Wedding Planning For The Recently Engaged
Choosing Your Bridesmaids And Groomsmen
One of the most exciting things about getting engaged is announcing it to your closest friends and family. Whether you choose to share the news with absolutely everyone via a ring selfie on your socials, or you wait to do it in person, you know that your besties are going to want to celebrate the news with you.
In the flurry of excited planning, thinking about wedding dates and imagining what wedding themes might work for you will be the very first things you’ll want to do. Right from the moment you start thinking about your big day, you’ll have someone in mind to be your maid of honour or best man. These are important roles with lots of responsibilities, not the least of which is planning your bridal shower! So, it’s worth putting some extra thought into who would best suit the role before deciding on who to ask. You’ll be relying on your maid of honour more than anyone else in the bridal party, so a trustworthy person who you know has the time to dedicate to helping you get organised will be a life saver.
Choosing your bridesmaids and groomsmen (or bridesmen and groomsladies) is your next important decision. It’s important to decide on the size of your wedding and bridal party before you start mentioning details to friends to prevent disappointment. Even if there are several close friends or family members who you would love to have in your bridal party, you may not be able to ask everyone on your list. Your budget and wedding style will determine how many bridesmaids you should have more so than how many close friends you would like to include.
If you’re not sure where to start, then a bridal calendar or wedding planner journal will help to keep you on track as you plan your big day.
How To Ask A Friend To Be Your Bridesmaid
Knowing when you should ask someone to be your bridesmaid is crucial. You don’t want to ask too soon in case your wedding plans change. But your friends will be excitedly waiting to help you plan and would love to know as soon as possible if they’ll be part of the wedding. Asking a friend to be your bridesmaid doesn’t have to be a formal or elaborate event. You could simply grab a coffee together and pop the question. But it’s also lovely to make a bit of an effort. Being asked to be a bridesmaid a big deal! So honouring your friends with a little formality and a sweet gift is a nice touch.
Creating your own bridesmaid proposal gift boxes can also be a thoughtful way to ask your best friend to stand by you on your wedding day. You can fill them with memorable small gifts, useful items for the big day, or even add a dash of shared humour. It’s a lovely idea to fill bridesmaid proposal boxes with a mix of gifts they will use, and special presents to be treasured and kept as lifelong keepsakes.
Here are some of our ideas for gifts to surprise your beautiful bridesmaids-to-be:
What To Put In A Bridesmaid Proposal Box
- Mini bottles of champagne paired with heart-shaped chocolates and treats
- Pretty pieces of sparkly jewellery or earrings to wear at the wedding
- Personalised makeup bags, glittery compacts, lip gloss, nail polish and buffer
- Small rose gold photo frames with fun photos of the two of you together
- Scented candles, prosecco glasses, pocketbooks, diaries and pens
- Bridesmaid coffee mugs, golden bottle openers and fridge magnets
- Set of spa essentials including face masks, body butter and soothing bath salts
- Kimono robes, eye masks, hair ties and flip flops for getting ready on the day
How to Personalise Your Very Own Bridesmaid Proposal Boxes
If you’ve time to get creative to plan and design your DIY bridesmaid gift boxes, it’s all about personalising them with those small finishing touches.
- You can buy or upcycle pretty cardboard boxes, but for a unique option, try wooden chests, origami boxes, fruit crates or high-quality decorative tins.
- Choose your bridesmaid’s individual favourite colours, bold black and cream, or go with a chic wedding colour scheme like gold and white.
- Fill with handfuls of shredded tissue paper to pad the box, provide a soft bed for your hand-selected gifts to sit on, and add a professional look.
- Personalise each box with their names on items and hide fun notes or bridesmaid vows like “I promise not to make you wear a pink frilly bridesmaid dress.”
- Finish with delicate paper flowers, ribbons, coloured confetti, golden letters or even fun mini sparklers and party poppers.
- Hand them over in person so you can enjoy the surprise and excitement on their faces and share a glass of celebratory champagne together!
Thank You Gift Ideas For The Bridal Party
Planning a wedding is equal parts exciting and hard work. With everything on your to-do list, don’t forget to acknowledge the people closest to you who you have chosen to stand by your side when you both say, “I do.” Gifts for the wedding party are an important part of the wedding planning process.
You should give a thoughtful thank you gift to each of your bridesmaids and groomsmen, your parents, flowergirls, and anyone else who helped you organise your big day. These gifts are generally given closer to the wedding date, or at the rehearsal dinner.
There is no set dollar amount on how much you should spend on bridal party gifts. If you’ve given a bridesmaid proposal gift, then your thank you gift for the wedding party is often a less expensive keepsake, or something celebratory, like champagne and chocolates. We have a range of ideas for gifts for bridesmaids under $100 including some gorgeous gift boxes to impress.
Find Gift Ideas For Your Bridal Party At Gifts Australia
You’ll find a whole range of different ideas for presents for your bridesmaids and groomsmen at Gifts Australia. From thank you gift hampers, bridesmaid proposal boxes, wine packs, personalised leather, jewellery, monogrammed wedding cufflinks, wine glasses, and more. Choose something special with a memento gift for mother of the bride, or browse our men's range for gifts for groomsmen or a gift from the heart for the father of the bride. You’ll even find novelty gifts for the pre-wedding festivities. Browse for inspiration and start planning your wedding!
