Monogram for Bridesmaid Gifts

Jules226 · May 2014

Hi All,

I had a question about what letters to put on a gift for my bridesmaids. I am thinking about giving them each a monogrammed cheese board and knife/spreader. Because this is a gift for the home and family, I was thinking it would make sense to put a last/family initial on it. One of my bridesmaids is married with children, so I think the last initial would make good sense for her. However, the other two are unmarried and I don't know what they would plan to do one day about changing their names. To further complicate things, I think one of them may be getting engaged soon. Should I put first initials on their boards? Is it ok to mix it up (last for one maid, first for the others)?

Thanks for your ideas!

AddieCake · May 2014

Yes, it would be fine to mix it up. My question is, is this something they will all LIKE? I do not think I would like a cutting board as a present unless I was a bride and had it on my registry.

mysticl · May 2014

Do they like cheese? Do they entertain? Is this something they would ever use?

Jules226 · May 2014

I am pretty confident they will like them. I was just wondering about the monogram issue. Thanks!

MyNameIsNot · May 2014

If these women have a lot of monogrammed items, use whatever monogram they normally use.

If they don't regularly use monogrammed items, skip the monogram. Most people don't like monogrammed items.

chibiyui · May 2014

I would skip the monogram as well.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

While I think my initials are totally kickass since I started a family trend and six of us share initials, I don't need my initials monogrammed on a cutting board. I love a good cutting board, but I don't love monogrammed things. But, if I HAD to choose, I'd say first name initial. Because I'm not changing my last name and nobody else in my house shares my last name. So, if this is a family thing, the last initial doesn't make sense. But if it's a family thing, the first initial doesn't make any sense either.

tammym1001 · May 2014

I personally enjoy monogrammed things. I would actually be fine with either my first or last initial on things, but if it was something for my house I would prefer my last initial.

Bubblegum5586 · May 2014

I received a cutting board as a shower gift. Instead of initials they had an apple tree engraved on it (we had an apple "theme" for our wedding) which I thought was a very personal way to customize it as well.

buddysmom80 · May 2014

I would be all for that cheese board as a BM, but I'm not a big fan of monograms.

Jules226 · May 2014

Thanks for your suggestions! I really like the idea of having an image instead of a monogram on the board.

erinlin25 · May 2014

I have 3 cheesebaords...none of them are monogrammed. Try shopping for them as individuals and leave monograms off their gifts.

Jen4948 · May 2014

erinlin25 said:

Try shopping for them as individuals and leave monograms off their gifts.

This. Whatever you do, I'd leave the monogram off the gift. I've gotten monogrammed gifts that I never use because I feel that with the monogram there I don't have full right to use the gift or not as I see fit-I'm constrained to keep it and use it as the giver saw fit when s/he gave it to me.

lilacck28 · May 2014

Jen4948 said:

erinlin25 said:

Try shopping for them as individuals and leave monograms off their gifts.

This. Whatever you do, I'd leave the monogram off the gift. I've gotten monogrammed gifts that I never use because I feel that with the monogram there I don't have full right to use the gift or not as I see fit-I'm constrained to keep it and use it as the giver saw fit when s/he gave it to me.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the OP was about putting the initials of each bridesmaid on the gift, and not the initials of the bride/ groom. I definitely would not want a gift with the date of someone else's wedding, or the initials of someone else, but I wouldn't mind a gift with MY initials on it.Though I don't often seek out things with my initials...

Jen4948 · May 2014

lilacck28 said:

Jen4948 said:

erinlin25 said:

Try shopping for them as individuals and leave monograms off their gifts.

This. Whatever you do, I'd leave the monogram off the gift. I've gotten monogrammed gifts that I never use because I feel that with the monogram there I don't have full right to use the gift or not as I see fit-I'm constrained to keep it and use it as the giver saw fit when s/he gave it to me.

Correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the OP was about putting the initials of each bridesmaid on the gift, and not the initials of the bride/ groom. I definitely would not want a gift with the date of someone else's wedding, or the initials of someone else, but I wouldn't mind a gift with MY initials on it.Though I don't often seek out things with my initials...

Stuck inside the box

Regardless of whose monograms are on the gift, it can make the recipient feel "restricted" about what they can do with the gift, even if that's not the giver's intention. So it's something I personally wouldn't do. If the OP wants to do it, that's her decision to make...the bridesmaids may or may not appreciate it more because it's monogrammed.

lilacck28 · May 2014

I'm not trying to be argumentative... but... I'm genuinely confused about how a monogram on a cutting board restricts how you would use a cutting board? Or as a book end. Or whatever other purpose you have in mind. The only thing I can think of is that a monogram would disqualify the gift from being returned (side question: is a gift receipt usually provided with attendant gifts?) or re-gifting the cutting board.

Jen4948 · May 2014

lilacck28 said:

I'm not trying to be argumentative... but... I'm genuinely confused about how does a monogram on a cutting board restricts how you would use a cutting board? Or as a book end. Or whatever other purpose you have in mind. The only thing I can think of is that a monogram would disqualify the gift from being returned (side question: is a gift receipt usually provided with attendant gifts?) or re-gifting the cutting board.

That's just it: What if you don't want to keep the cutting board or whatever the item is? No one wants a regifted, donated, or otherwise disposed item with a monogram that can't be removed.

lilacck28 · May 2014

Ahh, okay. Yeah, makes sense.

Also.... any answers on the etiquette of providing gift receipts with attendant gifts?

Jen4948 · May 2014

lilacck28 said:

Ahh, okay. Yeah, makes sense.

Also.... any answers on the etiquette of providing gift receipts with attendant gifts?

I would think that gift receipts (if what we mean by this are those printed receipts that don't have the price on them) should be included with the gift. Otherwise, they should not be presented with the gift, but they should be kept so that the recipient can ask them back if they have to return the gift. I would do this with all gifts-not just attendant gifts.

Alyssa18o6 · May 2014

Hmm, both the FI and I were considering the "main" gift we give our bridal party members to be monogrammed. I was getting the girls robes with their monogram, and the guys we're getting flasks with their monogram. I personally am a HUGE fan of monograms so I wouldn't mind. And I LOVE the cutting board idea as well, i'd be super happy to receive it

But thats just me. I wonder if we should rethink our gifts now

KeptInStitches · May 2014

@alyssa18o6, I'd rethink your gifts - make them more tailored to each BP member's interests. Think birthday or Christmas.

[Deleted User] · May 2014

KeptInStitches said:

@alyssa18o6, I'd rethink your gifts - make them more tailored to each BP member's interests. Think birthday or Christmas.

agreed. i don't ever ever ever wear a robe. certainly not a monogrammed one. and I have plenty of flasks as does my FH. But if you wanted to get me a six pack of a delicious local microbrew and a set of fancy beer glasses, I'd know you were a true friend who knew me super well and really wanted to thank me for standing up in your wedding.

iloveu4ever · May 2014

Just do their first name.

Jen4948 · May 2014

Alyssa18o6 said:

Hmm, both the FI and I were considering the "main" gift we give our bridal party members to be monogrammed. I was getting the girls robes with their monogram, and the guys we're getting flasks with their monogram. I personally am a HUGE fan of monograms so I wouldn't mind. And I LOVE the cutting board idea as well, i'd be super happy to receive it But thats just me. I wonder if we should rethink our gifts now

I would hate to receive a monogrammed robe as a gift. Robes are too personal for me to ever want to receive one as a gift, and should I not want to keep it, the monogram makes it impossible to get rid of. I'd rethink this, big time.

Viczaesar · May 2014

iloveu4ever said:

Just do their first name.

Or just give them a nice cutting board without their name or anything else.

krcb · May 2014

Anything I say is a repeat, but I'm part of the crowd that does not like monograms. Is it just me, or are the letters sometimes hard to read? I consider a monogrammed gift as something I really don't need. A monogrammed cutting board wouldn't bother me much (although I see no point), but getting clothing with monograms on it - ew. Last time I had something monogrammed, it was a book bag back in 8th grade.

Rebl90 · May 2014

Another vote for non-monogrammed items. I JUST completed my shopping for my bridesmaids and I spent almost my entire 9 months of planning entertaining ideas of what I considered to be the perfect gift for each of my bridesmaids. I'm not saying that everyone needs to spend an insane amount of time thinking about what to give their wedding party, I'm a huge gift person and I take joy in picking out the perfect gift. And as someone who just received a monogrammed, matching bridesmaid gift, I say rethink the monograms and matchy-matchy gifts.

Alyssa18o6 · June 2014

Jen4948 said:

Alyssa18o6 said:

Hmm, both the FI and I were considering the "main" gift we give our bridal party members to be monogrammed. I was getting the girls robes with their monogram, and the guys we're getting flasks with their monogram. I personally am a HUGE fan of monograms so I wouldn't mind. And I LOVE the cutting board idea as well, i'd be super happy to receive it But thats just me. I wonder if we should rethink our gifts now

I would hate to receive a monogrammed robe as a gift. Robes are too personal for me to ever want to receive one as a gift, and should I not want to keep it, the monogram makes it impossible to get rid of. I'd rethink this, big time.

I guess I just got really lucky. I ended up "hinting" this to my bridesmaids and all of them loved the idea of the monogram robe. I actually had to try and talk my one bridesmaid out of ordering one now. My FI and I talked about it and we're gonna stick with our original idea just because it's in the taste of our bridal party.

Jen4948 · June 2014

Alyssa18o6 said:

Jen4948 said:

Alyssa18o6 said:

Hmm, both the FI and I were considering the "main" gift we give our bridal party members to be monogrammed. I was getting the girls robes with their monogram, and the guys we're getting flasks with their monogram. I personally am a HUGE fan of monograms so I wouldn't mind. And I LOVE the cutting board idea as well, i'd be super happy to receive it But thats just me. I wonder if we should rethink our gifts now

I would hate to receive a monogrammed robe as a gift. Robes are too personal for me to ever want to receive one as a gift, and should I not want to keep it, the monogram makes it impossible to get rid of. I'd rethink this, big time.

I guess I just got really lucky. I ended up "hinting" this to my bridesmaids and all of them loved the idea of the monogram robe. I actually had to try and talk my one bridesmaid out of ordering one now. My FI and I talked about it and we're gonna stick with our original idea just because it's in the taste of our bridal party.

Apparently you did get really lucky. Best wishes!

schellzinator · June 2014

One of the many "best" things I learned from the Knot prior to my 2013 wedding was to treat wedding party shopping like birthday present shopping. I am so glad that I did! I thought about my attendants (and listened to them) and bought them things that I knew they would like and use. As a result, I knew their smiles and thank yous were genuine when they opened their gifts. It was like Christmas for me - because I LOVE seeing the looks on friends and family member's faces when they open a gift that they truly want/need/love.

Monogram for Bridesmaid Gifts

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