When Ross let me in on his plans to propose to my sister, I was so, so excited! Since I knew my family and I were going to be part of the proposal in some way, I knew we’d see Ross and Leslie on the day of their engagement and started brainstorming engagement gift ideas.
My mom and I joined forces to pack a basket full of wedding-themed gifts and wedding planning materials to give to them on the night of the proposal.
We had a great time putting it together!
Last week, I stopped by Hobby Lobby and picked up a basket, paint and craft supplies to dress up the basket.
I wrapped the handles of the basket in yellow chevron ribbon and personalized the basket with Ross and Leslie’s initials. Then my mom and I filled it with lots of fun goodies!
In the basket:
- Champagne
- Champagne flutes filled with candles
- Bridal magazines
- Wedding planner (large and pocket-size)
- Fun wedding/engagement-themed stickers
- Picture frame with “R Heart L”
- 4th of July-themed Christmas ornament (since Ross proposed on the 4th)
- Decorative letter “C” (the first initial of Ross’ last name)
- Box of Mexican wedding cookies
- Mini electronic wedding countdown timer
- Date idea jar (see below)
My favorite part of the basket was a craft project I worked on that Leslie and Ross can enjoy throughout their engagement.
A date idea jar!
Since I know that dates can fall to the wayside during wedding planning, I decided to jot down 12 inexpensive date ideas for Leslie and Ross to enjoy throughout their engagement.
On the first day of each month, they’ll select an envelope from the jar and pick a day that month to do the designated activity.
I stuffed 12 mini envelopes with different date ideas since I know many engagements last about a year, though you could easily do more or less. (This could also make a fun Valentine’s Day or anniversary gift for your significant other!)
Ross and Leslie seemed really excited about the idea and I hope they have a blast on the dates!
Congratulations again to Leslie and Ross!
Question of the Morning
- What is one of the most memorable inexpensive dates you’ve ever been on in your life?
When Ryan and I first started dating, Ryan told me to wear a t-shirt and comfy sweatpants and took me to Target to pick up a half gallon of mint chocolate chip ice cream, mancala and a DVD and we had a cheap but incredible date night at his apartment. We ate the ice cream right out of the container and had a blast. I also love our budget-friendly Valentine’s Day tradition!
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So very sweet and thoughtful!
One of my best memories from high school was also a cheap date night: i was on a date with this hilarious, fun guy, and we went to walmart and walked around, just goofing off (even “bowled” with paper towels and a bouncy ball) and then went to a kid’s park and played on the swings. Totally free, totally fun.
This is such a cute gift basket! I will have to remember this one day for my sister 🙂 Inexpensive dates are usually my favorite. My husband actually proposed to me on a picnic so that is one of my favorites now 🙂
Wow – what a nice engagement gift! I wonder if this is a US thing…we don’t usually do this in Canada.
Some of the most fun dates I’ve had with my now husband were in the early days…we’d pick out the best cheap eats ethnic restaurants in the city and try them out. So many weird foods…such good times! :0) As I look back, I can see that these dates were indicitive of our flexibility as a couple. Nice!
This is too cute! I wanted to do something cute for my best friend who got engaged in the beginning of May, but I didn’t know what! I am not sure if it’s too late now!
Also – any cute ideas for their engagement party? It’s a backyard BBQ!
You should add a craft section to your drop downs! You always come up with the cutest ideas 🙂
I agree 🙂
I triple agree. 😀
That engagement gift is too cute! I love it! 🙂
My husband and I always try to do inexpensive dates because we are trying to save for a house. I love low-key nights. Sometimes we will go on ice cream dates because it’s an inexpensive way to have fun.
That’s such an AWESOME idea! Two of my best friends just got engaged and I was wanting to do something special for them… a variation of this gift basket just might be it! Thanks!
-Sarah
Cute idea! 😀
This is such a great idea! I’m sure Leslie and Ross LOVED it. Congrats again to them! 🙂
This is such a great idea–both the gift basket & date ideas.
I love that you & ryan did the movie/ice cream thing. Sounds amazing to me!
omg. this is the cutest idea ever! Makes me wish I had a sister! I have a feeling neither of my older brothers would ever do something like that if I got engaged…
Too true!! I have two older brothers too, and got married a few years ago. They didn’t do anything like this for me either, but, on my wedding day, when me and the hubby were taking lots of pics with the professional photographer, one of my brothers found us (wayyyy out on the golf course where we were wed), and brought us some food! 🙂 And the other one brought my cake to the venue. (The cake-bringer had to be asked, but he was happy to do it.)
Enlist them for tasks – most guys are willing to do something when asked. They’re just not all as great (as Julie’s hubby and others) about coming up with them on their own.
Good thinking! My brothers are sweet, but fairly clueless…but if I ask, they would do anything for me (I think..) Older brothers are the best though. Wouldn’t trade them for anything.
What an incredibly thoughtful gift! I’m sure they absolutely loved it 🙂
That is incredibly cute!
OMG you are such a sweet sister! The engagement gift is adorable! I can’t wait until someone gets engaged so I can make a basket LOL.
My all time FAVE date is going to karaoke. I’ve never had enough cocktails to actually get up and sing, but the pure entertainment of sitting and listening to other people is priceless!
Adorable!! I love the idea! So creative!
This is awesome! Could you share the 12 date ideas you put in there? Always looking for new ideas 🙂
This is so stinkin’ adorable!! How creative and cute :).
Would you mind sharing the date nights you included??!! As an engaged person I love the idea but with all of the wedding planning my mind has gone a bit blank when trying to think of new & fun date ideas!! Thanks!! :))
I love it! I’ll be saving this for my sister someday! If you wouldn’t mind sharing some of your date ideas along the way that would be awesome!
I got an engagement gift basket from my fiancé’s brother and his wife and I thought it was so nice. Ours was pretty simple it just had a few bridal magazines, a wedding planner, two champagne flutes, a bottle of champagne and a really cute little cloth napkin in the bottom with a fun print. I thought it was really nice of them to do that for us! I love that you added little personal touches to yours for your sister and were so crafty! 🙂
This is fantastic! A friend of mine just got engaged and I’ve been scouring Pinterest for a gift basket idea but never came across one that I loved until now! I’m also really digging the date jar idea and kinda wanna create one for my husband and I. You’re so darn crafty!
such a cute and thoughtful gift!!! love it!
That is adorable!!!
Soooooo cute! Love it!!!
My boyfriend and I bought each other the most outrageous outfits we could find from the Salvation Army for each other and wore them bowling. We got some stares…
Love, love, love your thoughtful gift. And I echo the sentiments of several people above – maybe you need another category on your blog – “crafts” and include stuff you’ve made as well as stuff you’ve received. Include: this engagement gift, any anniversary gifts you’ve made, ideas for the bachelorette showers you’ve been to and the gifts and homemade accoutrements that went along with each party. And so on and so forth.
You, your friends, and your family, all do the most creative, wonderful, fun things together, gifts and otherwise, and how fun would it be for us to see a category here grouping all that stuff together.
Congrats again to your sister!
I LOVE this idea! How creative! And the date jar is genius. Cheap, easy, comfy dates are the best!
this is so cute! i absolutely love this idea. would you be willing to share some of the date ideas you put in that jar on your blog??
My girlfriend and I walk around town a lot (we live in a cute little city) and look in the shops at the ridiculous little trinkets & such. Then there’s a really great cafe that has $1 day-old cinnamon rolls they can heat up for you and fun cuddly chairs and booths! We’re in college so sometimes a date for us is just sharing lunch in the courtyard & people watching.
can you share some of the date ideas? I’m dying to know what you came up with!
I really love the date night jar! It’s such a cute and thoughtful gift. One of the sweetest dates I ever went on was our first Valentine’s. My now-hubs took me on a long drive to watch the sunset and then he built us a bonfire for our picnic on the beach!
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What a great idea! 🙂 Would you mind listing the date ideas that you wrote down on the cards? 🙂
Did you get those cute little envelopes at Hobby Lobby?