Intimate wedding: Gift bridesmaids at bachelorette party or at post-reception party?

knottie9b7b4fc88ec420fc

Hi Knot Community!

I wanted to get some help on deciding when is the best time to gift my bridesmaids.

Here's a little backstory. Since the pandemic, my fiancé and I decided to have an intimate wedding ceremony this November with our immediate families and our MOH and BM. We plan to have a post-reception party at a later date after the pandemic or when things are safer for our guests. I've already gave the heads-up with my bridesmaids about the intimate ceremony and they've been understanding of the situation. I told them that I would still want to celebrate and have a little bachelorette party with my girls and that I would still want to include them in the future with the post-reception party, such as taking photos and having a wedding party entrance, as a continuation from the wedding.

In this situation, when would be the best time to gift my bridesmaids, at my bachelorette party or in the future at the post reception party?

I appreciate your help and ideas!

charlotte989875

knottie9b7b4fc88ec420fc said:

Hi Knot Community!

I wanted to get some help on deciding when is the best time to gift my bridesmaids.

Here's a little backstory. Since the pandemic, my fiancé and I decided to have an intimate wedding ceremony this November with our immediate families and our MOH and BM. We plan to have a post-reception party at a later date after the pandemic or when things are safer for our guests. I've already gave the heads-up with my bridesmaids about the intimate ceremony and they've been understanding of the situation. I told them that I would still want to celebrate and have a little bachelorette party with my girls and that I would still want to include them in the future with the post-reception party, such as taking photos and having a wedding party entrance, as a continuation from the wedding.

In this situation, when would be the best time to gift my bridesmaids, at my bachelorette party or in the future at the post reception party?

I appreciate your help and ideas!

You’re probably going to get a lot of responses here on planning to ask people to throw you a bachelorette, buy a dress, take photos, and do a big entrance all for a wedding they weren’t invite to. Even with covid this is asking way too much of your friends. 

I think your best bet if you’re no longer able to invite them is to cancel any bachelorette/ showers and host a party when it’s safe. No wedding party or specific attire requires. If you have gifts for your friends that would be a good time to give them. 

ILoveBeachMusic

If someone has offered to throw a bachelorette party knowing your plans, I say that is fine. I agree with @charlotte989875 though, if you are asking them to buy a dress for the reception that is asking a lot. If you aren't (you didn't say you were), I think it is fine to ask them to pose for pictures with you. I know at my DD's wedding she had groups of friends that weren't wedding party pose for pictures at the reception - not a ton of pictures but a few. Give them the gifts at a party you host for your friends at sometime in the future that isn't called a bachelorette.

knottie1348a55fac80042b

I think a small gift after/at the bachelorette party (if that’s in budget) and then a bigger gift after the reception party!