Best bridesmaid gift you have received?

idontworkinthisvan

I'm having trouble with choosing bridesmaid gifts. So I am curious: what is the best gift you have ever received as a bridesmaid? What was actually useful or appreciated? I'm no the best at creative gifting in general so any advice is appreciated. TYIA

MobKaz

idontworkinthisvan said:

I'm having trouble with choosing bridesmaid gifts. So I am curious: what is the best gift you have ever received as a bridesmaid? What was actually useful or appreciated? I'm no the best at creative gifting in general so any advice is appreciated. TYIA

Hands down, the best gift received is one that reflects the BM and NOT the bride or the wedding.  If someone loves coffee, gift them with anything from a simple gift card, all the way to a basket filled with their favorite syrups, coffee beans, and maybe even a new mug.  If someone loves to read, gift something that reflects that passion.

Don't worry about being creative.  Think about the person and the things they enjoy. What would you gift them if it were their birthday? Their gifts do not have to "match". I also do not think wedding party gifts need to be literally tangible.  Depending on the people in your WP, treat them to a lunch or dinner after the wedding, or some other social event if it is not complicated to do so (they all live nearby, for example).

Jen4948

As @MobKaz notes, the best bridesmaid gifts are tailored to each bridesmaid's respective personal interests. They need not be all the same, but should be roughly within the same range of financial value. Nor do they need to be "creative," "unique," "original" or "clever."

They also need not to be anything the bride expects or requires the bridesmaids to wear or use for her wedding. Those don't constitute "gifts." Gifts come free of strings and attached conditions.

So items of clothing, jewelry, accessories and makeup (including robes or anything for "getting ready" for the wedding) are suitable gifts only if the bridesmaids themselves actually would enjoy them separately from the wedding. The bride should check this out ahead of time and not take it for granted that her bridesmaids are okay receiving them.

levioosa

Anything personalized that isn’t connected to the wedding. 

MyNameIsNot

The best I've ever received was a gift card for an airline that I use a lot. I love to travel, but most travel gifts are lost on me: I have a suitcase that I love and I hate those airplane neck rest things. I was able to put the gift card toward a trip a few months later. 

climbingsingle

Any gift that I loved that was one that was clearly picked out for me with my interests in mind. 

I've received jewelry for the wedding that I never wore again. A "fancy" robe for pictures that I never wore again. The only personalized gift I have used again was a stemless champagne glass with my name on it, because I love champagne and drink it often. 

Jen4948

My SIL gave her bridesmaids engraved candlesticks. Nice, but I've never found an occasion to use mine. 

maine7mob

A pair of very simple silver earrings. I still wear them decades later. 

Casadena

I've never actually gotten a BM gift that I liked.  All BM's got the same thing, they include:
- one pint glass with a funny saying
- a small makeup bag filled with cheap costume-y jewelry (I don't really wear jewelry)
- a super thin white lace scarf for a cold november wedding and an empty cheap photo frame with a note "i'll send a pic of us after the wedding"

Things I would have preferred over the above:
- no gift but a nice thank you letter/note 
- pay for my dress/hair/makeup (i dont' need chintzy gifts and would always accept $ to decrease my out of pocket cost for YOUR wedding)
- a gift card for Amazon, Target, Starbucks, Barnes and Noble, Doordash, etc. 
- a new book and bottle of wine (I like these things, not everyone does)

knottie03a56d3cf4f2c80c

Maybe controversial but the best gift I have gotten, and heard of from friends is to pay for hair, make up, and robes. Everyone feels pampered and at ease the day of knowing they’re saving money, but also going to look great! It costs so much to be in a bridal party, so covering some of that cost (and not making them do their own makeup) is appreciated. 

MyNameIsNot

knottie03a56d3cf4f2c80c said:

Maybe controversial but the best gift I have gotten, and heard of from friends is to pay for hair, make up, and robes. Everyone feels pampered and at ease the day of knowing they’re saving money, but also going to look great! It costs so much to be in a bridal party, so covering some of that cost (and not making them do their own makeup) is appreciated. 

None of those are gifts. Those are things for the wedding and part of wedding expenses for the couple. 

I'm sorry your friends spent money on things for their own wedding and tried to pass it off as gift to you. You deserved better. 

knottie03a56d3cf4f2c80c

Hah personally, I’m highly minimalistic, so just about anything I have gotten was donated within a year, and even worse, then I feel guilty for getting rid of it (but seriously how many “bridesmaid” tumblers am I expected to keep in my tiny Manhattan kitchen lol). But, agree to disagree, I can see how someone else may like a physical gift. Thoughts on experiential gifts? Taking them to a nice dinner, a boat trip around the harbor, nice bottle of wine or fancy dinner kit if they like cooking? I just hate the idea of spending money on the typical household junk I’ve seen from so many, seems wasteful. 

MyNameIsNot

knottie03a56d3cf4f2c80c said:

Hah personally, I’m highly minimalistic, so just about anything I have gotten was donated within a year, and even worse, then I feel guilty for getting rid of it (but seriously how many “bridesmaid” tumblers am I expected to keep in my tiny Manhattan kitchen lol). But, agree to disagree, I can see how someone else may like a physical gift. Thoughts on experiential gifts? Taking them to a nice dinner, a boat trip around the harbor, nice bottle of wine or fancy dinner kit if they like cooking? I just hate the idea of spending money on the typical household junk I’ve seen from so many, seems wasteful. 

I can't imagine wanting a bridesmaid tumbler any more that I'd want bridesmaid hair. Those are not gifts; they're wedding props. 

The best gifts are those that are truly for the recipient. As I mentioned above, my favorite was an airline gift card. It meant a lot that my friend thought about how I was planning a particular trip and was able to help me get there. 

If your friend knew you and knew that the boat trip or fancy dinner kit would appeal to you, it would be an excellent gift. If someone bought you a boat ride knowing you get sea sick, it would be a crappy gift.  

knottie9718bdb1779bc338

My wedding is in May 2021, but I'm getting my bridesmaids a few things. I tried to put a lot of thought into it. 
1. Welcome gift - fenty eyeshadow palette, urban decay eyeshadow primer, too faced better than sex mascara, makeup wipes, and Anastasia Beverly hills lip gloss.
2. Bottle opener
3. Necklace and bracelet set with the first letter of their name
4. Hand mirror
5. Paying for hair and makeup
I'm worried they won't like the stuff or that I'm not doing enough.

charlotte989875

knottie9718bdb1779bc338 said:

My wedding is in May 2021, but I'm getting my bridesmaids a few things. I tried to put a lot of thought into it. 
1. Welcome gift - fenty eyeshadow palette, urban decay eyeshadow primer, too faced better than sex mascara, makeup wipes, and Anastasia Beverly hills lip gloss.
2. Bottle opener
3. Necklace and bracelet set with the first letter of their name
4. Hand mirror
5. Paying for hair and makeup
I'm worried they won't like the stuff or that I'm not doing enough.

It’s not about doing or spending enough, it’s about doing something that is personal to them. Are all your bridesmaids super into makeup? Do they all wear jewelry regularly? 

If you’re worried the won’t like it, think about what they each individually do like and buy that for them. When I was a MOH in my best friends wedding she got us all the same (or rather super similar jewelry) to wear that day and it’s not at all my style and I’ve never worn it again. I know she spent a lot on it and I feel badly she did, but I’ll never wear it. Had she picked out something I liked instead of what she liked I at least would have used it again. 

On the other hand my SIL did individualized gifts for all of us and they were great! She put a lot of time and thought into them and it’s stuff I still use 4 years later. Probably cost a fraction of what the jewelry that is sitting in my case did. 

Jen4948

The only bridesmaid gift I've ever received was an engraved candle holder from my sister-in-law. I have never been able to use it. My apartment management doesn't allow candle lighting in the building and it would set off the fire alarms.

Instead of thinking "wedding" or "bridesmaid" or "uniform gifts for everyone," think instead about each bridesmaid's individual tastes and interests and come up with a gift for her that fits in that range of interests as well as her budget.

knottie705dfd488bf66da4

Choosing bridesmaid gifts can be a fun but challenging task. I totally understand your struggle!

knottie08632f779cb3753c

 In my experience as a bridesmaid, the best gift I received was a personalized jewelry piece that I could wear on the wedding day and beyond. It was such a thoughtful gesture, and I still cherish it to this day. Personalized gifts, like engraved necklaces or custom-made bracelets, can add that extra touch of sentimentality.

knottiedaaa583459d43795

One of the best gifts I ever received was a digital picture frame from www.nixplay.com. It’s one of those gifts that keeps giving—every time I walk past it, there’s a new photo popping up, reminding me of good times with the bride and the crew. The best part? It’s super practical and doesn’t just sit on a shelf. I got mine as a thank you after being in a close friend's wedding, and she uploaded pictures from the whole wedding weekend. Every time I see it, it’s like reliving those moments all over again.