Sunday, May 27, 2007

Bridal Party Gifts

There are many ways to appreciate your bridal party. Some people choose to pay for the party's wardrobe and accommodations, some choose to get them something to remember the day, some choose to treat your party to a day of pampering, and some choose to write the individuals in their party a letter explaining the magnitude of their friendship. Big or small it doesn't really matter, the point is to celebrate your friendship.
Also consider getting each of your wedding party something different. If they are all very different personalities, there is no reason not to honor that and get them all something unique. Luckily all my girls are close friends and are very similar in taste.


Many girls are stumped on what to give their bridesmaids. I think I went a bit overboard with mine, but here is what I put in there and hopefully one aspect of it will inspire you.


- A pearl pendant necklace from http://www.overstock.com to wear on the day of the wedding that complimented their dresses. (NOTE: I am the queen of returns and bought 2 necklaces and figured I would just pick which one I liked best, and return the other. Overstock has a pretty strict return policy that I did NOT research with hefty "restocking fees.")


- A DIY photo album with pictures from the bachelorette party, shower, etc.


- A silver bracelet from http://www.tiffanyandco.com. Luckily I bought these a week before their prices went up!


- A home candle and body creme from Jo Malone found at http://www.jomalone.com. They gift wrap everything that they sell, so this cut down on some things for me to do. (Madonna gave these as favors at a party once :)
- And then for the pampering, a makeup team came to the house before the wedding and did their eye makeup.


Groomsmen


Our groomsmen didn't do much or participate much in preparation for the wedding and this group of men are much pickier than any girl on the planet! So we didn't mull this one over too much. Anything they want they go out and buy that second anyway because they are so impulsive.


We got them valets (a man's jewelry box) from http://www.potterybarn.com (see: accessories, storage, and then jewelry boxes). They were black leather and had their initials imprinted in the leather.


I was really proud of how I wrapped the guys' gifts by keeping with my color palette and still keeping them "manly." Feel free to steal this idea - the guys actually gave me hugs for putting so much time into wrapping their gifts! Wrap the gift in brown kraft paper, and just print out the names on your computer in your chosen font and color. Slice a slit into each side and feed your chosen ribbon through. Ta da! Manly and pretty to the eye : )


1 comment:

Anonymous said...

Giving out gifts on your bridal party is a really thoughtful way of showing your bridesmaids and groomsmen how much you appreciate all their help. Many girls are stumped on what to give their bridesmaids but really, simple things like embroidered totes or purses will come a long way with the ladies. Jewelry is a good gift too. As for gift ideas for groomsmen, that really shouldn't be too hard either. Give each of the guys a money clip. It's a casual but elegant gift that is perfect for any budget.