A bride’s trousseau (famously called shagun in India) has always been an integral and crucial part of Indian weddings. And so has been its packing. With Indian weddings evolving, the trousseau too has come of age. It has become imperative to make the wedding trousseau stand out. Creative designs and various trousseau packing methodologies, which not only add an exotic touch to the packing but also make it a memorable moment for the bride to cherish, have come into existence. Wrappingbells, Wrap A Smile and Confetti&beyond, all specialists in handcrafting customised trousseau hampers, share some decorative styles with us.

Bring the drama on
Anjali Bhagnani, founder of Wrappingbells, aims to change the face of gift wrapping in India. They add a little drama to each hamper they make. An environmentally-conscious company, Wrappingbells works with the motto to keep the balance between creativity and sustainability, by using recycled products.

“Based on the theme, we add pearls, flowers, handmade fans etc to our gift wraps as it’s rightly said that the smallest of pieces make a masterpiece,” says Bhagnani.

Bhagnani suggests presenting small registry items, customised embroidered linens such as pillowcases, towels paired up with scented candles or organic plants and trees to new couples. “One must try looking for gifts that are thoughtful,” she says.

Apart from the actual gifts, it is also the presentation that excites people. “Gift wrapping is not only about paper bags and shiny materials. It is a master mix of real art and technique. From selecting the right kind of paper to the final touch-up — everything can add grace and elegance to the wrapping style,” she says.

When it comes to men, gift wrapping can be uniquely customised by forming the shape of a shirt and suit along with a bow tie and customised buttons. For women, a tulle lace or ribbon can enhance the look. Go for soft, natural fabrics such as linen or cotton for a touch of elegance and simplicity; velvet or satin finish gift paper for a royal look; burlap wrap for Christmas; and natural twigs and twines with a rope knot for a mindful season.

The beauty of the gift is one aspect but fragrance could be an important part of the gift too. By using natural flowers, scented candles, coffee beans (only for the coffee lovers) are a few ways to make the gifts smell great. 

Play with unique colour combinations by packing the entire gift with nude colours and playing around with bright pink flowers or ribbons with a mix of pastels that could help your gift pop out.

Off-beat designs
Shreya Ahuja, creative and business head at Wrap A Smile which specialises in trousseau packing, corporate gifting, birth announcements, baby showers, home decor, brand promotions and festive gifting, says, “Weddings are perfect occasions when people prefer giving gold coins, jewellery or something precious which the couple could keep or save for later in life. Crockery, bedsheet sets, and home decor items are other gifts that the newlyweds are bombarded with.”

The wrapping used for wedding gifts can be as simple or as elaborate as one wishes for. One can use jute, mesh, packing net, tissue/organza for packing the presents. Bows always add up to the show of a gift, and with some artificial flowers, it can enhance the look. For creative wrapping, you can use pearls, hanging chains, fun text pop-ups, loopy bows, packing net or mesh.

A sustainable company, Wrap A Smile designs the gift boxes in a way that they can be reused. “Our boxes, baskets and hampers can be used for storing jewellery, cosmetics, stationery, newspapers/magazines. Many of our clients use our wooden trays for serving or as a home decor piece. The sturdy boxes and hampers are multi-utility too,” says she.

Giving off-beat designs a chance, Ahuja says that unlike common decorative materials, we can also use food products to enhance the appearance of gifts and also present it as a gift like chocolates, desserts, flavoured nuts, exotic cheese platters, healthy gourmet hampers, wine hampers, fresh fruit baskets, and room hampers.

Sustainability is the priority
Aisha Patca, founder and owner at Confetti&beyond, a company known for its customisation and personalisation, says that they use a lot of glitter-coated leather for wrapping gifts.

Sustainability is the priority at Confetti&beyond. “We use handmade paper and bags, we also offer souvenirs that can be preserved as memories or can be reused for gifting,” says she.

Many people emphasise on using exotic flowers like lilies, orchids and hydrangeas. They also use a lot of jute wraps and strings. Besides natural and aesthetic materials, Patca says that it is possible to use different fruits to enhance the beauty of the gift.

“We make use of a lot of fruits and vegetables cut in different forms and designs to decorate the hamper if the theme requires it. At Confetti&beyond, our motive is to always provide our clients with fresh concepts and current trends at very affordable prices, I think that’s what makes them come back to us,” she says.

Apart from looks, Confetti&beyond also helps you make your gift smell good by using potpourri, scented paper, or adding any form of natural or artificial essence to it. They use a lot of mogra and rajnigandha flowers in the arrangement. Scented candles are also an important element.

“We at Confetti&beyond wrap everything with  love and hard work. Be it a big or small gift, it is the gesture that counts the most and hence our team puts in their 100 per cent in wrapping the gift and making it worthwhile for our clients and their loved ones,” concludes Patca.