Bridesmaid Gift Guide - Before the "I Do's"

Hi friend! Your big, happy, surprise has happened -you’re engaged! Hooray! Your engagement is such a special and exciting time! While you’re hanging out on cloud nine, you probably also are starting to have a lot of questions. Where do I find my dress? What food are we going to eat? What is a bustle? One thing you have known with certainty, probably before your fiance ever popped the question, is who your bridesmaids are!

So, lovely bride-to-be, how are you going to ask your favorite gals to stand by your side on the big day? How do you thank them for their friendship, and make them feel special and loved? This quick guide lists suggestions for your Bridesmaid Gift and Proposal, as well as a sweet idea for what your bridesmaids can give to each other!

What do you value?

I want you to ask yourself the following questions:

What are gifts or experiences in your life that you value?
What would feel meaningful to you?
What is something you enjoy doing with your close friends?
What is something representative of your relationship with your friends?
Do you have any inside jokes or shared interests with your friends?

I’ll give you some of my answers to help you along. For me, I truly value a personalized gift. As a photographer and a sentimental person, some of my favorite gifts have been printed photographs and special frames to put snapshots of my memories in.

I also enjoy quality, one on one time. For instance, binge watching House Hunters on Netflix and sharing a bottle of wine with a close friend. I also love handmade gifts. The fill me up, because not only does it show that you know what I like, but you have taken the time to create something specially for me with your own two hands!

The Gifts

You’ve done some reflection on what you value in your friendships and in receiving thoughtful gifts. Check. Now it’s time to actually plan the gifts for you girls! The questions above should help to naturally guide you to your gifts. What did I choose? Naturally, I had to give each of my bridesmaids a print of one of my favorite photos of the two of us in a pretty frame. Since I place value on quality time and personalization, each of my bridesmaids over 21 received a stemless wine glass where I faux-lligraphied their name in gold! For my Maid of Honor, who is under 21, got a mug that I similarly personalized, but I put her initials and “title” instead. All of these felt meaningful and special for me to give to beautiful ladies that mean the most to me.

The Proposal

You’ve picked out your gifts, now how are you going to present them to your favorite ladies? Do you live in close proximity to your girls, or do you plan on mailing your gifts because they are far flung? I had a mix, so I wanted my gifts to be easily mailed but also have a pretty presentation.

Are you into the bridesmaid box trend? Those can be super cute when put together! For myself, I liked the simplicity of a bag I could fill with my goodies and also easily fit into a box to ship. I added some gold bows for extra pizazz!

Important Note: If you are sending anything breakable, wrap it really well! You might even want to consider having the items insured if you are concerned. Things happen, and sometimes your items break in transit. Think about this when deciding what to gift as well!

From the Bridesmaids, to the Bridesmaids

When you’re in a wedding as a bridesmaid and haven’t met all of the other girls in the party, it’s nice to get to know everyone! Sometimes giving a small token to the other girls in your group is a sweet gesture and a way to say “nice to meet you”! So here’s a suggestion for a bridesmaid gift from a fellow bridesmaid.

One of my bridesmaids made pretty personalized hand-lettered bags filled with delicious cookies with everyones name and role. It was such a sweet way for her to introduce herself to everyone when we were all together for the first time! Also it was super delicious! Something small and homemade is another lovely way to honor the special women during this time!

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Want More Tips?

Thanks for reading this quick guide! If you want more tips and fun info like this, and want to stay up to date with all things Jenna Violet Photography, sign up for our e-mail list and get pretty in your inbox! I am coming out with a “What to Wear Guide” for your Engagement Sweetheart Session, and also like to sprinkle in some sweet deals for you over there! Check out some of my other blog posts about why you should book a Portrait Session and why you should invest in a Senior Session.