Great news! Your best friend just got engaged to the best guy, and you're SO excited. You've been talking about her wedding day FOR-EVER now, and that day is coming soon! You want to get her something really special as an engagement gift, something that shows how happy you are for her in this new chapter in her life, and something that'll put you in the running for the top spot to be her maid of honor. Kidding! No, but really, you want to get her an engagement gift as special as she is, without it being just another cheesy "bride" gift. I understand! I've created a list of 15 awesome items that will make perfect engagement gift and even bridal shower gifts! They are a mix of your typical bride items (something every newly engaged girl LOVES) and ordinary items with a bridal feel, this way she's not left having a second-hand sale of 3,000 bride items after the wedding. They're all so classy and gorgeous. She's gonna love them!

I've created a list of 15 awesome items that will make perfect engagement gift and even bridal shower gifts! They're all so classy and gorgeous. She's gonna love them! #engagementparty #engagementgifts #weddingplanning

1. Wedding Planner 2. Ring Dish 3. Initial Necklace 4. Miss to Mrs. Tumbler 5. Hand Lettering 101 Book 6. Vacation Duffel Bag 7. The Getaway Luggage Tag 8. Flower Earrings 9. Bride Mug 10. Adventure Makeup Bag 11. Geometric Vase 12. Essie Blushing Bride Nail Polish 13. Bling Wipes 14. Bride Lidded Box 15. Floral Luggage Tag and Passport Cover

Engagement Gifts & Bridal Shower Gifts

1. Wedding Planner- This is the PERFECT engagement gift to start with. Since wedding planning is a whirlwind experience, every bride can use a planner! This one features tabbed sections, inspirational quotes, and 3 storage pockets, so that it can hold all her receipts and contracts to keep her organized. Plus it has a really cute cover!

2. Ring Dish- Now that she's got some bling on her ring fing[er,] the bride-to-be will need a place to keep it! This ring dish will keep it safe while she washes the dishes, takes a shower, or just needs to give her hands a rest.

3. Initial Necklace- Whether you get one with her new last name or her fiance's initial, your future bride will love this necklace! It's simple but stands out, so it can be paired with anything.

4. Miss to Mrs. Tumbler- This tumbler will be perfect for all that iced coffee she'll be drinking as she rushes around trying to get that wedding planned! Bonus- she can use it after the wedding too, since she'll now be a Mrs!

5. Hand Lettering 101 Book- If your bride is crafty, she'll probably enjoy this hand lettering book! Give it to her along with some pens and she can practice her penmanship to address her own invitations, write cute chalkboard signs, or write it the escort cards. Because doing it yourself = saving money!

6. Vacation Duffel Bag- This duffel is perfect for all those overnight trips to the venue, a bachelorette party weekend, or her honeymoon! It's roomy enough for all her travel stuff, plus a bunch of outfit choices. Girls gotta have options, right?

7. The Getaway Luggage Tag- this is like an ode to the days when people used to leave their reception early to head off to their honeymoon. Did people really do that, or was it only a thing in movies? Anyway, we all know she's dying to get out of town, and this luggage tag says exactly what's on her mind!

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8. Flower Earrings- These will add a little extra sparkle for her engagement party, bridal shower, or rehearsal dinner. Plus, they're simple enough to wear on an ordinary day to dress up your outfit! I wore them at my engagement party and they really complimented my dress.

9. Bride Mug- It's so exciting to be the bride when you're first engaged, so this mug will capture that feeling and show it off to the world. It'll look SO cute in her ring selfies!

10. Adventure Makeup Bag- This makeup bag will keep her looking pretty while reminding her of the end goal. It's not just about the wedding, but about creating a beautiful life together!

11. Geometric Vase- Everyone loves fresh flowers! This geometric vase is really unique and will be an interesting addition to her home. It comes in 2 sizes, perfect for a small bouquet for her desk and a larger one for her table.

12. Essie Blushing Bride Nail Polish- The bride-to-be needs to keep her nails looking good as she shows off that ring. This nail polish is a gorgeous, subtle color that will enhance the beauty of her ring, not compete with it. Bonus: add a manicure kit to get her nails looking perfect!

13. Bling Wipes- She's gotta protect the bling on that ring! These wipes will keep the ring as shiny as can be, and since they're individually wrapped, they'll be sure to stay fresh. She can keep them in her purse and whip them out whenever she needs to shine up that diamond. Everyone wants to see it!

14. Bride Lidded Box- This little box is perfect for holding her rings and small jewelry. If she's got pets, this is great for keeping her ring safe and secure. Because I know that my 3 cats LOVE to knock things on the ground and play with them!

15. Floral Luggage Tag and Passport Cover- Help the bride-to-be travel in style with this matching luggage tag and passport cover. The floral design is girly and elegant, plus since it's not super bride-ish, she can use it for years to come!

Tips for Buying Engagement Gifts

Avoid anything too trendy. She may hate the trend, and you also want something that she can use for years to come to remind her of your friendship, and how it felt when she first got engaged!
Don’t tell her she has to wear it or use it at the wedding. This could lead to an uncomfortable conversation. It’s her day, so you can suggest it, but never make her feel obligated to use anything. You never know what her plans are for her wedding day.
This is a good time to get something just for her, something she wouldn't necessarily indulge in herself, but that she can't put on her registry either. If it's too expensive to get alone, you can all pitch in with the bridesmaids or some friends. Nearly all the gifts she receives will be for her home, her wedding, or her life with her husband, so something just for her will be really special!
In general, the idea of straying from the registry is scary. If you do, make sure it's something you know the bride will love, and that it's something that will match the rest of the items she's registered for. No one likes having to store that ugly serving platter that they use once a year when the person who gave it to them comes over!

What engagement gifts do you like to purchase for the bride-to-be, or what did you get when you got engaged that you loved? Are you a stick-to-the-registry type of person, or do you like to get a surprise gift the couple will love? Let me know in the comments below!