photo from peculiar23

Finding the right gift for your wedding party

With all of the planning and coordinating involved in organizing the perfect wedding, many couples rely on their closest friends and loved ones to help with the preparations. Generally, these will be the people selected to be part of your wedding party. Weather its shopping for wedding dresses with your sisters or looking for limousines with your best friend since you were just kids, having close ones around help relieve some of the stress involved with getting ready.

Most wedding parties will consist of the following made up of family members and friends:

? Bridesmaids: A bride can choose to have anywhere from two to six on average, although I have seen as many as eight. Included in this is your maid of honor who would be your closest and most trusted bridesmaid.

? Groomsmen: The number of groomsmen usually matches the number of bridesmaids as the bride tends to set the tone of the wedding. The best man would be included as a groomsman.

? Flower Girl: Young girl who spreads the flowers down the isle in front of the bride as she walks.

? Ring Bearer: Young boy who will keep the ring safe and walk it down the isle during the precession.

? Parents of the Bride and Groom: The nervous people sitting in the front row.

photo from moonfaires16

In order to show your appreciation for being there for you not only during the wedding planning, but all along the way of the relationship and in your life, it is customary for the bride and groom to give some type of gift to the wedding party. As this gift is a token of thanks and appreciation from you the most important thing is that it is a personal gift.

It does not have to be expensive or flashy, just personal. Finding the right gift is as simple as finding something that holds meaning to you and the wedding party member. Frequently these gifts are monogrammed or engraved with the names or initials of the recipient.

photo from pavoreal

Here are 15 gift ideas to help you on your search for the perfect gift for members of your wedding party: Don?t forget, it?s not necessary to give the same gift to each person!

Bridesmaids:

? Jewelry: A necklace, bracelet, or earrings to compliment the dresses worn by the bridal party. Picking jewelry with a gemstone to match your wedding colors is one way to personalize the gift. Try to pick something that can be worn by your bridesmaids after the wedding as well! You may also consider adding your jewelry selection to a small jewelry box customized for the bridesmaid.

? Custom Tote: Put together a ?Survive the Wedding? tote for each of your bridesmaids. You can include things like an extra pair of pantyhose, a small snack, disposable camera, lotion, gum and breath mints, toothpaste, toothbrush, dental floss, lip gloss, aspirin, tissues, hair spray, travel-sized hair brush, bobby pins, and numerous other emergency items. For extra fun while everyone is preparing for the wedding, throw in customized t-shirts for everyone to wear. They could say ?Bridesmaid? or ?Maid of Honor? or get creative and make a unique shirt for each special lady in your bridal party. Also, for a nice personal touch, monogram their names or initials on each tote!

? Wine: For the wine connoisseur, how about a bottle of wine. Package this delicious gift with a set of glasses that suit the wine! If you?re not comfortable picking a bottle of wine yourself, most wine stores have plenty of knowledgeable staff on hand that will be more than happy to assist you with your selection!

? Do it yourself: If you?re on a budget or you?re looking to really add a special touch to your gift selection, how about a scrapbook. You can create a unique scrapbook for each bridesmaid filled with photos that capture years of memories the two of you have shared. Try making your own candles with their favorite scents. Create custom frames to hold your favorite picture of the two of you. Take a trip to your local craft store for more ideas!

photo from pavoreal

Groomsmen:

? Cufflinks: This is a popular choice when the wedding party consists of friends who you know have a need to wear suits on a normal basis. As being personal is the most important part of the gift, they can be engraved with initials to make them stand out. With a large selection of cufflinks available, you?re sure to find a fitting pair for each of your groomsman.

? Watches: This is a great gift as it can be worn any time all year round. As different people have different tastes, get the type of watch that best suits each person in the party instead of getting the same watch for all. Again, engraving the back of the watch is a popular way of personalizing the gift if you do chose to get the same for all members. The pocket watch is also a trendy alternative to the wrist watch and is a unique gift sure to be the topic of conversation for years to come.

? Money Clips: Money clips are becoming more and more popular compared to carrying around a traditional wallet. They also come in many varieties and materials giving you room to customize each gift for your groomsmen. Engraved metal or stamped leather, the choices are virtually endless.

? Mug: Many people chose to get personalized mugs for their groomsmen. These range from a sports mugs, crystal to steins. Mugs provide a range which allows you to get everyone the same type of gift but again picking the right one for each person.

photo from nikonsnapper

Flower Girl:

? Purse: Pick a small purse for your flower girl. You can put a small pair of satin gloves inside, a lip gloss, or a few pieces of candy for her to enjoy at the reception. Every young lady will surely enjoy this accessory while she?s dressed in her best on your special day.

? Shirt: Create a custom t-shirt for your flower girl. The front could say her name and the back could say ?Flower Girl? and include the date of your wedding. You could also have her picture printed on the t-shirt for that extra special look.

Ring Bearer:

? Silver plated Yo-Yo: As you have read in this article, getting the right gift for the right audience is what matters the most. Your little ring bearer wants something fun to play with, not look at. What can be more fun that a personalized silver plated yo-yo? He can entertain your guests at the reception with his sporty new toy!

? Train bank: Most kids like train sets so what better than a nice personalized train bank. They usually will be engraved with the ring bearers name and date of the wedding and made of nickel or pewter. It is a nice gift that he can enjoy and keep for years while saving a few dollars on the side.

photo from hsimin

Parents of the Bride and Groom:

Mothers:
? Jewelry: Try to find something that matches what she will be wearing on the wedding day. The most popular choices are a necklace or bracelet with either gift being engraved with either a personal message or initials. Lockets with a picture of the bride and groom enclosed make a wonderful gift. Your Mom will think fondly of your wedding every time she wears it! When purchasing any jewelry for the bridal party it?s important to select something that can be worn after the wedding as well.

? Spa Kit: With all of the stress involved with the wedding, mothers can use a chance to relax. A relaxing spa kit allows them to unwind once you are on the plane heading to your honeymoon location! You can include anything from a monogrammed bathrobe, slippers, and manicure set to a wonderful spa gift certificate.

Fathers:
? Golf Accessories: Be it personalized golf balls, a new golf club, set or bag, now that the wedding is over, fathers can head back to the golf course so why not provide them with some accessories to remind them of them big day while there out shooting the back nine!

photo from parviz

The gifts are generally given during the rehearsal dinner as the actual wedding day tends to be hectic. Make sure to choose something personal and unique to let your bridal party know how much you appreciate them for everything they have done. Remember, the list above are suggestions, make sure your gift matches the person you are giving it to! Don?t be afraid to get creative with your selection.

In the end, there is no wrong gift. Whatever you chose they will love and appreciate the fact that you went out of your way to get them something as they understand the stress you are under and the amount of responsibilities on your shoulders. Get something you think they will like, make it personal and you can not go wrong!