What are you (or have you) given your Bridesmaids and when?

missmelanie81

So Im working on my gift bags for my bridesmaids. I tend to go over board when I make gift bags up, so Im trying not to do that. Here is what I have so far:

Each girl will get-
A totebag
Pair of blinged out flip flops
A steel water bottle

I think Im gonna make each girl a braclet and then get each girl a personalized to them gift. Like one of them loves wine, so Im gonna get her a cute wine glass. One is very religiouse, so Im gonna get her some thing from the bible store, ect...

Also when do you/did you give them to them?

At the rehersal? I was thinking of taking them out to brunch maybe a week or two before. Do I do it then?

abbeylynne06

It's totally up to you when you want to give them.  I gave mine out at the bachelorette party, since all the girls were there.  It was nice not to have to think about them at the RD.  I've received them at the RD before, and at other random times when I've been out with the bride out before the wedding.

Allycat11

Honestly, I am going back and forth with this right now.  I don't really want to do them at the rehearsal dinner. Personally, I hate giving and receiving gifts in public situations and I hate giving gifts some places where not everyone is receiving gifts.  I know that it's the norm but still makes me super awkward.  Depending on what our schedule looks like before the rehearsal, I may try to do lunch with all the girls and give them their gifts then.  I feel like the day of is too chaotic.

In terms of what I'm getting them, well that's also a work in progress   I am obviously personalizing to the girls' individual tastes, here are some things that crossed my mind:  Wine glass charms/ bottle of wine, electric wine opener, shoe bottle opener (BFF would love this I'm pretty sure), something cute and engraved from Things remembered, spa gift card, restaurant gift card, nice picture frame.  I also have a tendency to go overboard with gifts because I feel like if they don't like 1 thing I chose, there will be other things in there that they do.   I am debating getting totes or not, I feel like they will never use them but it is a practical way to give them gifts. 

missmelanie81

I got my tote bags on VP for super cheap with the groupon! I figure everyone could use them at some point.

baileyleev

Well my only bridesmaid (MOH) is my sister, so I think I will do it the night before, maybe just after the rehearsal dinner. This was one of my splurges...I am getting her a tiffany necklace and possibly their jewelry box. 

We decided on just a maid of honor and best man (our siblings), and that has allowed us to do something extra special for them.

I LOVE your idea. Brunch seems like a very sweet way to do it! 

janicejab

  I got each BM a piece of jewelry that reflects their personality (that is not intended for them to wear on the day of the wedding) and a trinket box to put it in. For example,  for my MOH (sister), I got her a pair of sapphire earrings and put them in a milk glass trinket box. She likes nice, simple jewelry and she collects milk glass. Another BM loves all different kinds of earrings and collects turtles, so I got her a pair of pearl drop earrings and a cloissone turtle trinket box. I will give them their gifts at the rehearsal dinner.

 

LOTON01

I am giving my girls Tote bags with their names embroidered on them, Hangers with their names, Blingy Flip Flops, A hand held mirror with their initial, and some earrings.

I plan on giving them all these at the Rehearsal Dinner.

rcj2rcd

Those are good ideas I'm giving my girls a Vera Bradley duffel, a robe, and matching slippers. I don't care for the idea of giving them at the RD, but that is what FI wants to do. I would have preferred to give them individually or at a brunch.

lisa89760

I'll probably give them their gifts at the RD since my FI will be giving the GM their gifts then too.  I would prefer to give them their gifts at our bridal party lunch the next day but whatever.

So far I got them the flats that you can roll up and a hot pink flask.  My orginal plan was to go shopping for each of them individually and I still might do that but I saw a billboard for this wine called bridesmaid so maybe I'll do that since they all got personalized wine glasses at the bachelorette party.

Meegles4

Lisa -- I've tried that Bridesmaid wine (unless there's more than one!). It was quite good.

Now that I'm done with that threadjack, I'll just say that I appreciate the ideas as I have no clue what to get my BMs. There's 7 of them so I'm trying to stay relatively cheap, but still nice/thoughtful just because it definitely adds up fast!

songbrd410

We're giving ours at the rehearsal dinner becasue we're spread out all over the country and that's when we'll all be in one place.

As for the gifts, I can't really say since my MOH finally started posting on here! But they're variations on a theme in that they're getting the same things but personalized to their tastes.

lxlsmplysweetlxl

So far I have bought them hair clips that match my wedding theme and picture frames from bed bath & beyond that say "the girls".  Im sure I will end up buying a lot more since my wedding is still a far way away!

lisa89760

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/local-wedding-boards_michigan-detroit_given-bridesmaids?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Local Wedding BoardsForum:88Discussion:8f422401-2dc2-4aeb-b029-1b464138aea8Post:e8e59e4f-4d6a-4f4a-af64-b78547165890">Re: What are you (or have you) given your Bridesmaids and when?</a>:
[QUOTE]<strong>Lisa -- I've tried that Bridesmaid wine (unless there's more than one!). It was quite good. Now that I'm done with that threadjack</strong>, I'll just say that I appreciate the ideas as I have no clue what to get my BMs. There's 7 of them so I'm trying to stay relatively cheap, but still nice/thoughtful just because it definitely adds up fast!
Posted by Meegles4[/QUOTE]

That makes me feel better...If I end up doing it I don't want to buy them bad wine!

kristiemk

I love the idea of the monogram tote bag, and was 100% planning on including them in the BM gifts, but I read on one of the other boards that they are horrible gifts and people do not like them! I believe one girl actually said "it makes her want to scream or cry when she gets anything monogramed."  This post makes me feel much better about them though :-)

I have been thinking a lot about what to get as well, so far I have purchased each gal a pair of white and gold Anne Klein Sandals. As far as the rest I am totally lost :-/

cmusmiles85

I'm giving my BM's jewelry and a monogrammed cosmetic bag (they got to pick the colors). I will either give it to them at the RD or while we're getting ready, as the jewelry is also for the wedding.

Viklet

I just bought my BM gifts yesterday. I got each of them a wristlet from the Coach outlet, so they were are $30 each.

I heard it's bad luck to give an empty purse, so now I am left to find something to put in them. Still working on that (even though I'm not superstituous).

paulandchelsea2012

viklet - you're supposed to put a penny in the purse! easy cheesy!!

I go overboard on gifts, too. I'm already Christmas shopping. I started making up my gifts to my BM's already and I plan on giving them something soon and then something else closer to the wedding.

All my BM's live two hours away, and some (FI's relation) are reluctant to do Bridesmaid-y stuff, so I guess I'm using these gifts as a bribe. pretty lame.

I'm giving them each a tote bag (from vistaprint) - and they're pretty cute. Blingy flip flops with their names on them, some bath stuff (like fizzies and shower gel), bridesmaid wine, possibly a magazine subscription... maybe a necklace?