For the past year, your best friends and siblings supported your obsession with dresses, seating arrangements and save-the date cards. Your bridesmaids played silly games at your destination bachelorette party and summoned their artistic talent to create a “hat made of ribbons” at your bridal shower. Your big day is almost here and your bridesmaids will be there to help you bustle your dress and toast to your upcoming marriage. To thank your bridesmaids for their help, patience and overall wonderfulness, you should buy them all a little something (or a big something).
We understand many brides are dishing out money for their weddings and the bridal party gift should never put any bride in a compromising monetary position, but brides should take into consideration the expenses their bridesmaids have endured. If your bridesmaids had to get on a plane or buy an expensive dress, it would be nice to spend a little more.
More importantly, the gift should be thoughtful. Since you’ve spent months thinking about yourself and the details of your weddings, we do think it’s reasonable for you to think about your friends’ likes/dislikes and demonstrate to them, via this gift, that you appreciate them dealing with your OCD and attending all the (required) events.
Here are some ideas we gathered from brides:
Always Appreciated
Buying bridesmaids dress. No one complains about a dress they didn't pay for.
Hair and makeup day of event. We all want to look pretty, but sometimes we don't want to pay.
Monogrammed Favorites
Monogrammed Velcro Shower Towels. We know a bride who gave this at her spa bachelorette party.
Monogrammed Beach Bag. We know a bride who gave this at her Mexican/Miami destination bachelorette party.
Monogrammed Aprons – We know a bride who gave this to her bridesmaids when they brought in a private chef at the bachelorette party. We suggest: http://www.taygalook.com/
The Trendy Gifts
Jewelry. Necklaces that are popular right now are the round plates with an initial on it – a nice extra is to write a message on the back.
Massage/Facial. We know a bride who went to lunch with all her bridesmaids after the wedding, and then all the girls went for their massages.
Juicy Sweat Suit. To wear while getting ready
Monogrammed Travel Makeup Cases.
Clutches, Wallets, Handbags.
Specialized For You
Digital Photo Frame. Put in images of bride and the friend (possibly from the wedding).
A Goody Bag with each girls name on it – and personalized goodies inside.
___ Of The Month. Can determine one for each friend (ex. some wine, some cheese, some choc pending on what they are into).
Gift Certificates. If you don’t have too many bridesmaids, get each a different gift that would work for them. Maybe gift certificates to their favorite store, or restaurant, personalized for each girl.
Bridelines Favorite Story!
“The bride to be took us to a store where you can select from several different bag styles, and hundreds of fabrics and we were told to pick out 1 bag from the mix and make it our own with whatever fabric we wanted. The space had been rented, so we brought food, champagne, music and spent a few great hours together at the store. On the wedding day, the bride handed out each out of our bags to us at the same time and read a poem that described the contents of the bag. She had filled them with everything you may want in a pocketbook – nail polish, nail files, Band-Aids, etc, as well as a bracelet she had made each of us (not with the expectation we’d wear it that night!) Best of all, she had sewn in a individual quote in each bag that represented the friendship between that person and the bride. Not only did we have fun making the bags, and get something that we know we’ll all like/use, but the bride put some special touches in each one.”
If you just got engaged and haven’t asked your bridesmaids yet, ask them with a “Will You Be My Bridesmaid” card.
2 comments:
As a veteran bridesmaid, I think the best gift is by far the dress, but if you do not want to go that far than hair or make up is another great option. I think paying for something that the bridesmaid usually pays for is definitely a great way of saying "Thank you for being a friend" May Bea Arthur RIP.
I love the buying the dress option- it gets so incredibly expensive otherwise. I recently had a bride cover 1/2 of our hair because the hairstylist increased the price at the last minute. I appreciate the gesture, it was very thoughtful.
Post a Comment