Advice from Prosperity Mansion & Farm an outdoor, Maryland wedding venue located in Frederick County Maryland and bordering Carroll County.
It takes a village to plan a wedding, and one of the biggest parts of that village is the bridal party. They're the ones that are supporting you every step of the way. There is no way to ever truly repay them for all they do, but many brides choose to give them gifts as a way of saying thank you.
As with any other part of a wedding, there are traditions to the bridal party gifts. Most wedding sites that have written about bridesmaids gifts say the common rule is $75-$150 per member of the bridal party, and the maid of honor's gift is usually more extravagant than the rest. Of course, not every tradition has to be followed, so do not feel pressured to spend this much if your budget is tight. For me personally, I would spend money for their gifts based upon:
How helpful they are being to me. I would give something extra on the side to a bridesmaid that was really going above and beyond.
How much I can afford.
As long as your appreciation for them is clear, any gift you give them is a gift they will love.
So, what exactly should you give your bridal party? Prosperity Mansion and Farm, a wedding venue in Maryland, has seen some wonderful bridesmaids gifts that we'd like to share with you. Some brides give their bridal party matching robes to wear as they get ready for the wedding, some brides gift jewelry for their bridesmaids to wear during the ceremony, and some have given them embroidered bags for a wedding keepsake.
If you're still wondering what to get, other sites have provided wonderful ideas for bridal party gifts—this comprehensive list from Brides.com includes ideas and links to purchase some of their suggestions.
Common bridesmaids gifts include personalized wine glasses, small candles, cell phone cases, jewelry, robes, and more. If your bridal party includes a male (a brides man), a set of cuff links or a tie pin for the wedding is a great way to include him in your gift-giving!
If you choose some of these gifts, where can you buy them? The most common place to buy bridesmaids gifts is Etsy, where there is a large selection of gifts and you can have them personalized and customized to your liking. Plus, by shopping on Etsy, you're able to support small businesses, which is especially important with the rise in popularity of online shopping. Etsy also has plenty of budget-friendly options to help you find the best gift for your budget.
If you'd prefer to take a more DIY approach to your bridal party gifts, swing by a craft or fabric store! Many of them have materials to make jewelry, bags, hair accessories, or more for your bridal party. If you're a crafty bride with great sewing skills, you can always get beautiful budget-friendly fabrics to make your own bags or robes for your bridesmaids. Additionally, as long as you're careful to consider dietary restrictions, members of your bridal party will always appreciate any yummy treat you make and give to them. You can also make cute jars to hold these treats to add a personal touch to your gifts.
So, now that you've selected your gifts, when should you give them to your bridal party? In our experience with Maryland weddings at Prosperity Mansion & Farm, most brides give their gifts prior to the wedding, especially if it's a gift that can be used for the day. According to Belvedere Banquets, the most common time to give your bridal party their gifts is at the rehearsal dinner. Brides often toast each bridesmaid and thank them as they give their gifts.
If you're looking for a more intimate way to thank your bridesmaids, having a “Last Supper” party is a great way to do that. Separate from a bachelorette party, this is more of one last single girls night before you get married.
There are plenty of things you can do at this “Last Supper” party to celebrate and thank your bridal party. If you're feeling creative, it's always fun to design invitations to this party and send them to your bridesmaids via email with a “Last Supper” motif.
Pick up Chinese food, a roast chicken and grab a cheese plate and crackers, pop open a bottle of wine, and put on one of your favorite movies to kick back and relax before the wedding. Additionally, you can plan some fun games to celebrate your last night in with your bridesmaids. Charades, karaoke and board games are always a hit!
This party is a perfect time to give your bridesmaids gifts, or you can all take time to create something for the wedding day. Making and decorating your own t-shirts or robes to wear for the wedding is a special way to enjoy your night and make sure everyone has something to wear when getting ready. Supplies for this are relatively inexpensive and can be picked up at any craft or fabric store.
Of course, this party is something that can be thrown on a budget. We have noticed that liquor stores near our Maryland wedding venue often have bottles of wine on sale and have budget friendly options to make drinks with. You can buy some really nice wines for as little as $12.00 per bottle. And if you are lucky there are times when you can hit a 2 for 1 sale !
If your bridesmaids are worried about losing their gift before the wedding, you can always choose to give them their gifts the day of the wedding. At Prosperity Mansion & Farm, we have a bridal cottage exclusive to the bridal party to use during the entire 12 hour day. The bridal party uses the space to do hair, make up, eat, socialize and dress.
Hopefully, your bridal party will do so much for you and your wedding that it is difficult to fully thank them for everything they do. But a bridesmaid gift is a wonderful way to show them that you appreciate all they've done for you and your big day. No matter what your budget is, there are plenty of gifts for you to give your bridal party to show your gratitude.
Prosperity Mansion & Farm proudly serves:
Frederick Maryland
Carroll County Maryland
Westminster Maryland
Baltimore Maryland
Montgomery County Maryland
Anne Arundel County Maryland
Gettysburg Pennsylvania
Hanover Pennsylvania
Littlestown Pennsylvania
Loudoun County Virginia and more
Contact us at : 443-350-8100
www.prosperitymansion.com