A friend sent me this idea after some coworkers of hers used the idea to send random messages of kindness to complete strangers. They purchased hundreds of these little glass bottles, printed out kind, thought-provoking or eloquent messages to fill each one, sealed them with a red sticker and then left them all over town—in people’s backpacks, on coffee shop tables and anywhere else they thought they could brighten up a stranger’s day.

Why not share some of this same kind of sentiment with your wedding guests? You can find corked glass bottles for as little as 50 cents each, print out your own sweet messages or words of encouragement and leave them scattered around your tables. You can even adorn them with starfish, sand or other sweet details. It’s the perfect accessory for a summer wedding!

Dear Divas,

A friend of mine from college recently got engaged.  I was invited to her wedding, but because I live out of state, I’m unable to attend.  I still want to send her a gift, however, we haven’t been close for a while.  What is the appropriate amount to spend if I’m not attending the wedding and haven’t maintained a close relationships with this girl?  On the same note, what is the appropriate amount to spend if I AM attending a wedding (with a date) of a close friend?  Help!

Gift Gal

Dear Gift Gal,

What a great question!  I think this is something that almost every person has to deal with at one time or another.  Especially in these tough times, digging deep in the pockets for a wedding gift can be rough.  Therefore, it helps to know what proper etiquette states is the correct amount to spend.

Happily, the truth is that you should spend what you can afford.  There is no sense in breaking the bank if you truly can’t afford it . A gift is just that–a gift–and the bride and groom will appreciate anything you can afford to give them.  If you do want some sort of gauge, though, the rule of thumb is to try to spend as much as you think your meal would cost.  If it’s a buffet, a safe guess is around $40-$50 a person.  If it’s a served meal, I’d guess closer to $75-$100 a person.  Again, it’s okay to adjust these numbers to fit YOUR budget!

If you’re not attending the wedding but want to send a gift anyway, any amount really works.  A small token of your congratulations is welcome at any amount.  I tend to spend around $50, however, if they’re close friends I’ll spend more, if they’re more distant, I might even spend less.  You’ll be appreciated for being a thoughtful person in spite of your inability to attend the wedding.

Happy gifting!

Every time I go to a wedding where the tables are stacked high with cheap, plastic favors that no one will ever use again, I give silent praise for all of the beautiful, stylish and inexpensive eco-friendly favors that are available from sites like Etsy and Beau-coup.

Not only will these favors add eco-friendly heart to your celebration, they also bring a touch of style and elegance that plastic simply can’t touch.

Check out some of these sweet eco-friendly favors: