- Blog
- Bios
- Boards
- Classifieds
- DIY
- Gallery
- Vendor Reviews
- Shop Weddingbee
Weddingbee boards
I have never been a bridesmaid, so I'm very new to the whole "bridesmaid gift" thing. Every idea I think of just sounds dumb. So, I turn to you guys! If you have been a bridesmaid before, what has been the best and/or worst gift you have gotten?? Honestly is appreciated, I need some advise here!
I am with you mpacif! I have never been a bridesmaid either so don't know how cliche my gifts are.
So far I have:
body lotion and body spray from B&BW for each
Jewelry for the day of - 3 pc set earrings, bracelet and necklace
flip flops I am making out of Old Navy flip flops and swarovski crystals
If you think any of these are overdone, I'd appreciate your advice as well!
Hey there! I've been a bridesmaid in 9 weddings. Yes 9! The worst gift I got was not getting a gift at all. The night of the RD the bride and groom gave out all their gifts to eveyone else in the room and completely forgot the Bridesmaids. The next day when getting ready she said sorry for forgetting your gifts. And handed us a small votive candle. Basically they came from the hotel gift shop! Then to top it off the thank you cards were printed out on the computer they didn't even hand sign them!
I've gotten all kinds of good gifts over the years. My fav was on the day of the wedding we all went and had a back massage together. She gave us some lotions and soaps from B & BW. And also gave us the jewelry to wear with the dress.
Miss Hot Sauce- I think your's sounds great!
I've only been a bridesmaid twice, and I'm not sure I got anything... hmm.
I completely spoiled my girls. I gave them monogrammed robes, Kate Spade clutches, pearl earrings and necklace, flip flops, and SoleMates for their heels.
robes.jpg (33 KB, 244 downloads) 2 years old ks.jpg (25.1 KB, 194 downloads) 2 years old sole-mates-for-high-heels.jpg (30.3 KB, 192 downloads) 2 years old pearl_necklace.jpg (7.2 KB, 115 downloads) 2 years old 8mm-White-Pearl-Stud-Earrings_DE1D10AA.jpg (10.4 KB, 107 downloads) 2 years old 52.JPG (23.7 KB, 114 downloads) 2 years old 
I'm with you in this boat, never been a bridesmaid, so I have no idea what I'm doing. I'm giving each girl:
-A totebag in their favorite color (made by me) All below items will be inside:
-Jewelry (earrings and bracelet made by me, necklace with a charm that suites their personality via dogeared.com)
-The Bridesmaid Survival Kit
-A shawl or pashmina for the wedding day
-Bottled water and snacks
I just have to hope that those things are ok and enough, I wanted to do more than that but FI says it's too much already.
wow, i want to be your bridesmaid missomally! i've only been a bridesmaid once, and the only thing i remember getting is the necklace to wear with the dress, which was a silver flip flop. it was a beach wedding so it was very pretty on the day, but i don't wear it often.
I'm also a little worried about what to give my bridesmaids since there are EIGHT of them. I would love to do something like missomally but I could never afford it 8 times over!
wow missomally! you done good!! i think gifts should never be expected, but on that token...i LOVE to give! i'm not sure yet what to give, but you ladies have some great ideas! i think personal gifts are the best (if you really know that's what they'd enjoy!).
@missomally - Oh please share where you got those robes from! and what are soul-mates? Is that so you don't sink in to the grass? Your gifts sound wonderful.
I know! I went totally overboard. I felt like they all deserved it though. They threw me an engagement party, a bridal shower, a bachelorette party, bought their own dresses, traveled all the way to Wyoming for our wedding and never once complained. They were amazing.
I got the robes from a little store here in town, but I know they're available online at a bunch of places. And I got the Kate Spade bags on eBay - they retail for $225, but I got them for $70 each! Score! My husband is good friends with our jeweler, so the pearls were real, but he gave us a great deal. And yes, the SoleMates were to keep their heels from sinking during the ceremony since it was outside in the grass.
I think whatever you can afford...even if its from the dollar store! Maybe you can make it personal. Get them a journal and write a note or a poem to them on the inside. Take them out to lunch after the wedding or invite them over your house to show them all the wedding pics....maybe you could frame a picture of you and all them at your wedding so each one could have it to remember the special day with you. I was a bridesmaids once for my MOH and she gave us each a necklace and bracelet to wear for the day of and a little cosmetic bag and a little personal item inside...at the time she used to call be Carebear and knew I loved the Good Luck Carebear and got me a little chapstick with the good luck care bear on it...it was the sweetest thing because it was our little inside joke!
Im thinking of jewelry for the day of and a little purse with a little personal item inside and Ive paid for their dresses...my two bms are my future stepdaughters...12 and 14 so we paid for their dresses and my MOH's dress. So there is three total.
Like I said do what you feel you can afford and what you think they may like. :)
I think i'm going to get each bridesmaid something different. but mainly jewely maybe some lotion and perfume
This is a good topic. I've been a BM 3 times. Twice were for my sisters. Let me try to remember what I got. Um. I can't remember. I know for a fact I was a horrible BM all 3 times. :-( I wish there were blogs for BMs not just for brides! HAha. Not that I would have read them....
Anyway. I got my 3 BMs pearl earrings, a pearl bracelet, a mother-of-pearl pendant necklace, all to wear the day-of, plus a silk monogrammed jewelry pouch. I think I want to get a set of notecards for each of them, too. I can't think of anything else. They're all married with kids so I feel like I'm a step behind them. OH! And I want to get them foot petals b/c a girl on my local knot board did that and her BMs LOVED them.
I'm on a pretty low budget, sadly, but I chose a handmade glass necklace for both of my girls from the Saturday Market and also got each of them a little gift box of handmade soaps (one bar and two soap truffles) and a lotion bar tin from a lovely vendor, also at Saturday Market. I'm also going to treat them to manicures and pedicures and facials the day before the wedding.
I've been a bridesmaid three times. The first time I got a bath/lotion giftset, the second time I had my dress, hair and makeup paid for, and the third time... well, the wedding is on Saturday and so far I haven't got anything, so we'll see.
The second was the best. At this point, lotions go straight into the trash can because I seem to get these every Christmas and birthday from people who don't know me very well anyway and I have enough lotion to last a lifetime!
I've been a bridesmaid (actually MOH) one time. The bride treated us to manicures and pedicures the day before the wedding, gave us an earring and necklace set to wear for the day of the wedding and a little bag with some nail polish. I have no idea what kind of gifts I'm going to give my bridesmaids, but I want to get them each something personal and useful. I'm all about wanting to buy gifts that someone will actually use and not just put away in a closet.
I have been a bridesmaid once and receiced a lovely pearl necklace and earings that I wear often.
I got my Maid of honor and bridesmaid a tote bag (from Amazon), a silver necklace and earing set, a pair of flip flops (big J-Crew Sale) and a shawl (Peach Coture).
Mine are getting a tote bag with their names embroidered on it that contain the following:
- Make-up bag (will put some samples from Clinique free gifts in here)
- Gold clutch for use day of wedding
- Real peridot and gold earring and necklace set for day of wedding
- Umbrella in wedding colors
- Bath and body works lotion set
- Shoes to wear day of
In addition, I am covering their dresses. They've also asked that if I want them to have professional hair and make-up that I cover that, which hurts, b/c I've covered EVERYTHING so far, so I will probably just have them cover their own. If I can afford it closer to the wedding I'll certainly offer.
I really want to do a wrap in a dark chocolate brown but have not been able to find one in a dark enough brown. I am also going to take them out for a bridesmaids luncheon the weekend before the wedding (this is when I will give out these gifts - though they already know about some of it, like the shoes).
i've never been a BM but i have been a flower girl (lol when i was 6) and a reader (when i was 15). when i was flower girl i received a beautiful pearl neckalce and earring set which i got an extension for and still where to this day. when i was a reader i got this 'make your own necklace' set for my zodiac sign. i've worn it once since i got it and that's only bc the bride was going to be at a function so i thought it would be good to wear it. i think i gave it to goodwill after that...it was really bad
I've been a bridesmaid once, and the only "present" we got was our Shoes. I love my friend, but these were seriously ugly shoes. But we all smiled and wore them anyway!
For my BMs I'm getting them a funky necklace, a cute makeup pouch and then giving them silver evening bags to carry instead of flowers on the day. I'm also doing little gifts for people like my boss who is coming down early to do alterations on the BM dresses (Yes, I know, I have the best boss EVER!!)
This is a great thread! missomally, love your idea about solemates! Nobody likes getting their heels stuck in grass! I've been a bridesmaid twice, and received a necklace once and a giftbag of random treats, all personalized to our styles and personality, the other time. I really like the idea of giving something in the same genre (i.e. clutches, jewelry, etc.) but making it a little more personal for each bridesmaid. i'm having a hard time deciding what to go with, too! so many options!
The only gift I haven't liked was the jewelry to wear with the dress. I have never worn it since and would never wear it again. Make your gift suit your girls. Get them something they would like or are interested in. Or jewelry you know they will love. Good Luck to you
Best gift: One of my friends knew a shop where you could make your own perfume. You chose the scents and then they were blended into a body spray for you. Everyone's was perfect because it was made specifically for them!
Different (wouldn't say worst, the thought was there)gift: One of my friends and I had chatted about the churches we grew up in. I mentioned losing my cross I had received when I was confirmed. One her wedding day she gave me a crucifix to replace it. Thing is, it made sense to her (Catholic) but I'm Methodist...
I'm giving my bridesmaids handstamped necklaces with dangles matching the wedding colors. Don't know what the stamp will be yet, and I want them to be able to wear the necklaces in the future, so our wedding date seems kind of silly. I'm also paying for hair/makeup (if they choose to have it done) that day.
I have been in three weddings. The first wedding, I was MOH, and received a white throw blanket with an embroidered corner reading:
Maid of Honor
XX-XX-XXXX (wedding date)
I honestly can't remember what I got in the second wedding (it was oldest friend). The day before I ran around and bought grey drop pearl earrings for everyone before the rehearsal started.. that might have been part of the gift. Maybe I'll ask her. I like the earrings... but then again I picked them out! haha
The wedding I was just in a few months ago the bride gave everyone a matching pearl earring/necklace/bracelet set to wear with the dress, chapstick (it was a winter wedding), and a small bottle of hand lotion. I'm wearing the earrings right now..
@10910bride- That perfume shop sounds awesome... it's personalized, will remind your friend of the day you shared together without your name and wedding date plastered all over it. :)
I haven't been a bridesmaid in almost 15 years, so I can't really remember.
Here is what I think I'm going to get my girls, though:
1. A necklace like this, but with their name instead. From pianobenchdesigns on Etsy.
2. A personalized mug from DesignHer Gals.
3. Some kind of fun fragrance from Demeter.
4. And probably a clutch from Etsy seller ModDot Textiles.
Here are my bridesmaids gifts! They were personal & not too pricey:
The picture above is my mason jar that I did for myself, I got one for each of the ladies & the beer mug on the right is what my husband did for his groomsmen, along with a Buck Knife that had their names engraved in them!
I was happy with the gifts, & I think our bridesmaids & groomsmen were too :)
I've never received any gifts as I bridesmaid I liked. I've only received really cheap/ tacky jewelery for the day, which I would end up throwing out and never wearing again. I wanted to get some nice things for my girls, so I got these:
1). Paid for their floor length dresses
2). Bought 10mm 18K yellow gold studs:
http://www.bluenile.com/gold-earrings-ball_7782
3). Bought them each a 14K yellow gold and agate necklace:
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=25511775
4). Bought them each custom made clutches in different shades of gold (and one matching their b-maid dresses for me) for the day:
http://www.etsy.com/view_transaction.php?transaction_id=25016313
5). Bought them each a custom Land's End Beach Bag with their initials what will be the "gift bag" for all of their goodies (I got the navy striped one with red initials):
I am also thinking about paying for their hair to be done the day of too, but it's going to depend on how much spare cash I have!
I've been a BM three times and no gift I've gotten has ever been "bad" because there was always a nice thought there.
1st time: jewelry box with my initials engraved (don't know if there was anything in it b/c it was a long time ago)
2nd time (MOH): tote bag with my name embroidered, filled with be-jeweled flip flops, MOH tank top, mini photo album, bracelet, necklace/earrings to wear the day-of. I use the tote every day and have worn the bracelet several times. I have not worn the other jewelry though.
3rd time: pearl necklace, earrings and bracelet to wear the day-of, bridesmaid survival kit, water bottle with my name on it and dress paid for. I've worn the jewelry several times since then, haven't used the survival kit (but it's small enough to bring to any wedding I go to), and the water bottle is just fabulous! I love metal water bottles so I really liked this one.
And for my bridesmaids I plan on getting them:
-necklaces from Tiffany..I chose unique ones based on what I think they would like (butterfly, dragonfly, star or heart)
-will DIY tanks for them to wear the day of. I love the BM/MOH tanks with jewels but I may do something less wedding-y so they could wear them again.
-MAYBE a pashmina to wear that day. I'm already really over budget!
Hostess gifts for the same girls for my shower are:
-a hand-sewn case personalized for each of them, filled with B&BW hand sanitizer, nail file, lip gloss and other goodies. I also made them for the moms since they are all co-hosting the shower.
the best gift i ever got was a furla wallet when i was MOH in my bff's wedding. it was totally my style and so practical! i've also gotten tiffany earrings that we were told to wear to the wedding. these were not my style and although the thought was sweet and super generous, i haven't worn them since.
my friends and i now sort of have an unspoken rule that bm gifts are true gifts, not requirements for the wedding day. i'm getting my bm's earrings but i don't care if they wear them or not on the day of. i just want them to truly like them and enjoy them!
I've never been a bridesmaid so I have no gifts to report!
So far.... I am spoiling mine!
Paying for hair on the day of, buying jewelry for the day of, have bought cute personalized totes which I've filled with monogrammed tissues, a personalized hoodie to wear while we get ready, and a fun perfume!
So far I'm getting them:
- Hair and make-up
- Possibly their dresses (they choose what they wear)
- Nails done
- A charm bracelet with charms that are their essence or commemorate a memory we share
- Flip flops
I'm thinking I'll also ask one of my BMs to make them all salt scrubs (because she does) and I'm commissioning another one of my BMs to make everyone's necklaces. Haven't decided on that, I may just buy them simple pearl necklaces but don't know if that would go with a silver bracelet. I can't decide!
I was MOH in a wedding and I got a really nice ring and a perfume. She also paid for our hair and makeup. It was really generous and sweet of her and we all loved it!
The next wedding I was in I got a necklace that looked like it was for a 3 year old. Big brightly colored plastic balls. They looked like peanut m&m's on a necklace. We were a little upset by this. The least she could've done was write us a nice thank you note since we all put a lot of work into her wedding, but we didn't even get a verbal thank you.
She also had given us no say in our bm dresses. We showed up to the shop thinking we were going to try things on and choose with her and when we'd gotten there she'd already chosen a dress without tellling us and they were ugly and EXPENSIVE. Shows how thoughtful that bride was...
1st time (BM): my dress, beach tote with cute shot glasses, lotions/bath stuff, a bottle of Hypnotic!
2nd time (MOH): my dress, tote, jewelry for the day of (which I still wear), a couple small lotions, picture frame which was supposed to have a pic of us in it but didn't :(
The gifts were all okay but I could have done without the lotion/bath stuff, empty picture frame and even the totes because I have so many already...I REALLY appreciated them both paying for our dresses. So that was probably my favorite gift from each!!
For my MOH (she's the only one for our DW!): paid for her dress, bought an Etsy hair flower for the day of, clutch that will match one for me, and my mom is paying for her hair/make up. I wanted to get her jewelry for the day of but she doesn't typically wear jewelry so I am figuring if I do, she'll never wear it again especially if it's not really her style. So I might not and just let her choose her own that she will wear again.
I actually REALLY enjoyed it when I got the bottle of Hypnotic. I think I might get my MOH one!!
The first time I was a BM, the bride paid for the dresses and shoes, hair and makeup, and got us Morano glass clocks. The groom gave his guys monogramed silver hip flasks that my sister and I coveted so much, the bride bought us those too.
The second time, the bride paid for my dress, hair, and makeup. I can't remember if she got me a physical gift, but I didn't feel like I needed one, because she paid for all the other things.
I haven't decided what to give my BMs. I have tons of ideas, but not enough money. I'm not even paying for their hair or makeup :-( I'll have to put some creativity to use real soon.
I've been a bridesmaid once, and was extremely disappointed when our gift was the bride paying for our makeup($25) and giving us a redbull and a bar of sparkly soap... not what I expected and nothing you can really hold on to as a keepsake.
When I got married I wanted to show my girls that it really meant something to me to have them stand for me so I got them matching clutches to go with their dresses, their jewelry and engraved flasks for the ones who drink and compacts for the ones who don't.
I've been a bridesmaid once and was not too stoaked about the gift. Each of us (all 8) received monogramed candy dishes. Similar to the one you might see at your Nana's. The groomsmen got monogramed bathrobes. I was way jealous.
At this point I have lots of ideas floating around, but i'm thinking:
A clutch, day of jewlery, shoes (because I want green shoes) and possibly something else.
my worst gift was no gift. i got my girls tiffany-style bracelets with their names on the charm. would have got more but they have been horrible bridesmaids.
I was a bridesmaid last month and was pretty disapointed with our gifts. First, the bride had ordered them late and so she didnt have them on the wedding day while the guys had theirs (pocket watches).
She ended up just giving it to us when she saw us individually, and it was a monogramed charm bracelet and it was too small for another girl and me and she didn't even offer to have it sized for us which I thought was a little rude. I went a a jewelers that week to have it sized (it was pretty and I wanted to wear it), and they said that because it was so cheaply made, there wasn't really anything they could do about it. So I can't wear it or use it.
You must log in to post.
| Visit our sister sites | eHarmony Online Dating |
eHarmony Advice Dating Advice |
Project Wedding Wedding Songs |
JustMommies Pregnancy Calendar |
Create the honeymoon of your dreams.
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| ellisrobertson | 24 |
| fishbone | 21 |
| ndreighton | 18 |
| MsPanda | 14 |
| ladyartichoke | 14 |
| aduarte3201 | 14 |
| mypinkshoes | 13 |
 rdownie1 |
12 |
| pengoala | 11 |
| Brielle | 11 |
| User | Posts Today |
|---|---|
| j_jaye | 2 |
| Lee_Ann | 1 |
| MsPanda | 1 |
| lovelymayday | 1 |
