It can be difficult to know what to buy for a hen do or bridal shower gift.
You may have the perfect wedding gift in mind but wish to treat the bride to something a little bit special before her big day.
Here at hampers.com, we have come up with 7 ideas that can be ‘shaped’ to suit your best friend, close work colleague or special family member to celebrate her upcoming wedding day.
Be inspired to buy something special for the bride-to-be.
7 ideas for the bride-to-be to gift at a hen or bridal shower
1 – A carefully selected hamper
We are not going to hide our light under a bushel! Our first recommendation has to be a hamper…and it’s not just because we are the gifting experts at hampers.com.
A hamper is the perfect gift because you can choose something that the bride-to-be will truly love, based on her unique preferences and her dietary requirements.
Everyone ‘gets peckish’ at a hen do or during a bridal shower – so why should your bride-to-be go hungry or thirsty?
There is a wide array of food and drink hampers to suit everyone. We have pamper hampers which could be the perfect gift to encourage some R&R after organising the wedding day. We have cocktail hampers, which are ideal to encourage the party vibes. And, If she loves her fizz, then don’t forget to check out our wide range of Champagne, Prosecco and English Sparkling Wine hampers too.
How can you help get the celebrations started?
2 – An utterly unique word cloud
A word cloud is a truly unique gift because it is completely inspired by the bride-to-be.
You can create the word cloud by coming up with your own words or you can ask all of the hens or those attending a bridal shower to submit 3-5 words that best describe the bride-to-be. Encourage them to choose words and terms that are meaningful and personal to every person. Highlight the relationship each hen has with the future bird.
There are a range of websites which will help you to submit the words and turn them into a word cloud, including different shapes and colours. Just ask your trusted search engine.
You can get the word cloud printed and framed, ready to present to the bride at the hen party.
3 – A personalised pressie
What could you get personalised for the bride to wear or keep?
Some talented individuals will be able to create bespoke glassware, engraved with the bride-to-be’s name and also the date or location of her hen do or bridal shower.
You can have a special t-shirt or hoody made, just for her, or for all of the hens, as a lovely keepsake gift.
If money is a bit of a concern, how about creating a brand-new cocktail and naming it after the bride-to-be? Or perhaps another recipe, such as a cake or curry!
4 – Just for her bespoke ‘pamper kit’
Organising a wedding is stressful.
How well do you know the bride-to-be? If she is your best friend or your sister, we bet you know her better than she knows herself! We bet you can see how much effort she has put into organising the wedding, not just for her and her partner, but for all of her friends and family to enjoy, when the special day arrives.
Give her a pamper kit that is personal to her – what does she love to do? How does she like to relax? What does she enjoy doing for self-care?
Encourage or support a new hobby or interest. Make sure she makes time for herself and what she loves to do before the wedding and at the start of her married life.
Create a pamper kit – bespoke and tailored to what she loves.
If she’s a bookworm, buy some new books, alongside some chocolate, some special tea and a candle.
If she’s a sports fanatic, investigate getting a sports shop voucher, energy gels and some relaxing bath salts for those aching muscles.
If she loves her art, update her kit with some new paints, pencils, a sketchbook or brushes, as well as some good strong coffee or some special gourmet popcorn, to enjoy whilst she indulges her creative side.
Or, finally, if she just needs to chill out more...pack a box or basket full of face masks, body scrubs, bath bombs, lotions and potions!
5 – A couple’s experience
When organising a wedding, working, looking after children or other family members, as well as just general life stuff, it can feel super busy.
The new couple may not get to spend that much time together in the lead-up to the wedding, at all.
If you think that’s the case for your special bride-to-be and her new partner, why not treat both of them to a special experience?
From an afternoon tea in a posh hotel...to the ultimate zip wire experience…or even a segway trail...there are loads of experiences for you to choose from them.
You could also get a cinema voucher or make a reservation at their favourite restaurant, getting them to stop and spend some quality time together before the most exciting and memorable day of their lives.
6 – Happy Memories photo collage
If you have known the bride-to-be for a long time, why not see if you can dig out lots of photos and create your photo collage for her?
You could get all of the guests at the bridal shower or every hen to contribute photos of themselves with the bride-to-be, throughout her past. It will be a really special keepsake and we are sure it will evoke some fun and happy memories that she can share at her hen-do or bridal shower.
You can also organise a 'photo booth' during the bridal shower or hen party. Go retro with a disposable camera or Polaroid. Capture lots of fun poses and make a collage frame or album of photos to present to the bride before or shortly after her wedding day, as a special keepsake of the bridal shower or hen do.
Looking for a great hen party game? Get all guests to send you a baby picture and see if you can guess who is who!
7 – Gift a keepsake box
Can you find or decorate a special box that your bride-to-be can use to keep special items from her bridal shower, hen do and any other events in the lead-up to her wedding day?
You can decorate the box and also collect some items to put in beforehand and during the event. Then, present it to her at the end of the hen do – especially if you are away for a weekend. Or you can give her the box before the hen and bridal events so that she can collect what means the most to her. She can keep a range of items, including photographs and cards.
Remind her about the box on her wedding anniversary. Take a look back through the items collected. We hope it will bring back all of the wonderful memories of the hen party, the bridal shower and other special little occasions that happened in the lead-up to the wedding day.
Memorable gifts for bridal showers and hen-dos
We hope you like our 7 ideas.
It is so important that the bride-to-be feels extra special at her hen do.
A bridal shower is also a wonderful time for you to reconnect with the bride, as well as mutual friends and close family. Choosing a gift together or individually is an important process and a wonderful way to show support and love to 'the hen' before the special wedding day.
Hamper gift ideas for the Bride to Be
Don't forget that we also have a wide range of hampers perfect for wedding gifts. Take a browse here: