Taking the Guesswork out of Bridal Party Gifts
Paperia | December 2014
It is common practice to bestow a gift of thanks unto your bridal party attendants. After all, they have assumed considerable expense and have exerted significant time to stand by you on your big day.
Selecting what exactly to give and the dollar amount to spend is, of course, a personal decision; however, it is apt to consider both your own wedding budget as well as the magnitude of costs associated with their participation in your wedding.
In other words, if you are hosting a casual, backyard wedding to which no one had to travel, and you scored a fabulous deal on the gals’ dresses and guys’ suits, then perhaps coordinating jewelry and cufflinks would be an appropriate nod to your crew.
However, if you put on a black-tie affair in a downtown hotel ballroom to which your bridal party needed to travel and pay for an overnight stay, not to mention shell out beaucoup bucks on their designer wedding threads, then perhaps a more generous gift is in order.
The following are suggestions at three different price points ranging from the least expensive to the most luxurious.
Tier 1: $30 – 50
Gals Wedding day jewelry, scarf, or purse Toiletry bag with monogram Personalized stationery Guys Engraved flask Leather wallet Pocket watch
Tier 2: $50 – 100
Gals
Monogrammed bathrobe
Pre-wedding manicure and pedicure
Engraved silver jewelry box
Guys
Tickets to a ballgame
Personalized sports jersey
Bottle of their favorite liquor/case of favorite beer
Tier 3: $100+
Gals
Bridesmaid dress
Wedding day hair & makeup
Fine jewelry
Guys
Groomsmen suit or tux rental fee
Wedding night hotel accommodations
Pre-wedding steak house dinner
Keep in mind that it’s best to shop for your attendants about a month or two before the wedding. This assures that what you purchase will in fact match the wedding style (i.e. there’s no use shopping for jewelry or ties before the attire is finalized) and that you are not left settling for a lackluster item the week before your bash for lack of a better option.
Finally, if you have purchased a physical item for your bridal party (as opposed to covering the cost of a wedding-related service), it is customary to present the gifts at your rehearsal dinner. Be sure to attach a heartfelt, personal note expressing your gratitude for each person’s participation, support, and friendship. This note may very well be the highlight of the gift!Good luck and happy shopping!
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