I NEED IDEAS PLEASE!

kaylaj711

I have been racking my brain trying to figure out what to get my bridesmaids. I am having a fall wedding so I wanted to do things that appealed to the season. Any creative ideas? I don't have a lot of money to spend so any low budget ideas would be great!!! Thanks girls!

Leah&Christian09

Shop for each person like it is their birthday.  What are their hobbies and interests? 

mbcdefg

http://talk.theknot.com/boards/ShowPost.aspx?PostID=61654012&forumid=37Don't theme THEIR gifts around YOUR wedding. Fall has nothing to do with their gifts. Get them things that you know they will each like, and the gifts don't have to be the same.

banana468

Why not wrap the items in fall paper or your wedding colors?  Give gifts based on their likes/interests - not based on your likes/interests.

Heather822

Since it is a fall wedding, what about candy apples...? Really nice, professionally made ones...?

banana468

Candy apples are great if they're up your BM's alley.  I would like but wouldn't love one. 

Leah&Christian09

A candle apple is a favor, not a gift.I'm thinking concert tickets, a favorite book, GC to favorite restaurant, jewelry that really fits their style, etc.

Heather822

Well, my friend did candy apples as her BM gift for her fall '05 wedding. She also paid for hair & make up. But whatever... different strokes for different folks.

banana468

Paying for hair and makeup is lovely but it's not a gift.  That's a a present the bride is giving herself - not her BMs.

dsouldiva

I agree with pp's buy according to their tastes and what they like, there was a girl who bought her friend Cinema gift vouchers and a voucher for a restaurant because she loves films and hates to cook, I thought that was very cute and had been given a lot of thought.

Heather822

I thought it was really cute actually. There was no RD (her ceremony was 10 mins at the venue, there was no point), and on the morning of the wedding, all the girls came in to the salon and on each "station" where each girl was to get her hair done, there was a personalized candy apple. If thats not "personal" or "counts as a gift", than I don't know what is. My friend didn't have a lot of money, and didn't even have to do that extra step, but she did so it was all the more thoughtful. I didn't go into her wedding party party expecting to get "concert tickets". Monetary value does not a gift make... sorry ladies. Doesn't anyone remember, its the thought that counts...?  

banana468

Heather, I agree that it's the though that counts.  If a candy apple is what she can give then great.Hair and makeup though is not a gift to the BMs - it's more a gift to the bride.  It's wonderful and lovely but it's not their present.

Heather822

I don't know about that ... I respectfully disagree... I sure did appreciate not having to shell out $85 for hair, and another $60 for makeup. I appreciated fact that much more than I would have some trinket from 'Things Remembered' that would have collected dust in my closet.

banana468

I agree that some may think that's a gift - and that's wonderful if you did.IMO though, I'd ask the BM if that's OK though.  Some are cool with that and others may rather just say, "I'll do it myself," since requiring professional hair and makeup isn't appropriate anyway.  You should never *have* to pay for it as  BM. 

Heather822

Very true... I mean, we were all aware of the arrangements beforehand. I guess that might not be enough for certain types of people. We were cool with it though.

mbcdefg

I guess that might not be enough for certain types of people. We were cool with it though. When people here say that hair/makeup isn't a BM gift, I don't think their argument is that it's "not enough." Rather, I think people are making the argument that it's something for the bride's wedding. While it's certainly doing her BMs the favor of picking up the tab for them if the bride made it optional, it's not a "favor" if she said all along that they needed to get it done. It's also something to make the bride's photos look nicer and her wedding look nicer. Her intent might be, "I want my BMs to feel pretty and not have to worry about paying for it," or her intent might be, "I want my BMs to look nice because this is my wedding and I want everything to look nice."It depends on the thought behind it, for me. I certainly wouldn't agree to be a friend's BM just to get a gift, as I'm sure nobody else here would. But if she wanted me to get my hair done to look nice for her wedding, and then tried to pass it off as a gift to me ... then, yeah, I'd be disheartened by that. I'd also be disheartened if she picked out a gift for me just because it was a "typical BM gift" from a website, or if it matched all the other girls' gifts and had nothing to do with my interests or hobbies, because it would show that she didn't think of me and just got me a gift for the heck of it. I'd honestly rather get a sincere note of thanks and a hug, than a token gift that didn't really mean anything. It's not about money. It's about the intent. Candy apple gifts are awesome if the BMs love candy apples ... but a candy apple gift just because it's an autumn wedding and the apples match the theme is just selfish of the bride.

Heather822

I totally see that side of it. Didn't mean to offend anyone, or over analyze the intent behind anyone's gift. As for the candy apples, as in the case of my friend, I think they were just a nice little added touch in addition to her hair/makeup gift. I can certainly see how it may not stand up as a gift on its own. Again, in the case of my girlfriend, I don't think her hair/make up gift was to have her photos look a certain way. I mean she didn't specify that we all a certain style. Again, I don't want to presume I know the intent behind anyone's "gift giving motivation". Her whole wedding was just real low key. Our BM dresses cost about $45 each, shower was super small at her sister's house, there was no bachelorette party or RD, and it was a "gift" that made sense. She treated us the day of to our hair/make up. Again, everyone is different and has to do what feels right to them.

kaylaj711

Thanks for the ideas! To save further argument on the hair and makeup issue...I told my girls that they don't have to get those done professionally. My girls are pretty trendy and beautiful on their own...so I said that if they just want to leave their hair down or do something with it themselves thats fine. I will also have a friend there that went to beauty school who would help with hair and makeup if needed. I am trying to personalize the gifts...I totally agree with them not being uniform. I guess I started this whole post b/c I know that a lot of girls get their BM personalized tank tops and flip flops...BUT...those would be a bit chilly in october. I think I might do a personalized tote with their name on it...then fill it with simple little things that each BM would love individually. If you have any more ideas please keep them coming! My girls do LOVE carmel apples...so I might include those in the bag...Thanks again!

jeannigirl

Yum yum I looooove carmel apples. I like your idea of treating your BP to hair and makeup if its a treat. I just personally hate the whole concept of this gift giving thing because I think their are so many different options and views on this subject.I would think that the tote bag is actually cool if it is personalized for each girl and their interests. I don't think that you have to spend a small fortuntate to give them something. Its an honor just to be asked and recongnized to be part of someones wedding. Something small and personal that would mean that you thought of them individually.

mbcdefg

I'm not a fan of monogrammed tote bags, but maybe your girls are. I dunno. I've seen them a lot on this board but I've never seen a girl in real life carrying a tote with her name or monogram or "bridesmaid" on it. If you want to stick with the tote idea, maybe an everday handbag-style tote? I got my friend one from Target for Christmas and she uses it all the time - it's pink and has birds on it. I found one for her at Marshall's for a BM gift, and it was designed by Gwen Stefani for the Whatever It Takes charity (they have more celebrity-designed bags on their website). A lot of people like the LL Bean and Lands' End totes. Forever 21 has some cute totes out now that are about $5 or less each, and I think the proceeds go to charity. Maybe one of those reusable shopping bags? One bride on these boards gave her BMs Marc Jacob black totes that were cute.

kaylaj711

good point! lol...I love the idea of just getting them a cute bag....thanks!