Wedding Party Gifts...Please Help!

mgriffioenandlbrower · June 2014

Hi everyone,

I am having a hard time deciding what to do for wedding party gifts. We are on a TIGHT budget, so I am attempting to come up with nice ideas that won't break the budget.

For my maids I was thinking about getting each a pearl pendant and matching pearl stud earrings. I can get the sets for under $40 each...does that sound like a good idea? (I would not require them to wear these for the ceremony).

My fiance keeps coming up with really costly ideas for his groomsmen (like nice bottles of scotch whiskey, new watches etc), and I am not sure how to get him to come up with more realistic ideas. I would love to get our party members such nice gifts, but we legitimately do not have the money! The wedding is small and as simple as possible so I know our party members will understand getting slightly smaller/simpler gifts than we would really like to give.

Anyone have ideas of things I could suggest for the groomsmen? Or other ideas for the maids?

manateehugger · June 2014

mgriffioenandlbrower said:

Hi everyone,

I am having a hard time deciding what to do for wedding party gifts. We are on a TIGHT budget, so I am attempting to come up with nice ideas that won't break the budget.
For my maids I was thinking about getting each a pearl pendant and matching pearl stud earrings. I can get the sets for under $40 each...does that sound like a good idea? (I would not require them to wear these for the ceremony).

My fiance keeps coming up with really costly ideas for his groomsmen (like nice bottles of scotch whiskey, new watches etc), and I am not sure how to get him to come up with more realistic ideas. I would love to get our party members such nice gifts, but we legitimately do not have the money! The wedding is small and as simple as possible so I know our party members will understand getting slightly smaller/simpler gifts than we would really like to give.

Anyone have ideas of things I could suggest for the groomsmen? Or other ideas for the maids?

So try to the think about their individual tastes. If they all love pearls, your gifts might work, but there are a lot of non-pearl lovers out there (people like me also have real pearls that they enjoy wearing). Wine and cute bottle-stopper for the wine-lover, Sephora gift card for the makeup lover, etc. You can get a much more personalized and probably well-appreciated gift for your ladies than the pearl sets for $40.

Gifts don't have to be expensive, just heartfelt.

As for your fiance, have him think of his buddyies' hobbies. Are they all big football/baseball/basketball fans? Outdoorsy types? Grilling masters?

Edited for clarity.

chibiyui · June 2014

@PDKH is spot on. Many posters on here have also commented that have written heartfelt thank you notes (I'm working on those now, to send with a picture of me and BM's to my BM's) I got my girls a couple different items each, most of which were under 40 a gift. One girl got a scarf and kitty stud earrings (20 and 12 bucks) another got a historical cookbook and geo coins (30 and 5 bucks each) and I got my bridesman a bottle of grand mariner (like, 35 bucks) H got his groomsmen Das Horn, which, everyone seemed to like, but I'd still recommend going individual interests and not all the same. Good Luck!

[Deleted User] · June 2014

chibiyui said:

@PDKH is spot on. Many posters on here have also commented that have written heartfelt thank you notes (I'm working on those now, to send with a picture of me and BM's to my BM's) I got my girls a couple different items each, most of which were under 40 a gift. One girl got a scarf and kitty stud earrings (20 and 12 bucks) another got a historical cookbook and geo coins (30 and 5 bucks each) and I got my bridesman a bottle of grand mariner (like, 35 bucks) H got his groomsmen Das Horn, which, everyone seemed to like, but I'd still recommend going individual interests and not all the same. Good Luck!

um, what? Geocoins? As in geocaching trackables or something else entirely? Because if I got geocoins as a bridesmaid gift, I'd know for sure that the bride and I would be friends forever because the person who knows me well enough to get me that as a gift is a keeper.

chibiyui · June 2014

adk19 said:

chibiyui said:

@PDKH is spot on. Many posters on here have also commented that have written heartfelt thank you notes (I'm working on those now, to send with a picture of me and BM's to my BM's) I got my girls a couple different items each, most of which were under 40 a gift. One girl got a scarf and kitty stud earrings (20 and 12 bucks) another got a historical cookbook and geo coins (30 and 5 bucks each) and I got my bridesman a bottle of grand mariner (like, 35 bucks) H got his groomsmen Das Horn, which, everyone seemed to like, but I'd still recommend going individual interests and not all the same. Good Luck!

um, what? Geocoins? As in geocaching trackables or something else entirely? Because if I got geocoins as a bridesmaid gift, I'd know for sure that the bride and I would be friends forever because the person who knows me well enough to get me that as a gift is a keeper.

I am apparantly a fucking awesome friend.

But yes, my one BM geo-caches, and she was very excited to get them.

Lauderdale Pink · June 2014

First the pearls - PERFECT!!! I love the sentiment of pearls for a wedding and they are always beautiful (IMO). A fantastic, lasting token of appreciation for a special event.

Groomsmen - Father's Day is around the corner. If the gifts for the guys don't have to be "matchy"

start hitting Marshall's, T. J. Maxx, and Ross. They are stocked with great guy gifts and the prices are hard to beat.

KGold80 · June 2014

I bought my MOH a brand new with tags black leather Coach wristlet on eBay - $30. My future stepdaughter is getting a necklace. Yes, with the intent of her wearing it for the wedding, but it was designed specifically for her and I know she will appreciate it and wear it afterward. Our oldest son will likely get a gift card to Game Stop. Not sure about the youngest yet. Our three ushers (teenage nephews) will likely get gift cards as well...maybe to the movies to give them something to do this summer. OP, as long as you are thoughtful and take into account the individual personalities and interests, you should be fine!

Rebl90 · June 2014

Please re-think the pearls, there is always a strong chance that more than one person will not like the same exact gift. I was recently in a wedding where all the BMs received a generic gift and it stung a bit. I spent quite a bit of time shopping for my BMs,and while I kept it around $40 or so each, I absolutely love what I got all of them. Examples: My wine-adoring friend just got married so I purchased a gorgeous set of wine glasses for their new home. My FSIL loves cooking and expirementing with flavors so I bought her a set of olive oils from her favorite specialty store. Another friend had her eye on a really great rose-gold bracelet and I snatched it up as soon as it was on sale, etc.

To sum up: I shopped for each of them WITHOUT the wedding in mind, as if it was their birthday or Christmas.

kmmssg · June 2014

Another vote to skip the pearl idea. My DD gets married next weekend and we were recently talking about how she has received jewelry for every single wedding she has ever been in and she wears NONE of it. It isn't that some of it isn't nice, it is that it isn't to her taste. Jewelry is going to be like that - when did all of your friends go look at a jewelry display and all have the same taste? Please consider individual gifts tailored to their individual tastes/hobbies/interests.

lodele47 · June 2014

For my bridesmaids, I'm paying for their make up but I also got them each a cute $10 tote from Forever21 and I'm going to fill it with goodies. I made them each a personalized tumbler; I picked a nail polish that reminded me of them and I'm going to put each in a mason jar with some pretty tissue paper and other little nail supplies, and I was thinking about getting them all different color robes and monogramming them. Gifts don't have to be expensive, just thoughtful. Also, framed pictures of you and your bridesmaid(s) is always a sweet gift.

manateehugger · June 2014

lodele47 said:

For my bridesmaids, I'm paying for their make up but I also got them each a cute $10 tote from Forever21 and I'm going to fill it with goodies. I made them each a personalized tumbler; I picked a nail polish that reminded me of them and I'm going to put each in a mason jar with some pretty tissue paper and other little nail supplies, and I was thinking about getting them all different color robes and monogramming them. Gifts don't have to be expensive, just thoughtful. Also, framed pictures of you and your bridesmaid(s) is always a sweet gift.

A lot of this sounds sweet, but please at least make sure the nail kits are high quality, otherwise you're just junking up their houses. I never use the beauty or makeup items I get in bridesmaid totes. I'd also skip the mason jar because I don't understand how it fits in.

Also, robes are not the greatest idea. A lot of people aren't comfortable with them, or being photographed in them (If you're stuck on the idea, the shirts work out better and are less awkward).

PrettyGirlLost · June 2014

lodele47 said:

For my bridesmaids, I'm paying for their make up but I also got them each a cute $10 tote from Forever21 and I'm going to fill it with goodies. I made them each a personalized tumbler; I picked a nail polish that reminded me of them and I'm going to put each in a mason jar with some pretty tissue paper and other little nail supplies, and I was thinking about getting them all different color robes and monogramming them. Gifts don't have to be expensive, just thoughtful. Also, framed pictures of you and your bridesmaid(s) is always a sweet gift.

I'd skip this, honestly.

I personally don't care for light weight silk robes, I don't use them, and I'd never be photographed in one.

Nymeru · June 2014

I'm giving all of my BMs "date night" packages. They include a gift certificate to their favorite restaurants, movie tickets/mini-golf passes/bowling passes (depending on what I know they like to do), a bottle of wine, and a baby-sitter (me!) for those who have kids. Most of them have kids under 8, and I hear all of the time how much they wish they could just go out like they used to. Even my BMs who don't have kids will appreciate a fun night out.

brandi902 · June 2014

I agree with getting each girl something specific to their interests. I know that my sister, my MOH, loves wine, so I got her a beautiful wine glass and getting her a gift card to a wine store, because I don't know much about wine. My other two bridesmaids' interests are not very specific so I got each of them a gorgeous handmade quilt and a handmade frame. They will also be getting monogrammed shirts to wear the day of, as well as "emergency kits" for the day of, in monogrammed bags.

itsdrnotmrs · June 2014

I love the pearls or personalized totes for the girls. Girls are usually easy to shop for. I think your fiancé could still get his guys whiskey, just not super pricey scotch. If they are whiskey drinkers, surely they would like a $30 bottle of Jameson. Or go to a local liquor store and get a locally made, harder to find bottle of whiskey for $20-40. You could give with it a pair of nice but reasonably priced high-ball glasses or those whiskey rocks you can freeze and use as ice cubes that won't melt and water down the drink. If you do not want him to give them whiskey, a nice swiss army knife with their initials engraved on it would be good, which is what my fiancé is thinking of getting some of his groomsmen. Or an engraved picture frame with a picture of that groomsman and the groom to go in in, but that idea may not be "manly" enough

Guys just don't usually think to take pictures much less put them in frames...

sarahufl · June 2014

My budget was slightly higher. I only have 3 BMs, all of whom I am very close to. I spent ages searching for cool gifts for all of them and I just bought the last one. I am really excited about what I found.

My one BM lived with me in NYC for a number of years and I found a cool shelf on fab.com that looks like a fire escape.

My sister is a HUGE Harry Potter fan- I got her a cool, handmade mirror that looks like the Deathly Hallows symbol. So HP-esq, but classy and pretty.

For my SIL, I got a really cool custom made cooler. It is wood, with the Colorado flag painted on it. They love Colorado, beer, and entertaining- so it seemed perfect for her.

I am actually really excited to give them their gifts because I have gotten so many generic BM gifts over the years and these really suit them.

Also, I hate pearls.

Wedding Party Gifts...Please Help!

Re: Wedding Party Gifts...Please Help!

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