Giving Affordable Gifts to the Wedding Party

10 of 10 in Series:
The Essentials of Budget Weddings

The members of your wedding party provide support throughout your wedding planning process, so you probably want to give them an affordable thank-you gift to show your appreciation for their friendship and to commemorate the occasion. This gift, like any other that you give, should reflect your knowledge of and affection for the recipient. And, most important, it should fit your budget.

Wedding vendors know you want to provide gifts for your wedding party, and, not surprisingly, they’ve turned this tradition into big business. You can find wedding-party gifts that range in price from a few bucks to thousands of dollars — along with the peddling of guilt that so many wedding vendors employ to get you to spend more than you really want to.

If you decide to give separate thank-you gifts — rather than using accessories or events like a spa day to serve as gifts — try to spend roughly the same amount for each attendant.

Here are some ideas for fun, inexpensive gifts:

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  Gift baskets: You can make these baskets yourself, incorporating any theme you like: bath and beauty, tea time, coffee lover, sports fan, cinema freak, and so on. Get the basket and wrapping paper — and perhaps even some items for the basket — at your local dollar store or discount retailer to keep costs down.

  
  

  You can have metal gift baskets engraved for a small cost — usually $10 or less — at places like Things Remembered or a jewelry store. Or you can get engraved metal key rings to add to the gift basket as a memento of the day.

  
  


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  Scrapbooks: A scrapbook can commemorate your friendship and your wedding if you include favorite photos of yourself and your attendant together, along with a copy of your ceremony program and other mementos from your wedding. Pick up inexpensive scrapbook kits at your local craft store, or look to your local dollar store for photo albums that can accommodate your mementos.

  
  


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  A special outing: If your schedule allows, treat each of your attendants to a few hours of one-on-one time with you — perhaps a lunch, a round of golf, or an afternoon at the mall.

  
  


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  Gift cards: Some people think gift cards are too impersonal, but if you know your best man is never happier than when he’s prowling the history section at his favorite bookstore, a gift card may be more appreciated than anything else you could give him.

  
  

Don’t forget your flower girl and ring bearer, if you include these attendants. These little tykes deserve a gift of thanks as well. Some age-appropriate ideas for these special guests include personalized T-shirts, engraved piggy banks, or baskets filled with candy or other goodies.

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Source:http://www.dummies.com/how-to/content/giving-affordable-gifts-to-the-wedding-party.html