Favorite Wedding Party Gifts

slw1978

Hello,

I have three MOH's in my wedding, they are all like sisters to me and choosing one over the other could not be done. I want them to have very special gifts from me as they are a very special part of my life.

I've done a lot of online browsing... BUT being a bridesmaid or MOH yourself, what was your favorite gift? I want something they can use and will use.

KeptInStitches

The best gift I could have been given would be something that took my preferences into account. In English, something where the bride had shopped like it was my birthday or Christmas. I'm a sports junkie - something in my favorite team's colors would be nice. For the friend who likes wine, some nice wineglasses and a couple of good bottles of wine. For the girl who likes to read, the next book in a series and a gift card to Barnes & Noble.

For me, the worst gifts are bridal party jewelry because it's not really a present for them. It's something that completes the "look" the bride has in mind.

Hope this helps!

slw1978

Definitely helps, thank you!

MayDay513

I didn't get anything I LOVED! Like the bride in the wedding I was MOH in she gave us all matching bathrobes to wear for getting ready pictures. They were ok. Nothing special. She kind of threw them at us which made it even less special and then continued to talk about how she went over budget for them.

Don't do those things.

silver0319

One of my favorite gifts that I've received as a BM was a watch.  I'm still trying to determine what to get my BMs, but as KeptInStitches suggested, shop as if you were buying something for their birthday or a holiday.  

KPBM89

Last year I was a bridesmaid in my brothers wedding.  All us girls received two gifts: one was an aluminum water bottle with a picture of a bridesmaid (she got them with each of our hair colors and also in blue dresses, which was cute!) and our name on it and the second was a necklace, but each of us got a different one of something we love (her sister, the MOH, got a fish necklace and she has several fish she loves, I got a giraffe necklace and I am in love with giraffes, her cousin got a crab necklace because she loves crabs and MD, and the last BM got a camera b/c she loves photography).  I personally LOVE these gifts-I use the water bottle often (trying to be as green as we can!) and I wear the necklace at least once every week.  These are things I will always have a use for and that are practical, yet personal.  Every time I wear my necklace or use my water bottle, I think about them (we recently moved very far from all of our family so I love wearing things that remind me of home).

doeydo

A gift certificate to a spa.  That way I could get a massage and the other bridesmaids could get their nails done or whatever they want.

ashleyep

Shefoundadventure said:

I think making it personal is key. I'm getting each of my BMs a pendant with a map of their hometown on it. I am NOT requesting they wear it for the wedding. I'm also getting them each pj pants, headphones and a custom deck of cards. I'm also paying for their dress, nails, hair and makeup. It's expensive, but I decided I want my girls to feel relaxed and pampered so I budgeted for it. I'm spending close to $250 a girl with all of it. ETA: Totally not trying to brag about this. It's just one wedding thing I've put a ton of energy into. I've gotten some shitty BM gifts, the worst being sequined sandals for the wedding.

Why are you bothering with a necklace if you're not even going to ask them to wear it? For me, personally, a map pendant necklace is something that would immediately go in the trash, and I'd feel bad that we didn't even wear it on the day of. But that's just me.

msuprincess04

Keurig coffee pot. I had just started a new job and didn't have a coffee machine in my new office. So, she got me a mini one that fit on my desk. I still use it to this day.

 

NYCBruin

My personal favorite was this awesome jeweled bookmark and a gift card to Barnes and Noble.

Spa days make me happy.

I like jewelry and have a fairly consistent style.  My friends are good at picking out jewelry I like (especially my MOH who helped FI with my e-ring), but not everyone is this way with jewelry.  

Being a lush, a nice bottle of wine would also be welcome.

Potential gifts that I'm doing for my BMs (haven't decided yet, still have over a year):

Airline giftcard for my friend who loves to travel

Theatre or ballet tickets 

Gift card for a massage

Assortment of fancy teas and a teapot

Yankees tickets

Blue_Bird

ashleyep said:

Shefoundadventure said:

I think making it personal is key. I'm getting each of my BMs a pendant with a map of their hometown on it. I am NOT requesting they wear it for the wedding. I'm also getting them each pj pants, headphones and a custom deck of cards. I'm also paying for their dress, nails, hair and makeup. It's expensive, but I decided I want my girls to feel relaxed and pampered so I budgeted for it. I'm spending close to $250 a girl with all of it. ETA: Totally not trying to brag about this. It's just one wedding thing I've put a ton of energy into. I've gotten some shitty BM gifts, the worst being sequined sandals for the wedding.

Why are you bothering with a necklace if you're not even going to ask them to wear it? For me, personally, a map pendant necklace is something that would immediately go in the trash, and I'd feel bad that we didn't even wear it on the day of. But that's just me.

Shefoundadventure, would you mind p.m.ing me where you found them?

gmcr78

A restaurant gift card.  Pretty much other than that, every gift I've received as a BM was crap.

Majelin86

My bridesmaids are wearing red Converse sneakers for the ceremony, so we paid for those & got whatever they wanted embroidered on them (name, nickname, whatever!). I also got them purses which I hope to get embroidered with their initials.

We got the groomsmen black Converse sneakers, also embroidered with whatever name they wanted. We also got them backpack coolers which are also footrests for camping chairs, embroidered with their initials.

Majelin86

My fiancé has about 4 flasks from different weddings so we wanted to try to get something different! hopefully they like them :S

annamarie1120

I personally LOVED the necklace that I received from one wedding that I was in, it was a pearl pendant that was delicate and classic. Yes, we all wore them that day but it was one of those classic pieces that I can wear!

sm531

I just got my girl's their presents. I went with the necklaces as well but chose a traditional pearl necklace so that my maids could wear them a lot (seriously!). I was able to find someone who custom makes the bridesmaids sets and is very affordable, so now I have enough left in my budget to also do something like a mani/pedi for them!

mikencindy

For my Bridesmaids and MOH I'm giving them each a Tory Burch make up bag filled with things they will need on the day of. Also got each a piece of Jewelry from Tiffanys and a Key ring. Hope this helps:)

aniluisa

I agree with making it personal, no matter what your budget is. I was a BM for a friend's wedding this summer, and she got us all chapstick, nail files, and cheap earrings to wear to the wedding (this after we bought a hideous dress that we can never wear again and she dictated everything from hairstyle to nail color to shoes). 

I wasn't offended by the fact that she didn't spend a lot of money on me; she's in grad school and I know that she doesn't have a lot of extra cash. I was offended by the fact that she clearly didn't put any thought into it and just got us things because she felt obligated to and because she wanted our jewelry to match. For what she spent on those gifts (probably about $10), she could have gotten me something much more thoughtful, like a bottle of wine or a bag of coffee beans (two of my favorite things).

Lored

Best was a really nice cosmetics case (I may actually steal this idea for my sisters). Worst was a necklace to wear the day of.

Lored

aniluisa said:

I agree with making it personal, no matter what your budget is. I was a BM for a friend's wedding this summer, and she got us all chapstick, nail files, and cheap earrings to wear to the wedding (this after we bought a hideous dress that we can never wear again and she dictated everything from hairstyle to nail color to shoes). 

I wasn't offended by the fact that she didn't spend a lot of money on me; she's in grad school and I know that she doesn't have a lot of extra cash. I was offended by the fact that she clearly didn't put any thought into it and just got us things because she felt obligated to and because she wanted our jewelry to match. For what she spent on those gifts (probably about $10), she could have gotten me something much more thoughtful, like a bottle of wine or a bag of coffee beans (two of my favorite things).

Ok, I know it's the thought that counts not the cost, but come on... I'd be really annoyed if I got Chapstick and a nail file. That's pretty bad.

beachbum7212

I got each if my girls a tervis tumbler with their first initial on it, their favorite shade of lipstick from MAC (we're all obsessed with makeup), and gift cards for Starbucks and Panera. Obviously it depends on their personal tastes but whatever you do don't make something they're going to use on the wedding day or for the wedding their gift, get something they'll actually use in their daily life. Please for the love of god don't get anything that has the word "bridesmaid" or "maid of honor" bedazzled on it.

davisse3

I got a giant Land's End tote bag that had other things in it (some I use, some I dont). I use that bag basically every time we travel anywhere - especially for short trips. I LOVE it. It was really helpful to have a big bag the day of that wedding, too, to shove change of clothes and anything else needed in. I actually used it for the same thing on my wedding day.

Definitely try to personalize to the bridesmaids, though. You can give them all similar gifts that are still personalize if you want to go that route - like the PP who mentioned Tervis Tumblrs with initials.. I got all my bridesmaids mugs based on their interests. 

ei34

I feel that matching or similar gifts are fine as long as they are high quality and, more importantly, you know that each bridesmaid is going to love her specific gifts and you take care to personalize it. I got my two sisters (and co-MOH's) similar gifts: a pashmina shawl and $300 worth of gift cards to their favorite stores and restaurants- it varied for each of them since they have different tastes.  I gave my good friend, who was the bridesmaid, a pashmina shawl and gift cards to her favorite places.  (The pashmina's were because my wedding was in February, and I wanted them to have an extra layer of warmth.)  I also wrote all three thank you cards that I poured my heart into. Make sure there's a card, that's the most important part!  I think the price of the gift a bride gives her MOH/BM's should exceed what they spent of her wedding (dress, bridal shower, hair, makeup, etc.)

I've been in two wedding parties and both times the gift was disappointing: both brides gave jewelry that I wouldn't have picked out for myself that I HAD to wear that day, one a cheap picture frame probably from Oriental Trading, another gave a small scented candle...my biggest qualm was that both brides gave all their bridesmaids matching gifts.  Like it was just another thing to cross off the list, so I'm going to go and buy a bunch of matching stuff in bulk.  Zero thought went into the gift-giving process for either of them, I felt funny receiving the gifts both times.

If your MOH and bridesmaids are important to you like mine were, put lots of thought into each ladies' interests and favorite things.