Your bridesmaids have been by your side as you weathered all of the ups and downs of wedding planning. They were there to pop the bubbly and fawn over your ring when you told them the big news, and they were there when you were debating lace options. They held your hand when your caterer fell through, and they planned you the perfect pun-filled bachelorette. Now it’s your turn to show them how much you appreciate them, and the best way to do so is with a thoughtfully chosen gift.
While going with something themed is the usual go-to for bridal gift bags, let’s break the mold and give your inner circle something thoughtful yet practical. From cult-followed products to Instagram-worthy subscription boxes, these gifts are worth the extra wedding cost.
This cult favorite bag sells out so often you need to set an alert to know when it’s back in stock. The good news is that the brand has dropped its biggest restock yet, allowing you to snag a few belt bags for your bridesmaids. It’s available in an array of colors, so your bridesmaids can wear it everywhere — from the airport on the way to the bachelorette to brunch when you’re going over the finer details of your big day. And since the belt bag is such a sensation, they’ll reach for it time and time again after your nuptials end.
If you want to give them something wedding-themed that isn’t too on the nose, get them personalized ring dishes. You’ll need one when you get your wedding ring, and they can join in with their own jewelry. It will be a lovely reminder of your wedding day all year long, but it also makes it about them by getting their initials engraved.
If your upcoming big day feels like a giant celebration, keep the good times rolling by adding champagne cocktail sugar cubes into their gift bags. You drop a cube into a flute of bubbly, and it magically turns into a bellini or mimosa. These cubes release color, flavor, bits of fruit and a little glitter to make your drink feel extra special. Three packs come in one order, so you can split them between bridesmaids if you have a large wedding party.
Sometimes the best presents are edible ones. What sweeter way to thank your bridesmaids for being part of your special day than with cookies? These shortbread biscuits are customizable, allowing you to add everything from a heartfelt thank you to a cheeky inside joke. A box contains 24 of these, so you can either give one to each bridesmaid or break them out into smaller packaging.
This gift is as thoughtful as it is practical. Not only will your friends appreciate having a roomy makeup bag with their name monogrammed on it, but it’s also useful for the bachelorette weekend or the morning in the bridal suite. It’s big enough to carry their staples and then some, and there are compartments to section out items, making it a bag they’ll reach for time and time again.
If you’re the sentimental type, skip the knick-knacks and instead gift your friends a curated photo book of your memories together. From childhood sleepovers to wild Thirsty Thursdays at college to sophisticated wine dinners in adulthood, everyone will be misty-eyed flipping through these. And most importantly, they’ll know exactly what they mean to you.
If you want to stick to wedding-themed gifts, you can’t do better than this “I Do” travel spray scent. It uses a blend of peony and musk to create a feminine scent that will have them thinking of lace veils and wedding bells. You can invite them to wear it on the actual wedding day, and every time they use it afterward, they’ll feel a wave of nostalgia when they think about clinking glasses in the bridal suite, walking down the aisle with you and dancing under twinkling lights at the reception.
If you’re looking to give your bridesmaids something special for the morning of the wedding, you can’t go wrong with matching personalized slippers. They’re big and fluffy, which means they won’t get lost in pictures. Your girls also won’t accidentally grab the wrong pair while changing, since each foot has a name embroidered on it.
Whether you love Sex and the City or your friends just love to wear personalized things, this nameplate necklace is the perfect addition to their goodie bag. It’s written in clean, minimalist cursive, and you can choose between sterling silver, gold plating, rose gold or gold vermeil. It’s a nice way to make the gift more about them rather than their role, adding a balance to their gift bag.
If you’re looking for small goodies to add to a bag, you can’t go wrong with a silk scrunchie that matches your wedding theme. These come with a decorative tag around the hair accessory, which reads, “To have and to hold your hair back.” It’s sure to get a laugh.
Show your wedding party how much you love them with an “Adore You” bath bomb. It comes wrapped in pink tissue paper and has a heart-slinky surprise once it melts in water, adding to the lovey-dovey theme of your nuptials. Your bridesmaids will love that you want to pamper them as much as they want to pamper you, and the apricot and lemon scent should be a crowd-pleaser.
Are you and your friends foodies? Then give them the gift of food with the “Love is Served” cookbook. While on the surface, it seems love-themed — which is on-brand for a bridesmaid gift — it’s also about loving oneself. Each recipe is named with an affirmation like “I Am Fearless,” “I Am Humble” and “I Am Open-Hearted,” making this gift more about them than the wedding.
Everyone loves totes, whether they’re going to the farmer’s market, a weekend brunch or running errands. But people love them even more when they’re personalized. Surprise your bridesmaids with a rustic flower design with their names underneath. You can even use this bag as a gift bag, holding all the other small trinkets you got them.
You can’t go wrong with an aesthetic candle, and this one will match any bridesmaid’s style. There are 11 scents to choose from, with some being wedding themed like Wedding Cake and Champagne Toast, and others being more trendy like White Tea or Rosemary & Sage. The label is also sweet, defining your friend as a “dream supporter” and “secret keeper.” She’ll love lighting this throughout the year and thinking of your bond.
If you’re a Type A bride who prides herself on her lists and multiple calendars, then you will love this gift. Get your friends daily planners to help them keep track of every important wedding event. From dress fittings to bridal showers to brunch get-togethers, they’ll have written reminders of what’s to come. This will not only help your friends keep track of the year’s to-dos, but it’s also helpful for their personal lives. Plus, you can personalize them with their names, adding an extra touch.
If you don’t have many bridesmaids and want to make their gifts extra special, consider gifting them a white Fuji camera. You’ll have so much fun taking silly candids at the bachelorette party, and the idea can bleed into the wedding itself. You’ll end up with a permanent snapshot of the fun times you shared wedding planning, partying with R-rated straws and hats, and finally celebrating on the big day.
If you want your bridesmaids glowing on your big day, then fill their goody bags with masks. You can’t go wrong with the Karuna Get Up and Glow masks, which they can use the morning of your wedding day. This set includes a brightening face mask, a renewal eye mask, hydrating hand mask and exfoliating foot mask, covering all bases.
If your bridal party will do a lot of traveling for your big day — whether that’s to an island-based bachelorette or a destination wedding — then make packing easier by gifting your friends a personalized jewelry case. It’s big enough to hold a couple of earrings, necklaces and rings, and will help keep their items from tangling in their suitcases. It’s as practical as it is chic.
For the brides that host weekly wine nights with their friends, you can’t go wrong with a vino-based bridesmaid gift. Get your favorite bottle of wine, remove its label and put on this bridal party one instead. If you want to get extra fancy, pack this in with artisanal cheeses or gourmet chocolates for a foodie bridesmaid box.
If you want your bridesmaid gift to be more about your friends than the big day, consider the Oh Really? card game. It’s a party game that gives you five different scenarios each round, and you guess your friend’s order of preferences. The results can be surprising, and it helps you bond and learn more about each other. It’s especially great if you’re giving this gift at the bachelorette, as it can give you an activity in between rosé cocktails.
These puffy, marshmallow-like shoes took off on TikTok, with fashion influencers embracing their athleisure aesthetic. And judging by the hundreds of thousands of likes on their videos, followers agree. Gift your bridesmaids a white pair if you want to stick to a bridal theme, but whichever color you choose, you know they’ll be rocking the It item all wedding season.
Do you take great stock in your horoscope? If you and your friends plan your week according to the stars, then add this candle to their gift box. They can keep any bad Mercury-in-retrograde vibes at bay with the help of this flower and crystal-laden candle. You can add a fun note with it, asking them to light it whenever you’re meeting with the caterer or going dress shopping — just in case.
