If you are an editor, journalist or blogger you will be well aware of the trend of giveaways and promotional products. Although not new, the idea seems to be catching on, spreading like wild fire these days. The purpose is to make sure that the sender is noticed and remembered as they post you an invitation to their new collection’s launch or invite a media person to try the new item on the menu of their restaurant perhaps. Designers do it all the time to let the press/media know of which fashion show they are participating in. Whether it influences the writer’s review of their product or not is a subject for another piece. For now, I wish to say that I am always humbled by the thoughtful gestures of those who remember us including designers, PR companies and other agencies working in this field. We at Brides & You feel that not enough acknowledgement is given to the tremendous time and effort put into these giveaway items. We all see the picture uploaded on social media sites and then soon it is forgotten. We would like to analyze these items more in detail, not just to acknowledge the efforts of those involved but also to refresh people’s memories about them. So here’s a review of some of the more recent giveaways- we wish we could put in all of them but that would become extremely lengthy:

Olive leather case by Take II – Most carefully prepared!

Tehmina Khaled is the sweetest for managing to get the correct spellings inscribed, of my unconventional name which people often manage to misspell. We were impressed. It is a beautiful leather passport case made by Jafferjee’s.

Pouch by Farah & Fatima – The cutest little thing!

Farah & Fatima crafted this pretty pouch and sent it our way. It is indeed a sweet little thing.

The Sketch by Saira & Shakira: Ingenuity at its best!

It was quite unbelievable to receive this sketch framed in the size of 15 x 19 inches. I was very touched for the effort that went into this.

Scarf & Powder Mirror by Shahla Chatoor – Prettiest giveaway!

The scarf was stylish and the powder mirror with a Chinese painting of colourful little butterflies makes a stylish companion for my bag.

FPW Winter Fest Giveaway Goodies: Elaborate and exciting!

The invitations came over with a notebook that said ‘Slay All Day’, and more exciting little things such a Bluetooth device and battery pack. Lots of thought put into it- colour coordinated and all as you can see in the picture!

Mithai & more by MNR – The sweetest treat!

To kick off the Bridal Couture Week Mohsin Naveed Ranjha sent out mithai and a pretty pouch for us.

Cupcakes by Triumph Pk – Naughty and yummy!

Triumph Pk sent these cupcakes and a stylish notepad our way. You cannot clearly see it here but the cupcakes had lingerie designs on top, which stirred quite an excitement. Who will eat the bra and who gets to munch on the panties!

Soap & pouch by Triumph Pk – A useful giveaway!

The oatmeal-filled soap is too good for skin care and the pouch extremely useful to carry my makeup in my bag!

Scented candle & chocolates by Farah Talib Aziz: A thoughtful giveaway!

To wish us a happy new year, Farah Taliz Aziz was kind enough to send us some yummy treats as well as a scented candle.

Notepads by Samreen Vance – Artistic items!

Samreen Vance sent these notepads which had covers from her photo shoots artistically designed and great for any office table.

Box of Chocolates by Marina Homes – The fool proof giveaway!

Chocolates can never fail to win any heart! We are always happy for such kind gestures as we share them across the board at our office.

Contact lenses & more by Fresh Kon – A generous giveaway!

Check out this gift package- the packing had our latest magazine cover printed and placed on it. Contact lenses, the cutest keychain with a pom-pom and yes we still remember the taste of the chocolates which was simply divine.

The flower bouquet by Shiza Hassan – A wonderful gesture!

What more can you truly want while you walk into your office or any room for that matter. Well other than a steaming hot cup of coffee, what really lightens up your spirit is a beautiful bouquet of some gorgeous flowers. Very kind of Shiza Hassan.

The new flavours by Lays – A delectable treat!

When you think of chips, you think of Lays and when Lays sends you the new flavours to try out, it is a happy day indeed!

Valentine’s Day package by Big Bash – The perfect combo of treats!

Some interesting goodies stacked together to cater to all different kinds of tastes!

Valentine’s Day box by Diet by Design – Beautifully packaged!

Sadia Salman, the CEO of Diet by Design keeps on overwhelming us with yummy cakes and other giveaways all the time, but the packaging of the Valentine’s Day Giveaway took our breath away. A heart shaped container (which we will save for keeping our little knick knacks), a mug, chocolate mousse, a piece of cake and pastry all simply made our day very special!

Kurtee by Charizma – The perfect summer colours!

This stylish kurtee was sent our way by Charizma. We love the colours and design!

Postcards by Sadya’s Salon – A unique item!

Sadya’s Salon was kind enough to send these chocolates and some beautifully designed postcards which are perfect for not just their own marketing but also look pretty on our tables.

Honey jars by La Bonita – Not just tasty but also useful!

Who can say no to the sweetest nectar prepared with all the love and care- an item we use regularly at home. Three jars in different types of honey came our way to overwhelm us.

Hair pins by Shafaq Habib – Uniquely designed and stunning!

These hairpins delicately crafted with a turquoise stone, look so pretty and stylish in the hair. Very beautifully designed indeed, by the talented jewellery designer Shafaq Habib.

Lawn suit by Khaas – A must-have summer print!

The print in a soft pale yellow with a beautiful intricate patti design in shades of olive green and brown, which makes this suit a welcome addition to my summer wardrobe. Thank you to Khaas as well as AamerMazher from Savvy PR.

Coconut oil and chocs by Gulberg Galleria – An interesting idea!

The tiniest bottle of coconut oil and a generous box full of chocolates came our way to wish us the spring season’s greetings. The oil smells heavenly and we keep it around for just a dab whenever needed for dry lips or skin.

Sapphire’s summer giveaway Package – Quality, style and class- all in one!

Sapphire overwhelmed us yet again by the lawn suit they sent us. But what really caught our attention was the beautifully designed notebook and of course we all love the scented candles. Thank you team Lotus for always remembering us!

Bags of chips carton by OyeHoye – Most generously prepared!

So many flavours, so many yummy packets of chips to choose from – what a genuinely generous giveaway from OyeHoye! It is difficult to have a favourite as every flavor tastes so good.

Flowers by Saira Rizwan and Jehanzeb Fabrics – A stunning bouquet!

SairaRizwan’s collaboration with Jehanzeb Fabrics for her 2017 lawn was kick started by inviting us with this beautiful bouquet of flowers.

Glowy box beauty items by Starlinks PR – the most sought after giveaway!

Starlinks PR sent us this Glowybox package full of exciting beauty and grooming products. We couldn’t decide which one was our favourite item- the toner, the masks, nail colour or the mascara. Truly exciting!

Kurtees by Beech Tree – Thrilling summer giveaway!

Not just one but our team was sent these two beautiful kurtees by Beech Tree. The fabric is soft, the design is stunning and the colours are a perfect combo for the summer of 2017!

Monaco goodies by Farah Talib Aziz – Unique and chic!

Look at the lavender theme working so well for these beautifully designed goodies. The cards come complete with little envelopes, the potpourri pouch, the sugary little marzipan treats all packed in a lavender box printed to perfection to set the stage for FTA for LSM!

Gift Pack by Hum TV – Excellent choice of items!

This Bin Roye gift pack came our way from HUM TV sent by Take II PR. It has postcards, mints and other little knick knacks which we thoroughly enjoyed.

Kurtee by Raj – Prettiest summer colour!

This lemon-colouredkurtee with white embroidery done to perfection, came our way to surprise us with its fine quality. We are grateful to Raj and Winnit PR.

Crimson’s dress by Saira Shakira – Most beautiful and trendy item!

Check out the embroidery on this shirt, the colour combinations took our breath away. Saira& Shakira have always managed to impress us with unique and classy items they send us. Our team also thanks Aden Rehan.

Loreal’s Clay Mask – For a picture-perfect you!

We thank Loreal Skin for this wonderful detoxifying item sent our way. It can help you bring out the best of your skin to the forefront- fresh and rejuvenated. Thanking Lotus again.

Photo Frame by Heritage Home – The artsy giveaway!

An invitation to an exhibition by Heritage Home comes complete with this beautifully crafted wooden photo frame! Loving it on our table!

The 7Up Chill-Out Box – Perfect to beat the heat!

Mintcommpk sent us this box with 7UP cans, a cute little mason jar and T shirt. The design is by Paper cut Pk. A truly welcome package for the warm summer days.

Gifts by Dolce Vita Home – A wonderful selection!

Dolce Vita Home recently held a summer expo and guess what the invitation came packed with? A beautiful cushion, complete with the stuffing. There were discount coupons by Narcissus Weddings and beautiful ear pieces designed by Esfir Jewels.

The bed set by Al Barka – Classy and useful!

Scarf by Zellbury – A gorgeous design!

This scarf sent to us by Troika Events from Zellbury for the launch of their lawn, is made of soft fabric, with a very trendy design in hues of beige.

We loved the pretty pink of this bedset sent our way by Al Barka through Winnit PR.

Lawn suit by Saira Rizwan – Woman’s best friend in summer!

To kick off the showcasing of her new collection at PSFW2017, Saira Rizwan was kind enough to send us this lawn three-piece suit, designed in collaboration with Jehanzeb Fabrics. We all suffer from lawn fever- so always a happy day to receive a pretty suit.

Body massage and chocolates by Hifsa Khan – The perfect aphrodisiacs!

Hifsa Khan’s salon is the one place we inevitably end up in, whenever we are stressed or want to look and feel good. Now she sends us more love with these chocolates and a complimentary body massage which happens to be one of my favourite in Lahore as the salon offers amazing services.

There are so many other amazing and exciting little things which people have ever so lovingly sent our way, but unfortunately, could not be mentioned in this piece. But we do know and remember, always! So thank you all!