Bridesmaid gift opinions?

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

I was hoping to get some opinions for my bridesmaid gift idea. What do you guys think of this? I’m going for a cute little picnic theme…sort of:

1) Collapsible picnic basket in each girl’s fave color($10) - http://www.garnethill.com/jump.jsp?itemType=PRODUCT&RS=1&itemID=8548&fromNewSearch=true&mercadoResultId=4
2) Bottle of their favorite wine ($10-15)
3) Little thing of gourmet cookies or chocolates ($5)
4) Beach towel (ex. One girl loves the NY Giants, others like preppy designs) ($20)
5) Then, a gift certificate to each girl’s fave restaurant – and I’ll include a funny note like, “For rainy days when you can’t picnic!” - $???

ETA - maybe throw in some cute, cheap old navy flip flops in case their feet get tired at the reception

I’m stuck on how much of an amount I should get each for the restaurant gift certificate. I am definitely over budget on these but I love my girls and want to get them something nice. So, my question is, how much seems appropriate to give them for restaurant?

Also, are there any things I listed above that you would just not be excited about? Like is the beach towel a good idea? Thoughts?

Thank you guys!!!

 

[oobiecoo]

I think those sound sooo cute! I love the picnic baskets! What kinds of restaurants are these? I would say the gift certificate should be enough to cover a meal and drink... so for my favorite places that would be about $15-20. Even if it didn''t quite cover the full amount of my meal, I would still love to have any amount to put towards it. Also, you could do certificates for just a desert and drink... maybe $10? I''d be really happy with that too. They can use the beach towels to sit on for their picnic, or you could do an inexpensive throw blanket.

I''ve given a few "basket" gifts and I usually do a bottle of my favorite wine, fancy pasta, fancy sauce, and some sort of desert like chocolate candies. Maybe you could skip the certificate idea and just do a few things for one of their favorite meals that they can make and bring on a picnic with them. That might end up being less than purchasing the gift certificate. Either way you do it, I''m sure they will love thm!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

I love it!! Great ideas.

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Date: 4/4/2008 1:39:51 AM
Author: oobiecoo
I think those sound sooo cute! I love the picnic baskets! What kinds of restaurants are these? I would say the gift certificate should be enough to cover a meal and drink... so for my favorite places that would be about $15-20. Even if it didn''t quite cover the full amount of my meal, I would still love to have any amount to put towards it. Also, you could do certificates for just a desert and drink... maybe $10? I''d be really happy with that too. They can use the beach towels to sit on for their picnic, or you could do an inexpensive throw blanket.

I''ve given a few ''basket'' gifts and I usually do a bottle of my favorite wine, fancy pasta, fancy sauce, and some sort of desert like chocolate candies. Maybe you could skip the certificate idea and just do a few things for one of their favorite meals that they can make and bring on a picnic with them. That might end up being less than purchasing the gift certificate. Either way you do it, I''m sure they will love thm!

Thanks so much oobiecoo!! I really like the idea of including a few of their favorite meal ingredients. Fancy pastas would be really cute!

Hmmm, I like the idea of a throw blanket too. Now I am torn - cozy throw blanket or beach towel? Maybe the blanket would get more use. Thanks so much for the ideas and tips

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Date: 4/4/2008 1:48:01 AM
Author: SarahLovesJS
I love it!! Great ideas.

Thanks, Sarah! I''m glad you think it will be cute! I hope they like it

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Date: 4/4/2008 1:50:46 AM
Author: Future Mrs Polka Dot

Date: 4/4/2008 1:48:01 AM

Author: SarahLovesJS

I love it!! Great ideas.

Thanks, Sarah! I'm glad you think it will be cute! I hope they like it

I know I would! Haha. Wow okay, I am going to leave PS for the night now. I need to study more for a test. PS is just so much more fun.

ETA: I definitely think around $20-25 would be enough for the gift certificate for one person depending on the restaurant. Some places that would pay for two meals. FI's parents got me a Panera gift card for Christmas with like $50 on it and it's lasted me for monnnths. I still have like 2 meals left!

 

[CJ2008]

I think it''s so nice that you''re personalizing each item in the picnic basket. It''s very thoughtful, and that counts too.

I love going out to eat, and I love gift certificates. I would suggest $20-$25 for the GC, as that''s generous enough possibly for even an appetizer and tip, depending on where they usually eat. You could also consider forgoing the beach towel and doing a more generous restaurant GC. NOT that $20-$25 ISN''T generous, at all, but to make one of the items stand out as the most significant? And also (unless they''re beach bunnies) they will remember you every time they use the GC.

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Oooh, I so love Panera! Yummm....

Eeek, I need to study too! What is wrong with us???

 

[Gypsy]

30-50 seems reasonable for restuarant. Very sweet coordinated idea.

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Date: 4/4/2008 2:14:05 AM
Author: Gypsy
30-50 seems reasonable for restuarant. Very sweet coordinated idea.

Thanks, Gypsy! Yeah, I was thinking around $35 each. I would like to do more but I have 6 girls, but I think they will appreciate it!

I am so excited because I just bought a super cute soft beach towel for one of the girls at lands end! It is perfect - brown giraffe print with a girly pink border. It''s perfect because we studied abroad in africa together, so she''ll love the giraffe-meets-preppy design This is too much fun!

 

[bee*]

Date: 4/4/2008 1:57:34 AM
Author: claudinam

I love going out to eat, and I love gift certificates. I would suggest $20-$25 for the GC, as that''s generous enough possibly for even an appetizer and tip, depending on where they usually eat. You could also consider forgoing the beach towel and doing a more generous restaurant GC. NOT that $20-$25 ISN''T generous, at all, but to make one of the items stand out as the most significant? And also (unless they''re beach bunnies) they will remember you every time they use the GC.

I think that it''s a great idea to do the baskets but I agree with claudinam on the amount. I would forgo something like the towels and get a bigger gift card.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 4/4/2008 5:08:01 AM
Author: bee*

Date: 4/4/2008 1:57:34 AM
Author: claudinam

I love going out to eat, and I love gift certificates. I would suggest $20-$25 for the GC, as that''s generous enough possibly for even an appetizer and tip, depending on where they usually eat. You could also consider forgoing the beach towel and doing a more generous restaurant GC. NOT that $20-$25 ISN''T generous, at all, but to make one of the items stand out as the most significant? And also (unless they''re beach bunnies) they will remember you every time they use the GC.

I think that it''s a great idea to do the baskets but I agree with claudinam on the amount. I would forgo something like the towels and get a bigger gift card.

Totally agree... my goal for gift-giving is always "what is going to be most appreciated/practical/useful?" and gift certificates always are!! I''ve gotten too many "cute" gifts that sadly just sit in my closet taking up space. So maybe put as much toward the GC as possible... I don''t know if you mentioned your budget, but if it''s somewhere in the $75-100/per girl range, a GC of $40-50 would be generous and appreciated.

 

[sap483]

Great ideas! Your girls will definitely love them. I''m with Gypy 30-50 would be a very reasonable amount. In case you aren''t sure where to purchase the items for your basket, Cost Plus World Market has an entire aisle devoted to picnic products. If you have one near you, definitely check it out!

 

[LegacyGirl]

Date: 4/4/2008 9:49:22 AM
Author: sap483
Great ideas! Your girls will definitely love them. I''m with Gypy 30-50 would be a very reasonable amount. In case you aren''t sure where to purchase the items for your basket, Cost Plus World Market has an entire aisle devoted to picnic products. If you have one near you, definitely check it out!

Ditto! The one by my house has such vute stuff from them too. A lot of unique hard to find foodstuffs too.

 

[enbcfsobe]

I love the idea and the basket is ridiculously cute! Just FYI, the cover is $10, but the baskets are $30-40. That kindof puts a dent in the budget.

 

[Sabine]

I really love the basket and the whole idea! In fact, I loved it so much that I have a bit of bad news...I was looking closely at the baskets because I was about to order one, and they are actually $32 or $34 (depending on color), and the LIDS for the basket are only $10. Sorry! I hope this doesn''t ruin your plan...it stinks that they are more expensive!

 

[amy_dub]

ETA: I realize someone else already mentioned that the lids are $10 & the baskets are $34.

Cute idea though!

 

[Future Mrs Polka Dot]

Date: 4/4/2008 10:46:06 AM
Author: enbcfsobe
I love the idea and the basket is ridiculously cute! Just FYI, the cover is $10, but the baskets are $30-40. That kindof puts a dent in the budget.

Thank you to you guys that pointed that out! I actually realized that last night and was so sad! I am such a blond! Ha! I am going to look around for a similar basket around the $10 mark. Might not be quite as cute but we''ll see what I can find

Thanks for the Cost Plus World Market tip! I will have to see where the nearest one is

 

[ahappygirl]

This is a longshot, but I bought 4 of these baskets - exact ones GH carries - at TJ Maxx at Christmas for $9.99 each. No lids, though. I also made theme gifts out of them and they were a big hit. I got the polka dot, dk green, pink and a yellow one. Adorable. I''ve also seen them at some high end kitchen supply stores, but at the GH price. Great ideas and good luck.