Is some nice young lady you know getting married soon?  Maybe you’re even the maid of honor, with special responsibilities to the bride-to-be.  Regardless, you’re probably looking for the perfect gift to get her.  Do you want to get her just another blender or set of plates?  These are good–but why not make sure your gift becomes truly memorable to her?  What gift are we talking about?  The gift of memories!  You can make and giver a special shower scrapbook.

After all the invitations have been selected, make sure you snatch one to hold onto.  Fill it out and put it right at the start of the scrapbook.  Also, as the invitations are mailed out, request that each gift ail you a photo of the bride with him or herself.  They should also be encouraged to write three or four sentences about what their relationship is with the bride and / or a special memory of a time they’ve shared with her.

You might also consider providing pens and paper available at the bridal shower itself, and if anyone has not mailed their thoughts ahead of the event, they should be encouraged to do so early in the evening.  These will all go inside the scrapbook.

Another idea:  Find out if the bride registered at a nearby store.  If so, go there and take pictures of that store from the outside.  You can even have the bride go with you, and take pictures of her standing near the store–but without telling her what they’re for.  Take a photo of this store’s print catalog, if it has one.  This too becomes an important part of remembering this special time, and therefore goes in the scrapbook.

Will the shower be held in a reception room?  If so, take some photos of it prior to the arrival of the guests.  Even if it’s held in a person’s home, then take pictures of the house’s outside.  Also take pictures of the newly-decorated room before guests arrive. These will be prized memories of the event, and belong in your book.

You’ll naturally be serving food, so make sure the food is prepared ahead of time and take pictures of the food table, spread out in all its glory.  Another great food idea:  If guests made any of the food items, have them write out the recipes for inclusion in the scrapbook.

As the bride opens the gifts, take a picture of the gifts, noting who gave each.  Then plan to take a picture of that person, including it in the scrapbook beside the picture of the gift.

If the bride has had thank-you notes made up, include a blank one in the book, as a memory of the notes she had made up.

Feel free to use all of these suggestions. But don’t stop there: Use your imagination about what other things might be memorable and make this scrapbook a special gift.