Bridesmaid gifts are the part of the wedding that you never thought would leave you stumped and yet, here you are panic scrolling for thoughtful, personalised, not-too-cheesy and within budget bridesmaid gift ideas for your loved ones. What an unexpected palaver.
Lucky for you, we know how hard planning your wedding can be – what with getting that perfect engagement ring snap to Insta and booking those 6732 wedding cake tastings – so we’ve done all the hard work for you when it comes to bridesmaid gift ideas. Yup, just for you we spent endless hours and sleepless nights scouring the internet for the best bridesmaid gifts and, lo and behold, we’ve found some real good’uns.
Whether you’d like your school friend, sister, future sister-in-law or your work wife (or all four) standing by your side as you say “I do,” your big day won’t be complete without your bridal party.
Bridesmaids are the secret stars of any wedding day, holding your dress up as you pee, calming your anxiety or nerves, planning the hen party and wiping away the tears as you try on yet another wedding dress that “doesn’t feel like the one”. Seriously, they’ve got their work cut out. But they’re not actual maids, so they deserve a pretty grand gesture when it comes to thanking them for taking on the most exciting/stressful role, like… ever. On the same note, they’ll also love a little something to remember the happy day in years to come.
There are tonnes of lovely ways to say “thanks for putting up with me” after you’ve said your vows, and we’ve whittled it down to the very best. Keep scrolling for everything you need to know and the gifts that will ensure they feel appreciated.
What gifts do you give your bridesmaids?
As bridesmaid gifts have grown in popularity, thankfully, so have the variety of bridesmaid gift ideas to send the special women in your life. You can opt for something as simple as a card, luxury chocolates or a bridesmaid clutch or robe which will make getting ready the morning of all the more exciting. If you’re looking for bridesmaid gift ideas to send in the weeks after the wedding, perhaps something like this cute pair of knot stud earrings will do the trick? Or this personalised candle?
When should you say thank you to your bridesmaids?
There’s no hard and fast rule, but in our experience, sorting this out before you say ‘I do’ will save you bundles of stress when you’re submerged in a mountain of thank yous for the rest of your guests and all the gifts they lovingly bestowed on you. Thanking your bestie/sister/work wife on the day of the wedding itself means they’ll feel all the more loved when those stressful moments set in on the morning of (eyeliner is never reliable…). Essentially: butter them up!
Do you give bridesmaids a thank you gift?
While it’s a fairly new tradition and one that definitely isn’t a must-do, the popularity of gifting something small when someone has been your bridesmaid is growing. It doesn’t have to be huge – unless that’s your thing – but a small gift is a lovely way to make the experience special and memorable and, more often than not, it can be a keepsake for them to remember the day. After all, you will hopefully only ever ask them do be your bridesmaid once in your life.
How much should you spend on bridesmaid gifts?
A bridesmaid gift should be a gesture and should fit into your budget. It’s the kind of gift where it really is the thought that counts – so our edit is filled with personalised and sentimental (but not cheesy!) gifts across a variety of budgets.