and my famous Sangria recipe!
We got ice cream & soda glasses with fudge, carmel and other fun toppings! I remember that being one of my favorites.
There’s also the picnic basket with fun things inside too.
I agree, this is really cute and creative!
I watched my friend open up a “Bash & Chop” (some cooking thing) once that I bought her for a shower gift off of her registry and thought, this is SOOOO boring. What’s the point of going to the store and wrapping it? I should just give her cash.
Then I saw this at another shower and have ripped it off ever since. If they are buying a house (or ever plan to do home improvement projects, which is just about everyone), get them gift cards to Home Depot/Lowes in whatever denomination you want; but don’t get one card. Break that amount up into like 5 cards (so if your gift is for $100; get 5 $20 cards).
Get an empty paint can from the store; it should be free. Empty meaning clean and never filled; not one picked out from the trash. Get 5 paint stirrers (the things that look like wooden rulers) and also some of that green floral foam.
Glue or tape the block of floral foam into the bottom of the paint can. Cut out flower shapes from construction paper and glue them onto the can, and also make five big ones that you can tape the gift cards to.
Then, tape the big flower/gift cards to the paint stirrers, and put them in the floral foam so it looks like a flower pot.
I hope that made sense…
I love how you always cover yourself with phrases like, “Again, if you are a friend or relative of mine who gave me a crystal vase for a wedding present, I love it and use it to hold the flowers that my hubby lavishes upon me on a daily basis.” Too funny!
Great ideas – funny thing is that I have a couple of windows open right now. I’m looking up a wedding registry right now, so this is a very timely tip for me!
So . . . what should I do with the $50 gift card to Menard’s that has been in my wallet for 5 years???? While this is true, I totally agree with the registry thing — the wedding gifts that I use the most are: my cooking knives and a set of clear Williams-Sonoma cooking bowls — an assortment of sizes. These “boring” gifts ROCK!!
I love you, Diaper Diaries!!!
I get the whole registry thing, but I also think it takes some of the creativity out of it. I like the idea from the comment about the flowers and the paint can – I also liked your ideas, especially the one about kitchen gadgets and ingredients to make something yummy. i like giving things that are useful and unusual and for bridal showers i like to include a subscription to Real Simple and/or Paula Deen’s cooking magazines.