Sensitively Speaking...

This morning, I was talking to my MOH -- she's my best friend and we gab every day for hours, although she lives currently in Colorado, and I live in North Carolina (thank goodness for the internet and Skype!). I was fretting over bridal party gifts.

I am not a random giftgiver; and I don't like to get people gifts that I think are cute. I like giving practical gifts that the recipient is actually able to get some use out of, something that won't get shoved in a corner and forgotten about or, heavens forbid, re-wrapped and "re-gifted" because of the gift's utter uselessness to the original recipient.

I was discussing with my MOH some of my thoughts on gifts so far:

Me: Well, I was thinking jewelry maybe? Nothing too expensive, but nice...

MOH: Uh no. I have really bad nickel allergies and don't like jewelry. You have nickel allergies yourself!

Me: Oh right, right...I usually can't wear much jewelry.....well then, um....I was maybe thinking of putting together a little spa basket, with bath salts and soaps and other nice bath-time things...

MOH: No, my skin is really sensitive...I don't use that stuff...

Me: Oh right, right...me, too...I usually need hypo-allergenic everything...I really don't want to do anything edible, because the other BM has had gastro-bypass surgery and has to be really careful about what she eats, to mention nothing of my sister's food allergies...

So what is a bride sensitive to the many needs of her bridal party gonna do?

As with favors, I am wary of doing anything edible on a large scale -- so many people today have very special dietary requirements, whether it be religious (we have Muslims in our family, so no pork), medical, as in my BM sister-in-law who has had the gastric-bypass surgery, or food allegies (many people are allergic these days to nuts, wheat and even cannot tolerate dairy).

But I forgot to take into consideration that many are also skin-sensitive; I myself and my sister both have had a severe nickel allergy since we were children and I have very sensitive skin as well, neither of us can't really wear much jewelry that isn't very expensive, and I can't use a lot of the commercial cutes "spa" type items on my skin -- heck, even my detergent and dryer sheets are of the hypo-allergenic variety.

This is where the sensitive bride has to get creative with her gift-giving.

I want to give something useful, but also well-thought-out and shows how much I appreciate my girls for honoring me by standing up with me on my special day. I don't want anything too cutesy, because the majority of my bridal party like myself, are our early-to-mid thirties (me, well, I am late thirties, if I am to be honest LOL), and cutesy just isn't our thing anymore. Most of us do have our own households now, and are married or getting married, and and have children (I am the only one in the group who does not have any children).

So I think I will be purchasing candle gardens for everyone like this:

In different colors, or something similar. They all love candles, and candles usually aren't bothersome, even for the most allergic (like me). A safe, lovely and practical choice, since almost everyone likes candles and loves to use them to decorate or for special occasions.

I think I might have solved my problems, but I would love to hear feedback from others.

Is anyone else having similar dilemmas, and have you had to gift creatively for your wedding party?

Please let me know your solutions!