Bridesmaid gifts have drifted a long way from matching robes. Thirty ideas that respect the fact that being a bridesmaid already costs them money.
In this guide
- The context worth remembering
- Things they will use on the day
- Things they will use afterwards
- Personal and sentimental
- Group experiences instead of objects
- How much to spend
The context worth remembering
A bridesmaid typically spends $800 to $1,800 on a dress, alterations, hair, make-up, travel, a shower gift and a hen weekend. The gift is a thank-you for that, which means useful and personal beats decorative every time.
Give it at the rehearsal dinner or the morning of, not weeks in advance.
Things they will use on the day
- A robe or matching pyjamas for getting ready, if you are doing photographs
- A jewellery piece they can wear with the dress and keep afterwards
- A good clutch in a neutral they will use again
- Blister plasters, hairspray and painkillers in a personalised pouch
- Comfortable flats for the evening, in their size
- A hairbrush and mirror set for the getting-ready room
Things they will use afterwards
- A weekend bag with their initials
- A jewellery dish or travel case
- A candle from a brand they would not buy themselves
- A silk pillowcase or hair set
- A leather passport holder
- A good umbrella, which sounds dull and is always used
- A subscription — coffee, books, a magazine
- A voucher for the salon they actually go to
Personal and sentimental
- A framed photograph of the two of you
- A letter about why you asked them
- A charm for a bracelet, one per bridesmaid, all different
- A book that mattered to your friendship, inscribed
- A print of an inside joke, framed properly
- A photo book of your friendship, made rather than bought
Group experiences instead of objects
- Dinner for the group, paid, the night before the hen do
- A massage or facial the week of the wedding
- A class you all do together
- Covering their hair and make-up on the day — often the most appreciated gift of all
- Paying for their dress alterations
- A contribution to their travel
How much to spend
$50 to $150 per person is normal, more for a maid of honour. If the budget is tight, covering one cost they were already going to pay — alterations, hair, the hotel room — is worth more than any object at the same price.
From Sagevow
If you want a gift that isn't on the registry and won't be duplicated, personalised keepsakes are the safest bet at any budget.
