Every wedding and every bride is different, making the process of finding a gift as the maid of honor difficult. Some are easy-going: you have a blast at the bachelorette party, you make a toast, and you’re done! Other times, you’re expected to handle a variety maid of honor responsibilities of every size. Either way, your best gal pal has bestowed this honor upon you, and it’s customary to show her how much you value her friendship with a gift.
Maid of Honor 101: Giving the Perfect Gift to the Bride
When Brianna DuPriest and her new husband boarded their flight to their honeymoon in New Zealand, the last thing she expected was another wedding gift.
But her sister (and maid of honor) Kelli had a little surprise planned. Rather than a traditional maid of honor gift to the bride before the wedding, she got creative and arranged so that each passenger on the flight was given a small goodie bag of chocolates with a note about her sister. These passengers, in turn, each gave the newlyweds their congratulatory gifts as the two boarded the plane. Now that’s a surprise that won’t go forgotten.
That might be going to extreme lengths, but you get the idea. As a maid of honor, try to give the bride a gift that she’ll cherish forever– whether that’s a memory, a fun experience, or a heartfelt gift. The following are a few ideas to point you in the right direction (and be sure to scroll down for the bonus idea as well!)
Get Other Bridesmaids in on the Gift
Just because you hold the sole title of maid of honor, doesn’t mean others can’t join in on the gift. (Just be sure that you lead the charge in either the payment or idea of the gift). The other bridesmaids will most likely be happy to pitch in on a gift, as it takes some weight off their shoulders as well!
One low-cost option for a maid of honor gift to the bride that involves all members of a bridal party: a personalized photo album with all of you in it. Obviously each bridesmaid is special to the bride in some way– put together a photo album that includes everyone. You can start with childhood photos if you have them, and work all the way up to the bachelorette party. Including notes from each bridesmaid to insert is a special touch – just make sure you get everyone’s else’s first.. so you can be sure yours is the best of the bunch 🙂
Extend the Experience
The bride and groom receive many gifts leading up to and including the wedding. And while many choose to give their maid of honor gift to bride before the wedding, you can immediately set yourself apart by going against the grain! Waiting until after the wedding to give your gift can bring your thoughtful gift more attention– just be sure it doesn’t look like you procrastinated!
On the topic of standing out, consider giving the bride a gift the two of you can enjoy together. A spa day 1 month after the wedding can be a great way to catch up and reflect on all the amazing times everyone had that night.
A Maid of Honor gift to the Bride….with style
If you’re still leaning towards more of a physical present for the bride from the maid of honor, choose something that’s thoughtful and stylish, as well as something she’ll use (or wear) often.
For brides who love to accessorize, a memorable piece of jewelry like a necklace or charm bracelet is a great idea, because you can personalize each charm to reflect both the bride’s personality, and your relationship with her. Etsy is a treasure trove of great items like this!
Sometimes, the best maid of honor gifts to the bride are the ones that make her the most comfortable. Think fleece blankets with personalized messages, or if you’re especially crafty, and the bride loves old-fashioned things, a quilt made from things like old sorority tshirts or high school sports team jerseys is a fun and thoughtful surprise few brides would ever expect to receive.
Still stuck? Don’t be afraid of reaching out to her husband-to-be and asking for hints! After all, if there’s anyone who knows her as well as you do, it’s him!
Bonus idea:
Let’s say you have more time than money at this point, and you’re looking to show the bride that you’re her steadfast sidekick. Bridal Guide suggests that one of the most important duties is to get bridesmaids involved in planning. If you’re still a few months away from the wedding (good for you for thinking ahead), a modern-age maid of honor gift for the bride can simply be relieving some planning pressure for both her and her fiance.
And that doesn’t have to be as hard as it sounds. Maid of honors can easily make a huge impression by being the go-to responder on Guestboard. With private planning channels, you can make sure the bachelorette party is planned in an organized fashion without out-of-control email or text chains.
And if the bride/groom chooses to open their Guestboard up to the rest of the guests (helpful for guests to coordinate rides, ask questions, and view the schedule), you can volunteer to be the point person to address anyone’s posted questions.