Help with bridesmaid gifts!

vgmartinez

I am stuck for ideas on what to get my girls! Any ideas of what to go for on a tight budget? I was thinking a personalized make-up bag filled with travel size items from Bath & Body.

Also, what kind of gift would you get for the guest book attendant?

eshaufle

Please please please don't do Bath & Body Works stuff (for the sake of doing that stuff)...I can't remember the last time I truly enjoyed getting that gift.  I feel like that was my go-to gift for junior high birthday parties.  Not trying to be insulting...it's just my opinion.

The only thing that would make this better if you fill that personalized makeup bag (even though I don't like personalized stuff..my opinion though) with a gift card to their favorite store:  coffee lovers = starbucks, readers = barnes and noble/amazon/etc, make up junkies = sephora...you get the idea.  You could also put in their favorite candy, wine, etc.

A girl had posted earlier (maybe yesterday) her idea to do a Yankee Candle in each girl's favorite scent (her WP all liked these candles) plus a gift card to their favorite store.  Everyone unanimously agreed this was a great idea and would love to get it ourselves.

EDIT:  You had mentioned a tight budget too (how much is that per person?)...I think the idea that they had about the candle + gift card is a great gift and could keep you at a reasonable cost per person.

Also, for your non-WP gifts (readers, guestbook, etc)...you could probably just do the giftcard.

stina93446

Go for quality, not quantity. Do your friends LIKE bath and body works? SOme of their stuff smells SO bad to me. Like, the warm vanilla scent is gross. I would go for gcs if you really didn't know what to get them. Even a gc o the local movie theater and a note attached saying "enjoy that new flick you've been wanting to see and get the gummy bears on me." 

Also, we gave gifts to everyone who "touched" the wedding. So my little cousins who handed out programs and my sister's boyfriend who helped with the sound all got gifts. They don't have to be expensive, just thought out.

aerinpegadrak

For a tight budget, check eBay.  I got my girls all leatherbound books that retail for about $80-90, I spent $25-35 on each one.  DH got most of his guys' gifts on sale as well.

I like B&BW, but only certain scents, and I usually stock up when they have their sales so I always have enough to last me a good long time.  My sister got us each the "bridesmaid" totes filled with the little travel stuff, and it pretty much all went in the trash.  I also personally don't wear makeup and don't use anything with my name on.

Forget about the wedding.  Think about what you'd get them for Christmas or a birthday, and go from there.

And everyone who has a role in your wedding for which they are not being paid should receive a gift.  For the GB attendant, please make it strictly a pre-ceremony thing, and let her enjoy the reception.  I didn't mind doing the job for a friend of mine, but I was treated as a bridesmaid in every other respect (including gifts), and once they were getting ready to start the processional, I was officially "off-duty" for the rest of the night.