• Suprise the bride with an affordable gift she'll love.christmas gift image by Photosani from Fotolia.com
  
  Marriage is a momentous occasion and marks the beginning of a new chapter in the bride and groom's lives. As the wedding date nears and the soon-to-be newlyweds' post their registry, some wedding guests may find that a lot of the items listed on the couple's wish list aren't in their budget. There's no reason to fret, however. With a little thought and imagination, you can find a nice gift for the bride that won't break your bank.
  
  

Wine Glass, Bubble Bath and a Mini Bottle of Champagne

• Treating the bride to a gift of soothing bath products can be a nice way to help her kick back and relax after enduring a ton of stress leading up to her wedding day.
  
  According to gifts.com, Philosophy has a bridal shower/bath gift set, that includes things like "wedding cake" and "bridal bouquet" shower gels that can make for a cute gift. This gift set can get a little pricey, however. So, to make this buy a little cheaper, consider purchasing one bottle of bubble bath from the brand's bridal line instead.
  
  This can be a simplistic, but cute gift when tied with a ribbon and placed in a nice gift bag. But, if you have a little money left over to spare, a large wine goblet or champagne glass and a mini bottle of champagne would be a nice addition to your bridal-themed bubble bath gift as well.
  
  If the mini bottle of champagne is too expensive, you can pick up a mini bottle of sparkling cider instead.
  
  

Scrapbook of Memories

• If you've been friends with the bride for a long time, consider creating a scrapbook of memories for her.
  
  Since a marriage marks the beginning of a new life for the bride, a scrapbook is a way to help her hold on to fond memories as she moves forward with her hubby and creates new ones.
  
  It should be filled with photos of the two of you over the years, and transition to early photos of her and her hubby, before the wedding. The end of the scrapbook should be reserved for wedding and honeymoon photos that the bride wants to add to it.
  
  

Cookbook for Brides

• Not all brides are masters in the kitchen, so the thought of whipping up meals consistently for their husbands may be a bit scary. However, you can help the bride calm her nerves relating to cooking by giving her a special cookbook geared specifically toward brides.
  
  This type of cookbook can be a beneficial gift for all new brides, however, regardless if they are pros in the kitchen or cooking newbies.
  
  Cookbooks like "Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Bridal Edition," "Williams-Sonoma Bride and Groom Cookbook, Recipes for Cooking Together" and "I Do...Not Cook, A Bride's First Cookbook" are all viable options for this gift, and are filled with traditional, homestyle recipes that are easy to make.
  
  If the costs of these cookbooks are too high in your local bookstore, consider shopping online on discount sites like Amazon and Ebay to score low prices on the books.