Best Ideas and Gifts for Your Bridal Party

When planning your special day, you quickly learn how important it is to have the support of your bridal party. By the end of it all, you realize, your day would not have been quite so special without their help. That’s why choosing the perfect gift for the bridal party is so important. Whether you want to express your thanks with entertainment, wining and dining, a little pampering, or something crafty – these bridal gifts will please everyone and every budget.

•  Entertain

1. Specialty playing cards
2. Movie night gift basket: favorite movies (or a gift card), packs of popcorn, and boxed candy
3. iTunes gift card and colorful headphones
4. Concert tickets
5. E-reader: Kindle, Nook, or iPad

• Wine & Dine

1. French press with a bag of gourmet coffee
2. Apron and recipe book
3. Restaurant gift card
4. Wine of the month club
5. Loaded picnic basket: wine, cheeses, picnic blanket, wine key, utensils, and dinnerware

• Pamper

1. Monogrammed make-up bag
2. Beauty gift basket
3. Blowout, manicure, and pedicure certificate
4. Day spa package
5. Designer clutch

• Create

1. Scrapbook or photo album
2. Hand-painted pottery
3. Handmade jewelry
4. Basket of home baked cookies
5. DIY picture frame

A special gift for your bridesmaid may include a combination of gifts from the list above, or you can indulge the interest of your best friend with trendy workout gear and sessions at a yoga studio or a cookbook by her favorite chef and a set of cooking classes. You might even consider the gift of a personalized travel bag and tickets to an exciting city or take her on an adventurous road trip. If you are having trouble deciding between several “perfect” gifts, keep these thoughts in mind to help you narrow down your choices: One gift doesn’t fit all. You don’t have to get every woman in your party the same gift. Choose gifts that suit each individual in your party within the same price range. Make it timeless. Although it may seem like a good idea to give jewelry or handbags that match the bridesmaid dresses, it may not be valuable to your bridal party much beyond your wedding day. Gifts like jewelry boxes are a more timeless and a multi-functional gift. Would you want it? Ask yourself if the gift is something that you would want. If a monogrammed scarf or silver hairbrush does not seem like something you would want, odds are, your friends won’t want it either. Don’t give something that might end up in the attic or stuffed in a drawer for years to come. Ideally, bridal favors should be both a wedding remembrance and a token of appreciation for your bridesmaids’ time and efforts. Get creative and add personal touches – your gratitude will be evident by the care and thought that you put into the wedding favors for each person contributing to your big day.