Getting hitched this summer or fall? Then don’t forget to add this to your to-do list (as if it isn’t long enough already): gifts for your bridesmaids!
As some of you may know, I’m getting married in August and have been sharing some insider tips with you as I plan for my big day. From my guide on what to do when you first get engaged and how to ask your bridesmaids to a wedding planning timeline along with a breakdown on bridal party duties, I think it’s safe to say that we’ve covered the basics. That’s why today I am going to talk about one of the often overlooked details that brides tend to forget until the last minute: gifts for the bridesmaids.
Traditionally, brides give their maids a small gift before the wedding as a symbol of their appreciation for all of their hard work leading up to the big day. In recent years, brides have typically given maids a robe that can be worn the day of the wedding so everyone matches for those pre-wedding photo-ops. While robes are sweet (and I did consider them), I wanted to do something a little different for my gals… After a serious shopping brainstorm session, I came to the conclusion that I wanted to make sure my gifts were personalized and reusable. Below are 5 of the ideas I came up with that would be great gifts for bridesmaids:
1. Nightshirts.
While I do love a good robe, I decided to do monogrammed nightshirts for my bridesmaids. I bought the shirts online and then had them monogrammed at a local shop called Monogrammit. Some stores provide monogramming in-house (J.Crew, for example), however if you check your local listings you can find a monogramming or embroidery store in almost every major city. I think this is a nice idea because it’s personalized and it’s something your maids cannot only wear pre-wedding but long after the big day as well. (If you’re girlier, opt for a cute pajama set for your girls instead of a nightshirt.)
2. Jewelry.
Give your gals a dainty piece of jewelry (Lauren’s LC Lauren Conrad collection has some great options like the pieces above) that they can wear for your wedding…and beyond. To personalize this gift, give each girl a different piece from the same collection. Maybe you give your bestie who loves earrings a nice pair of drops and your other maid who loves stacking bracelets a dainty addition for her collection.
3. Tote Bag.
Every girl needs a simple tote bag…and a personalized one is even better! L.L. Bean has a great selection of totes and they can monogram them in-house as well.
4. Emergency Kit.
I was in a wedding last fall and the bride gave each of us a Pinch Provisions survival kit. The tiny bag was filled with all of the accouterments necessary to fix any fashion or beauty emergency (hair spray, mints, fashion tape, static remover, clear nail polish, ibuprofen–you name it). Not only did the little kit come in handy the morning of my friend’s wedding, but I also constantly use it when I travel by tossing it into my suitcase. Emergency averted!
5. Stationery. This is something that I never buy myself but love to have around when its time to send a note via snail mail. As a thank you to your leading ladies, gift them with a personalized set of stationery. The Confetti Monogram set from Sugar Paper pictured above is downright adorable.
Are you a bridesmaid or a bride-to-be? What’s the best gift you’ve ever given or received? Sound off in the comments below. Your fellow LC readers might find the perfect idea based on your comment!
