Wedding Party

Bridesmaid Gift Idea--What Do You Think?

edited December 2017 in Wedding Party
My bridesmaids are spending about $140 on their dress, and they have the option of paying for professional hair and make-up, which they are opting to do.  They can choose their own shoes and jewelry, and some of them are opting to stay in a local hotel, and I am paying for a shuttle service.  As wedding party thank-you gifts, I'm buying the ladies (Maid of Honor, Matron of Honor, 3 bridesmaids, cousin-officiant, and both moms) the following:

1. A personalized mug with a pink interior and handle (ex: "Maid of Honor Kelly" on one side and the bride and groom's names and wedding date on the other side).

2. A small bag of coffee grounds with a custom label that says "Grounds for Celebration" and the bride and groom's initials and wedding date.

3. A $10 Starbucks gift card.

Altogether, this comes to about $35 per lady, not including shipping for mugs and labels.  Should I increase the value of the Starbucks cards?

Keep in mind that for favors, every guest gets a mini cinnamon-bun-scented mason-jar candle and matchbox (both customized to reflect the wedding date and bride and groom's names).  They are in sheer white draw-string organza bags.

Is the above enough?  Does it sound cheap?  Reasonable?  Cute?  All of these costs add up!  Thanks for your input.

Re: Bridesmaid Gift Idea--What Do You Think?

  • Favors are separate from wedding party gifts so I'd recommend not including the candles when thinking about their thank you gifts. 

    I agree with PPs; shop for them like it's their birthday/holiday. You don't have to spend a lot, but remember it is a thank you to them for standing up in your wedding so get them something they would really want. I don't know many people who really want coffee mugs with other people's names and wedding dates on them. I know it's meaningful to you, but think about what would really make them happy. Those are the best presents. 
  • ahoyweddingahoywedding member
    First Comment First Anniversary First Answer 5 Love Its
    edited December 2017
    Your favors sound very lovely! However, those are separate from your wedding party gifts, which are thank-you's for the time, money & effort your nearest and dearest spent to be part of your celebration. They don't have to be pricey, but they should be personal.

    As an example, I had 3 BM's. One sister had sent us a list of books she wanted at Christmas, so I chose one off of there and also got her some tea. My other sister frequents her state's parks, so I got her an annual park pass. My teenage cousin got a cool wristlet. Nothing broke the bank, but they were all gifts they actually liked and spoke to their personalities and likes. 

    I've been in a few weddings where we got "weddingy" stuff and I honestly threw most of that out. If you're looking for an idea of a "same" gift to get everyone, one friend gifted the WP frames with pictures of her & each one of us as kids and then a recent picture. Her wedding was almost 10 years ago and I still have that on display.

    (eta: fix spelling)
  • I made a little individualized gift box for each of my girls.  I have a leather goods business, so I made each of them a personalized leather key fob.  Our wedding was in the mountains so I did get them each one of those enamel camping mugs with a mountain motif on the side (all of them are outdoorsy, and big coffee drinkers, so I figured that would be ok) and a small bottle of bubbly (sparkling water for the one that doesn't drink).  I added an assortment of small treats personalized to each one (nail polish for the one who loves that, a fancy luggage tag for my sister who travels constantly, and so forth, plus candies or chocolates based on their tastes).  Basically I just imagined I was putting together a Christmas or birthday box for each woman and went with that.

    The gifts should not be wedding memorabilia.  That's just weird.  It's supposed to be a thank you, not a souvenir.  Beautiful mugs are fine (if they all like coffee or tea) but I would scrap the idea of putting your name/date/initials/wedding roles on anything at all.
  • I don’t mind that it’s cheap, but it isn’t particularly thoughtful. 
  • IMO - rethink your idea of "gift" here.  This list is a "this is cute - the reality is either the stuff is going in the trash or the donation bin and at most collecting dust on a shelf"..  sadly, that includes those candle favors.  As PP have recommended, shop for your BM "as-if" you're going shopping for their Birthday on an individual basis.  

    Here's how that's the case.  First, the mugs are all about "my wedding", a one-day event that they aren't going to reuse.  Also, not everyone is that into mugs or they have 8,000 of them laying around.  Next, do you know for certain that all of your BM drink coffee and what type/style they drink.  Not everyone loves Starbucks, nor random flavors of coffee grounds even if they do enjoy coffee.  Some coffee grounds are best made with specific styles of coffee makers, so depending on the type of coffee maker they've got, you could be giving them something that'll go straight in the trash can and useless.  As for the candle scent, people are in general scent specific, a neutralizing scent (unscented, beeswax, etc.).  Instead of the candle favors, upgrade something about the meal or guest experiences instead, add a larger slice of cake, a late night snack, give-aways for the DJ (glow necklaces/bracelets, boas, gift cards, etc. - talk to your DJ they'll have ideas that enhance), etc. as it'll be money better spent.  


  • I like the ideas, if you're set on mugs instead of putting "maid of honor" I'd suggest just the name or initial.
    If you want the wedding date, do it on the bottom of the mug. Still there, but not obvious.

    Are they all coffee people? If so, great. If not maybe look at teas or hot chocolate or even lattes :)
  • I'm not sure of the age of your BMs but I don't want another mug.   I need to throw out some that I do have.  The gift seems OK but it also seems.....generic.  
  • Overall, I agree with the other PPs that the gifts should be more personalized.  Though you do have one wedding-y idea that I think is cute.  IF your BMs like coffee and you know their coffee taste, I think the labels with "Grounds for Celebration" to put on a coffee bag are fun.  I would laugh at it (in a good way), if I were one of your BMs.

    As long as the coffee in the bag wasn't chicory or a light brew, lol.

    I am going to borrow that idea for my H, for our 5-year anniversary this year. 

    My sister was my MOH and she drinks iced coffees at Starbucks all the time.  One of the items for her gift was a lidded cup that looked like an iced coffee cup, with a Starbucks gift card inside. 

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  • I am planning on:

    - jewelry for wedding day

    - beach bags

    - makeup on wedding day

    - tshirts / tanks for getting hair did

    - thank you cards for each of them

  • elenaaaa said:

    I am planning on:

    - jewelry for wedding day

    - beach bags

    - makeup on wedding day

    - tshirts / tanks for getting hair did

    - thank you cards for each of them

    So the beach bag is the only actual item FOR them in here. The jewelry, makeup & shirt are kind of a gift for you to fit your vision. Unless the jewelry is individualized to their personal style, it's likely they won't get any future use out of it. And if the shirt has something about your wedding date written on it, you've just given them a gym/house cleaning shirt.
  • elenaaaa said:

    I am planning on:

    - jewelry for wedding day

    - beach bags

    - makeup on wedding day

    - tshirts / tanks for getting hair did

    - thank you cards for each of them

    So most of tgat is stuff for you and your wedding, nothing is personal, and nothing is thoughtful. 
  • banana468 said:
    I'm not sure of the age of your BMs but I don't want another mug.   I need to throw out some that I do have.  The gift seems OK but it also seems.....generic.  
    Same to a degree.
    I love personalized mugs. I have one with uppercase initial and it swoops around to the other side with lowercase version. I was also that kid who barely got anything with their legal name and had to suffice with nicknames {my legal name isn't a legit name apparently lol}

    I keep trying to slowly remove the plain mugs we have lol
  • I've been in 2 weddings. For my best friends I received jewelry for the wedding day and a "wedding day survival kit" (travel size toiletries) in a cute make up bag.  It was ok but felt very wedding related. 
    For my other friends wedding I received button up shirt with initials embroidered on it (for getting ready) and bottle of wine that she knew I would like in a cute wine bag (at our age we need glasses (so cute!!!)) and a stemless wine glass with my initial on it. These were defiantly better gifts. Even though the shirt was "wedding related" I still wear it out. It doesn't say "bridesmaid" or anything on it which makes it wearable longer I think. 

     

  • MesmrEwe said:
    elenaaaa said:

    I am planning on:

    - jewelry for wedding day

    - beach bags

    - makeup on wedding day

    - tshirts / tanks for getting hair did

    - thank you cards for each of them

    Aside from the obvious "this is stuff for your wedding for them to use, not a gift in a convenient matching tote" ...  The t-shirts/Tanks for them to get their hair done isn't the right tool for the job as that has to be taken off over the makeup and hairdo thus crushing the hair and wiping the makeup.   Don't send a T-shirt to do a button-up the front shirt's job.  

    Cracking up at this phrase.  Love it!

    Back when I was getting married, I am grateful to TK advice on a similar post that button down shirts are the way to go for getting ready.  I would not have thought of that myself otherwise, but I took heed!

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