Everyone has seen wedding favors given at the end of a wedding reception. Those little gifts for guests can be delightful, useful, beautiful, or all three!
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While wedding favors are gifts from the couple to their guests as a small thank-you for attending and celebrating this momentous day in their lives…
What about the guests who are extra special – bridesmaids, groomsmen, your parents, or any children in attendance? What should you give them? Should you give them anything at all?
Well if you want to, you should! One way to show appreciation for those guests who play a special role in your big day is to give them gift baskets!Â
Below, we’ll provide a comprehensive guide on wedding gift baskets – who to get them for, when to give them, where to get them, and tips for filling them.
Read on for our tips on creating the perfect wedding gift basket for just about anyone!
Who Do I Give a Wedding Gift Basket To?
Bridesmaids
We’re sure you’ve seen the bridesmaid proposal boxes that have become popular in the past few years. They’re the gift boxes typically filled with little gifts that are presented to friends and family to ask them to be a part of your wedding.
However, you can also give wedding gift baskets on or around your wedding day as a thank-you to your bridesmaids!
Groomsmen
Like bridesmaids, groomsmen also deserve a thank-you for their role in your wedding.
Groomsmen are usually family or friends who have supported and loved the groom for a long time, so they should be shown appreciation, too!
A few of the ideas we’ll present below will be excellent for those men you and your fiancé love.Â
Your Parents
Parents of the bride and/or groom often get forgotten in weddings. However, these family members are essential on a wedding day, whether they’re paying for it or not. After all, without them, you and your fiancé wouldn’t be here!
A gift basket is an excellent way to begin to thank them for all they’ve done for you.
Your Fiancé
Perhaps your fiancé’s love language is gifts, or they’re chronically underprepared.
Putting together a wedding gift basket can help both you and them in their wedding day prep. Show your fiancé not only that you care, but also that you’re thinking of them by having a member of the wedding party present them with a gift basket you’ve curated just for them at the wedding venue before your ceremony.Â
Children
Weddings can be difficult events for children, whether they’re part of the wedding party or not. These life events tend to take all day, and there are a lot of emotions expressed before, during, and after them.
Kids are usually in a place they don’t know and are often surrounded by people they don’t know. That’s a lot for a small human to go through!Â
Providing gift baskets for any children attending your wedding is an ideal way to keep them happy and occupied.
Fill baskets with kid-friendly snacks and activities galore, like coloring pages, books, or little toys.
Where Do I Get Wedding Gift Baskets and Contents?
Etsy
Etsy is our personal favorite place to buy gifts to fill a wedding gift basket. Plus, purchasing from sellers on Etsy is an easy way to support small or micro-businesses.
In addition to this, Etsy sellers often accommodate customization in a way larger sellers cannot or will not.
They also typically set prices that are affordable and/or fair, with the added benefit of tracking shipments through the site and/or the Etsy app.
Thrift Stores
Another place to find unique gifts to fill a gift basket is a thrift store.
This option is better for someone with more time on their hands, as shopping at thrift stores often means a lot of sifting through items.
However, the payoff can be great. Thrift stores are full of vintage and one-of-a-kind items. They’re a great place to find unique basket fillers. And, thrift stores’ prices are typically incredibly affordable!Â
What Do I Put In a Wedding Gift Basket?
We suggest sticking to a theme, it not only makes filling the basket easier, but it keeps things cohesive and allows you to focus on what a specific person would really appreciate.
Wedding Basket Theme Ideas
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For the One Who Needs Self-care
Perhaps one of the people you’re making a gift basket for is in need of some self-care time. They might be a harried parent, a business owner, or a volunteer. No matter what, we all need to care for ourselves!
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Some gift ideas include:
Soap
Lotion
Water Bottle
The human body is made up of roughly 80% water. Encourage your loved one to drink more of it by giving them a beautiful and goal-setting water bottle they’ll only have to refill once per day!
Tea
Journal
Candle
Sleep Mask
For the Outdoor Lover
Some people are really into outdoor activities, like camping, biking, or hiking. Luckily, there we have a couple of fun wedding gift basket ideas meant for someone who loves to be outside!
These include:
Foldable Waterproof Blanket
Fire Starting Kit
Flashlight
Biodegradable Picnic Set
Compass
For the Unofficial Bartender
If you’ve got a friend who swears by their bartending abilities and always takes it upon themselves to mix drinks at parties, we’ve got a few ideas for their gift basket contents as well.
Besides the obvious, like the requisite bottle of wine, or mixers and liquor, you can also find a local brewery or winery and purchase a tour and/or tasting for them.
A few other gift basket ideas for the unofficial bartender in your life include:
Shot Glass(es)
Cocktail Shaker
Cocktail Recipe Book
Bottle Opener and Corkscrew
For the Sweet Tooth
A lot of people have a voracious sweet tooth. If you have a chocolate lover on your wedding gift basket list, then we have a few ideas on how to fill it, besides baked goods.
Chocolate Bombs
Candy
Baking Mix
Recipe Book
For the Traveler
Weddings are a time of traveling for many people, however, some people make travel a habit in their lives because they simply love the experience!
If you’ve got a loved one who has a major case of wanderlust, here are a few ideas of things to use to fill their gift basket:
Travel Journal
Passport Holder
Charger Bank
Travel Jewelry Case
Luggage Tag
Travel Pillow
For the Animal Lover
Do you know someone who considers themselves a “pet parent,” works with animals, or simply loves all animals? We have a few adorable ideas for their wedding gift basket, too!
Stuffed Animal
Animal Book
Animal Pen
Custom Pet Portrait
Pet Treats
For the Bookworm
Is your little brother or best friend always seen with their nose in a book? They might be a bookworm!
Of course, a bookworm will never turn down a good book – but we have a few other wedding gifts basket ideas for this type of person, too.
Blind Date with a Book
Bookmark
Journal
Pens
Book light
For the Movie Lover
Everyone knows a movie-lover. They seem to know endless quotes from famous movies and are a treasure trove of trivia answers.
Besides movie passes, there are other giftable items to fill their basket with.
Show your appreciation and customize this person’s wedding gift basket by leaning into their favorite pastime – movie-watching!
Popcorn Popper
Candy
Scratch-off Poster
Blanket
For the Plant Parent
Perhaps your best friend has a green thumb, or your dad is getting into growing his own herbs for cooking.
Luckily, there are so many things you can get a gardener, whether they primarily grow houseplants, herbs, or flowers…
Plant Clippings
Seeds
Gloves
Kneeler
Hat
Planter
For the Musician
The love of music is one of those near-universal loves that almost every human shares.
Whether they’re a musician, composer, or simply a music-lover, there are a plethora of ideas for things you can use to fill their wedding gift basket.
Some obvious things are streaming credit for their favorite streaming service, concert tickets, and sheet music, but we’ve got a few more in mind, too:
Harmonica
Guitar Pick
Earpods Case
Trivia Game
For the Athlete
Maybe your mom loves to run, or there’s a groomsman who lives at the gym.
Your best friend who plays softball or your brother who always puts together touch football at Thanksgiving might appreciate the gifts we’ve listed below:
Socks
Water Bottle
Favorite Team Art
Basket Filling Tips
Personalize Gifts
One easy way to show the person or people you’re curating a wedding gift basket for that you care about them is to personalize the gifts you put in their basket.
Including personalized gifts shows that you’re thinking of that specific person and what they need or like in particular.
It shows that they matter to you because you didn’t simply get everyone interchangeable gifts!
Fill the Basket with Useful Things
If creating a themed basket is proving tricky, then think about filling it with useful things for the wedding day itself.
“Useful things” can mean sets like first aid kits, sewing kits for suits or wedding dresses, disposable cameras, or even miniatures of items like deodorant or mouthwash.
People have lots to remember, so they’re likely to forget something. Show them that not only are you thinking of them but also that you care about them and their comfort by providing these small necessities fit for the occasion. We’re sure they’ll thank you for it!Â
