What is the best way to thank your bridal party for their love, support, and encouragement? With a present!
On your wedding day, giving thanks to your bridal party attendants with a gift is protocol, but you don’t want to give any present. You want to take the time to select the right bridal party gifts you know they’ll value and treasure.
But what is a good gift to give your bridesmaids? It can feel nearly impossible to choose, since there are many fantastic presents out there! So, we did a poll and asked past bridesmaids to divulge the best bridesmaid gifts they’ve ever been given.
These results relate to gifts given between 2022 and 2023 wedding seasons, so the items are incredible current and available now. You’ll love reading the reasons why these made the right bridal party gifts — and you’ll see why they were so well-received and appreciated by many.
The results are surprising, fun, and incredibly helpful — and I know this list it will come in handy as you select what to gift to your bridesmaids.
Here are the results!
Top Bridesmaid Gifts I’ve Ever Received
A Collection of Notes + Answers From Past Bridesmaids
1. “A Stainless Steel Champagne Tumbler”
Alisha says that one of her favorite bridesmaid gifts ever given is,
“A stainless champagne flute with a lid on it. It was personalized with our names on it and so cute. When we get together for girls’ night, we all bring them along and it’s a really nice way to remember the wedding and all of our shared memories together!”
2. “A Clutch Purse with Wristlet Handle and Pocket Mirror”
Holly was a bridesmaid in her friend’s wedding who gave them cute purses.
“The bride gave us clutch purses with a wristlet strap and our names on them. Inside was a compact mirror that was personalized.”
3. “A Sleepshirt I Can Wear Again and a Sleep Mask”
Tan was a bridesmaid in her sister’s wedding who gave them,
“Sleepshirts! They’re cute with our initials on them and super soft and comfy. I wear mine all the time. She also gave us sleep masks with our names on it, made of satin. They’re really great!”
4. “Travel Jewelry Cases with Sparkly Initial Ring Inside”
I love this one: Nicole tells us her cousin loves to travel, and since it was a destination wedding the gift was even more well-received.
“My cousin got married in Aruba and it was a beautiful wedding. She gave us travel jewelry cases and a pretty initial ring inside for each of us. It was perfect for tossing in our suitcases and I use it all the time when I travel now!”
5. “Bridesmaid Tote Bag With My Name and Gifts Inside”
Jamie tells us,
“The bride gave me and five other bridesmaids these cute tote bags with our names on the front. They were made of burlap so they worked really nicely for the beach and they had a cute little scarf tied to it. Inside she included a few of our favorite makeup products and essentials (mine had nail polish, waterproof mascara, makeup remover wipes, and a bracelet that said, ‘I Couldn’t Tie The Knot Without You’).”
6. “Champagne Flutes and a Bottle of Bubbly”
Arianna’s bridesmaid gift is one worth celebrating:
“My best friend got married and I was one of three bridesmaids. She wrote us nice cards about how much she appreciates us and included a Morse code bracelet that spelled out ‘Bestie’. In addition, she gave us each a champagne flute with our name on it and a bottle of our favorite champagne. It was so thoughtful.”
7. “Everything Cozy: Robe, Hanger, and Slippers”
Jessa says her cousin spoiled the bridal party with gifts of coziness.
Most notably she tells us,
“My cousin was the most chill bride ever. She loves to relax and get massages, so she paid for us to get a massage during the bachelorette weekend. On top of that, she provided us with really nice gifts on the wedding day that all had a spa-like quality. A bridesmaid robe that was ultra soft with a cute pattern.
The bride put it on display for each of us on a personalized dress hanger. (Note: She used the hangers as photo props with our bridesmaid dresses on the wedding morning!)
And finally, she gave us all a pair of personalized slippers we all wore while getting ready. Surprisingly we all changed into the slippers in the middle of the reception when our feet hurt, too, which made for a really fun time on the dance floor! It was awesome!”
8. “Makeup Bags with Our Names On Them”
Courtney loved being a bridesmaid in her sister’s wedding, where,
“My sister gave us all the cutest makeup bags with our initials on them as a bridal party gift. They are one of the best bridesmaid gifts I ever received because I use it daily and think of her whenever I do! Plus she knows I’m a huge fan of Ulta so she put a gift card for new makeup inside the case and also put some lip gloss, nail polish, and mascara in there for all of us. There was also a hair scrunchie that had a tag with, “To Have And To Hold Your Hair Back“. I use it all the time! It was really nice of her to spoil us so much.”
9. “The Coziest PJs Ever!”
When Ashley’s pal got married, she,
“… blessed us with the coziest pajamas I’ve ever worn! We wore them while getting ready before the wedding and took the cutest photos. But most of all, I think they’re one of the greatest gifts because I still wear them and it’s been over a year! I love lounging in them at home.”
10. “Giant Makeup Bags With This Velvet Exterior and Spa Products”
Britney tells us that her friend gave the right bridal party gifts for their crew:
“Laura was the nicest bride ever and she gave us all these giant velvet-covered makeup bags with our names on the outside. Inside the bags, she stuffed them with a bunch of spa products like face masques, those under-eye gold puffy bag treatments, a lip mask and exfoliator, and a bunch of bath bombs. It was so sweet!”
11. “Fuzzy Socks, E-Gift Card for Books, and Cute Bookmarks”
Lorelai mentions a fun gift she received as a bridesmaid:
“I’m totally into reading and my bestie knows this about me, so she gifted me with a pair of fuzzy socks, an e-gift card to buy books on my tablet, and a cute bookmark with my initial on it. She really knows us each so well, and the presents were all tailored to our hobbies. Another friend of ours is into hiking so hers was hiking themed. I loved how they were so personal; I think that’s what makes them the best bridesmaid gifts ever received. So much thought went into each gift.”
12. “A Ice Coffee Travel Cup and Gift Card”
Becca was a bridesmaid in her cousin’s wedding, who was a good gift-giver.
She writes,
“My cousin loves iced coffee and so do all of the bridesmaids, so she gave us these personalized ice coffee tumbler cups and Starbucks gift cards. It was a hit!”
13. “The Prettiest Earrings Ever”
When it comes to bridesmaid gift giving, some of the most memorable gifts ever received are jewelry pieces with a bit of sparkle.
Gina says,
“My friend Elisa gave us all these sparkly earrings, necklace, and bracelet gift sets. We wore them on the wedding day and it’s my favorite go-to set for a fancy occasion.”
14. “Personalized Sunglasses Cases and Pair of Sunglasses”
This is a unique gift we haven’t heard of yet:
“My college roommate got married and gave us all these bridal party gift boxes with presents inside. One of the most memorable gifts was a sunglasses case and a pair of cute sunglasses inside. We wore those sunglasses all weekend — at the wedding, at brunch, it was perfect!”
15. “Bridesmaid Buckets!”
Bridesmaid buckets? Yes! Tessa tells us,
“My sister Shannon, surprised all the bridesmaids with these cute summery bucket bags filled to the brim with our favorite things. I think they were all similar or the same, but different colors of things. I had a beach towel, a pair of sunglasses, some lip balm, a scarf, a compact mirror, and a gift card for a restaurant.”
16. “A Giant Duffle Bag”
This unique gift is one that keeps giving for future adventures!
Sonia says,
“My cousin got married and gave us all these big duffle bags that are cute. They’re the size of a weekender bag and they have our initials on a leather tag on the outside. In the bag, she included a cute tshirt, a throw blanket, and a gift card for the spa. Super thoughtful!”
17. “A Huge Bridesmaid Proposal Box”
This was a bridesmaid ask gift to be in the wedding, but it was still super memorable.
Tori recalls,
“My sister sent us each a bridesmaid proposal box as soon as she got engaged. It was to ask us to be in her wedding and was filled with a tumbler, scrunchie, hair clip, bracelet, and more. It was really thoughtful and such a nice surprise.”
And there you have it! I love this collection of present suggestions because it shows how thoughtful the bride was in giving these items, but also how appreciative the bridesmaids were to receive them. It truly goes both ways!
I think the most notable thing to remember when giving a gift they’ll remember is to give from the heart. Consider the things they like to do, whether it’s a hobby or craft, leisure time, or relaxation. Pay attention to the brands they like, the places they like to visit, and give something they’ll find useful.
And don’t forget to include a card with your hand-written thoughts. I think that alone is one of the best bridesmaid gifts ever received.
On a personal note, one of the best gifts I ever got as a bridesmaid was a gift from my sister. She put together these gift bags with curated jewelry pieces and a clothing item, plus a photo frame and a hand-written note. It was so incredible thoughtful and sweet.
We all treasured the items and I have a photo of her and me in the frame she gave me, too. :)
Then again, my sister is awesome, so… it’s no surprise!
Hope it helps! Many thanks to the past bridesmaids who contributed to this post with their insights. We appreciate it!
ON TO YOU: What was the most thoughtful bridesmaid gift YOU ever received? We’d love to hear it! Tell us in the comment box below.
xo
Emma
