We must admit, we’re crazy about weddings. But we also know not everyone else shares that mindset. Jessie L., a designer in Hallmark’s visual merchandising department, came to this realization when her sister got engaged. To help smooth the process (for both her and her sister) Jessie created this amazing “don’t freak out, we’re here for you” gift bag (and a free printable!) to give her sister. We thought it was such a good idea that we asked Jessie (long time reader first time contributor) to share her idea. Happy Planning! (Or not.)

As soon as my sister announced her engagement, I went into over-planning, design-thinking, inspiration-gathering mode. In my mind, this was the best way to help her begin the journey of planning her wedding. As a designer, I pull together color inspiration and mood boards all the time, and I figured putting all of my ideas on paper would help my sister’s ideas come to life. I was wrong.

Believe it or not, not every person out there planning a wedding finds it fun, or inspirational, or a bonding experience between sisters. It isn’t all “pin this” and “save that” or “this is perfect!” I quickly learned that the wedding planning process felt daunting to my sister. There are so many options out there! The truth is, sometimes our non-DIY-loving friends and family need a little help from us crazy crafters.

So I, along with several other important women in her life, assembled a gift designed to remind her that this is a time to celebrate—and more importantly, that she has a lot of love and support coming her way throughout the process.

The gift can be simple. Grab a bag and fill it with things that will inspire ideas. Color coordinate it to show how the wedding color palette can come to life! (I also grabbed a cute notebook you can find at your local Gold Crown store, and I used Hallmark trims and tags to add personalized touches.)

And of course, I topped it all off with a beautiful Signature card. I asked each of the important women in my sister’s life to write down a memory from planning their weddings. Then I stuffed those inside the card as a reminder that even if the details aren’t perfect, what matters is setting the stage for a beautiful marriage.

Here’s another idea. These little notes are easy to make with bold, graphic paper, a hole punch, and some string. Slide them in to the gift bag for an extra special touch.

When it comes to weddings, there are a lot of details to consider, but the most important ones are those that make the day special for the happy couple. Click here to download our free printable “non-wedding” checklist. It’s a fun way to remind the happy couple what’s most important about the wedding—each other.

Do you have a cute idea for someone getting hitched? We would love to hear about it. Be sure to tag us on Instagram. @think.make.share

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— Jessie L.