What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?

Re: What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?

• trix1223 member

  

  April 2011 edited April 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_put-bridesmaids-totes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:2a3a5d7f-e222-4a2e-b4bd-d24e8c0a871bPost:fe916e03-e8f6-4fe2-9032-32590f5f5ed4">What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?</a>:
  [QUOTE]Hello ladies, I have a question about my bridesmaids' tote bag presents.  I'm DIY-ing tote bags, and I'm not sure what to put in them.  We're getting hotel rooms for the girls for the night before and night of the wedding, and I'm trying to gear this stuff towards what would make their stay more comfortable.  This is my list so far: lotion bubble bath sunscreen (our wedding is outdoors) hair ties/ clips hair spray chips/ popcorn/ candy  DVD (different movie for each girl, depending on her tastes) little bottles of rum (or whatever each individual girl likes to drink) bottles of pop/ juice gift card to a local restaurant Anything I've left out?  Anything on the list that I shouldn't include?  (We're also getting each girl a hand-painted wine glass, which they'll get at the wedding reception.)  Thanks in advance for the advice!
  
  <strong>Sorry, but for me,  all of the "stuff" except for the DVD, booze, and gc are for your wedding and while they're okay,  I wouldn't really need all that stuff to make me "comfortable" for a one night stay in a hotel.
  
  I think you're overdoing it, to be honest.  Skip the tote, skip everyting except the movie, booze and gc.   I'd rather get a larger gc than the other "stuff" and a tote bag.
  
  But good luck to you.</strong>
  Posted by ckollstedt[/QUOTE]

  "Trix, it's what they/our parents wanted. Why so judgemental? And why is your wedding date over a year and a half ago? And why do you not have a groom's name? And why have you posted over 12,000 posts? And why do you always say mean things to brides?" palegirl146

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• ckollstedt member

  

  April 2011

  Thanks for the post, trix.  I know that a few of my bridesmaids are rather forgetful, and maybe wouldn't think about sunscreen, etc. until the day of.  That's why I was including that type of thing in the totes.  But they're all big girls, and old enough to take care of their own stuff without me having to worry about it (or deal with sunburns, I guess! haha). Spending more $$ on the gift cards and less on "pampering" stuff for the girls is an idea!  

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• graysquirrel member

  

  April 2011

  I agree with Trix that things for the wedding day are probably not the greatest gifts, but I think that the spa products and tote bags are just fine. A lot of people on here are down on totes, but I personally would be just fine with one. If you think that some nice bubble bath in a pretty bag would be appreciated, then go for it.

  

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• kgorman307 member

  

  April 2011

  How about putting together your totes with gifts for the girls (DVD, rum, gift card, etc) and then having all that other stuff on hand (hairspray, sunscreen, bobby pins) in your hotel room for them to get ready with - sort of like bathroom baskets for the reception? That way if they forgot something you've got it for them - but it doesn't seem like you're trying to making it into a gift.

  
  
  Planning Bio

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• ckollstedt member

  

  April 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_put-bridesmaids-totes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:2a3a5d7f-e222-4a2e-b4bd-d24e8c0a871bPost:09d96cf8-6efa-4ba4-bb05-ac621001ac2a">Re: What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?</a>:
  [QUOTE]How about putting together your totes with gifts for the girls (DVD, rum, gift card, etc) and then having all that other stuff on hand (hairspray, sunscreen, bobby pins) in your hotel room for them to get ready with - sort of like bathroom baskets for the reception? That way if they forgot something you've got it for them - but it doesn't seem like you're trying to making it into a gift.
  Posted by kgorman307[/QUOTE]
  
  <div>Love this idea! Thanks :D</div>

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• bonnyandtim

  

  April 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_put-bridesmaids-totes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:2a3a5d7f-e222-4a2e-b4bd-d24e8c0a871bPost:4aae6fc7-943c-4e65-ba97-57dd07aa4f1e">Re: What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?</a>:
  [QUOTE]I agree with Trix that things for the wedding day are probably not the greatest gifts, but I think that the spa products and tote bags are just fine. <strong>A lot of people on here are down on totes, but I personally would be just fine with one.</strong> If you think that some nice bubble bath in a pretty bag would be appreciated, then go for it.
  Posted by graysquirrel[/QUOTE]
  
  I'm in this camp, too. I'd rather receive a recyle-able tote bag that I can use for shopping trips rather than a paper gift bag.

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• bonnyandtim

  

  April 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_put-bridesmaids-totes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:2a3a5d7f-e222-4a2e-b4bd-d24e8c0a871bPost:09d96cf8-6efa-4ba4-bb05-ac621001ac2a">Re: What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?</a>:
  [QUOTE]How about putting together your totes with gifts for the girls (DVD, rum, gift card, etc) and then having <strong>all that other stuff on hand (hairspray, sunscreen, bobby pins) in your hotel room for them to get ready with - sort of like bathroom baskets for the reception? That way if they forgot something you've got it for them - but it doesn't seem like you're trying to making it into a gift.</strong>
  Posted by kgorman307[/QUOTE]
  
  This is what I did & it worked great :-)

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• ajroark

  

  April 2011

  Maybe a manicure set and a different color nail polish for each?

  

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• Mprovencio member

  

  April 2011

  I'm hand making little purses for each of my bridesmaids and I am having a hard time deciding what to put inside of them as well.
  
  I feel as though gift cards are impersonal so this is what i have so far...
  
  a monogrammed compact
  handmade soaps (one of my friends makes them with herbs in her garden)
  a thank you poem (that I wrote) in a scroll wrapped in a ribbon
  a pair of ready flats
  
  
  
  anyone have any other suggestions? I think some gourmet candy might be a nice touch.

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• almost-a-bride member

  

  April 2011

  Mints and condoms.

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• Mprovencio member

  

  April 2011

  LOL

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• ckollstedt member

  

  April 2011

  In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_wedding-party_put-bridesmaids-totes?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:37Discussion:2a3a5d7f-e222-4a2e-b4bd-d24e8c0a871bPost:2da3b67a-98ee-4597-bf51-b9045af10efa">Re: What to put in Bridesmaids' Totes?</a>:
  [QUOTE]Mints and condoms.
  Posted by almost-a-bride[/QUOTE]
  
  <div>love it!</div>

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• BrideJackie11 member

  

  April 2011

  Where did you buy the totes to DIY them? 

  Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml

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• ckollstedt member

  

  April 2011

  I bought some cheap jeans shorts and cut off/ sewed up the legs.  (You could do this with long jeans too, and you'll just have a lot of leftover jeans fabric.)  They're getting fabric for linings sewn in, and a fabric strap knotted around a couple of the beltloops.  It's really cheap, and I think they'll turn out cute!

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