Always the bride and never the bridesmaid, am I right ladies? Or is it the other way around? For me, I’ve never been in anyone’s wedding but mine and my mother’s…so at 40 something, here I am a bridesmaid for the first (and probably only) time! For the bride’s shower, I was tasked with favors and the mimosa bar. Here’s how I put together 40 something mini lavender soaps for the guest’s gifts.
This post contains affiliate links. If you click an affiliate link and make a purchase, Red Shoes. Red Wine. will earn a small commission for the referral at no cost to you. Read more about affiliates & disclaimers here. We are a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.
I haven’t mastered, or even attempted, making soap myself. So I found several shops on Etsy that make full size and mini soaps for wedding favors. The bride is friends with one such soap maker on Etsy, Judie of Nature’s Antidote, who worked with the bride on a custom soap scent, and cut them into cost efficient mini soap sizes. They’re so cute and they smell wonderful!
I didn’t want to cover Judie’s labels, so I bought some printable scrapbook paper in fun spring florals and used my tag punch (Amazon: Fiskars 2X-Large Lever Punch, Tag, Michael’s, Hobby Lobby) to cut out hanging tags.
[See my DIY Christmas Cards Upcycled/Repurposed Gift Tags here!]
I found the cutest little bags on Amazon (Erlvery DaMain 50 Pieces Drawstring Cotton Bags Muslin Bags, 3 x 4 Inches) that were the perfect size for the mini soaps and allowed some of the fragrance to seep through. I liked being able to still see through the bag and read the label within.
For the display, I had this cute 3-tier tray from prior afternoon tea parties, and the bags fit on the tiers perfectly. I bought the tray years ago but found the listing on Amazon (Amalfi Decor 3 Tier Dessert Cupcake Stand with Reversible Plates, Victoria Collection (Gold))…and JUST figured out those tiers are reversible, meaning they can be unscrewed, inverted, and screwed back into place as either plates or baskets. Neat!!
I was also tasked with buying bulk flowers for the cake and to put in little vases around the venue. Since my gold stand sort of resembled a cake, I put two little vases in the larger tiers to match(ish) the cake. I tied extra tags to the top with twine just in case the tags in the baskets weren’t visible and obvious. I loved how it turned out!
I thank the bride with big inappropriate hugs for asking this old lady to be a bridesmaid in her wedding. As if she needs me to make her look more beautiful than she already is. Love you, Jaime!
For more party planning:
Wedding/Shower Favors: Lavender Soaps
Mimosa Bar: Easy Like Sunday Brunch
A Chic Wedding that Didn’t Cost a Gazillion
A Chic Wedding that Didn’t Cost a Gazillion (Part 2)
Wedding Things and Stuff for Other People
Flower Crowns: Not Just for Hippies and Hipsters (DIY)
Champagne Jell-O Shots: Sidecar Cocktail
Champagne Jell-O Shots: Pomegranate Moscato Spumante
Party like It’s 1919: Gatsby Style
The Kentucky Derby for us Plebeians
Afternoon Tea Society, Houston Edition