MOH and BM gifts

PeachesKFG

For my wedding party gifts, I am thinking about giving my MOH and BMs each a coupon that says "hair and makeup courtesy of the bride." I would give it to them at the rehearsal dinner and that would be my gift to them (I think I am going to get them each a little wristlet and put the coupon inside..)

Do you think it's rude to give that as a gift? Do you think it implies that I WANT them to get their hair and makeup professionally done? (I already told them that they don't have to...but most of them want to....so I think they would be thrilled to hear that I would cover that expense for them). Just want to make sure it doesn't seem like a rude/superficial gift....thoughts?

TIA!

jaime10285

I was just a BM in a wedding on Saturday where the bride paid for us to get our hair done and we paid to get makeup done.  I don't know how I would have felt about the gift being her paying for the makeup.  What she did get us was cute.  She made "beach survival" bags for us.  It was a small canvas bag with our initial on it, a beach towel, a beach reading type book, a bottle of wine, and a small bracelet with our initial on it.  It was very thoughtful, practical, and full of things we'd appreciate and use in the future.  Your gift of hair/makeup is a one day thing and then it's over.  You may want to think of something more long term they can cherish.

Carebear62584

I am paying the deposits for mine.  Since some girls are doing just hair, some doing just makeup, and some doing both.  I told them that I am covering their deposits.  Those that aren't getting both things done will get something else to make up for the price of those deposits. 

akulaji

I don't know what I would think of receiving this as a gift, however, I have heard this question posed in the past on here.  I do remember several people adamently saying it was bad etiquette to make hair and makeup part of their gift.

If you told them they don't have to get it done, and then you give them a 'coupon' to have it done, it does imply that they have to... kind of a mixed signal.  I also had a BM that pretty adamently wanted to do her own makeup.  If they already know it's optional, they've made the decision whether to have it done or not, and hopefully already taken into consideration and budgeted the expense.

Ultimately, it's up to you what you want to do.  Do you want the gift you give them to be something somewhat fleeting like hair and makeup or do you want to give them some token that can be a keepsake they can enjoy even after the wedding?  Maybe think about it that way and it might help you make the decision.

Carebear62584

I probably should have included....I am getting them more than just their deposits for hair and makeup.  I am also getting them their jewelery and something more personal....just not sure what yet.  For the weddings I've been in (3 of my BM's), our gifts were our jewelry and my cousin also gave me a pandora because I was her MOH.  Therefore, I don't think my BM's would have a problem with it because it's what they did for us.

PeachesKFG

Thanks all. I thought about it again....and I think I will pay for their hair (since they have all told me that they are all getting their hair done) and they can pay for their own makeup, if they choose to do so. And I'll get them a separate gift to give them at the rehearsal dinner...I was thinking a coach wristlet with a bracelet inside, or something like that. Thanks for your advice!

Vanessa630

In Response to <a href="http://forums.weddings.com/Sites/Weddings/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_connecticut_moh-bm-gifts?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:65Discussion:6b12bd94-a98f-4640-a765-cec987db0abfPost:f3c392da-4672-45bd-aeca-68f9aa5f473d">Re: MOH and BM gifts</a>:
[QUOTE]Thanks all. I thought about it again....and I think I will pay for their hair (since they have all told me that they are all getting their hair done) and they can pay for their own makeup, if they choose to do so. And I'll get them a separate gift to give them at the rehearsal dinner...I was thinking a coach wristlet with a bracelet inside, or something like that. Thanks for your advice!
Posted by kfesta[/QUOTE]

I think that's a good idea.  I did something very similar- except my mom had wanted to contribute to their hair/makeup so I sent out an email the week before just letting them know this.  It was more a "thank you" from my mom but then I got them separate gifts which I gave out at the RD (Coach wristlet, Coach umbrella....and a few other "extras"). 

In another wedding I was in, the bride's parents paid for our hair and makeup but we also received gifts- one of the gifts was a necklace that we wore on the day of the wedding. It's nice to have that as a memory of her wedding.  Also, we each got $25 gift cards to different places (Victoria Secret, Pandora, etc.)

Good luck!