Will You Be My Bridesmaid?

With brides and bridesmaids not necessarily living in the same town, let alone same state, brides can get creative and make their bridemaids-to-be feel extra special with a personalized gift package. 

Find some inspiration

Colors/theme: If you already know what your wedding colors/theme will be, use that as inspiration for choosing a color palette.  If you don't know yet, don't fret!  You can select the bridesmaids favorite colors, like I did for my bridesmaids.  If you are unsure about using their favorite colors, bridal white and soft pinks are a safe bet for color inspiration.

Personalized cards: It's easy to create some cute personalized cards with the help of Designher Gals. You can create a likeness of your bridesmaids and change her clothes.  I chose to dress the girls up in bridesmaid dresses of their favorite colors, designed the cards on the computer, and printed them in color.

Special touches: Gifts added to the package can be small and sentimental.  You might pick up some special trinkets at a Dollar Store or your local craft shop.  For example, initial trinkets like key chains in pave diamond designs, sticky initial note pads, initial stationary, initial journals, etc make your girls feel special without breaking the bank.  I picked up 4 trinkets for each girl.  I also selected colorful photo boxes and tissue paper to package the gift boxes. The photo boxes can be used by the bridesmaid as a memories box to hold special trinkets collected throughout the wedding planning process.

Supplies from Michaels:

Photo box $5/each

Tissue paper $10/pack

Pave crystal initial key chains $1/each

Initial sticky note pads $1/each

Initial stationary note cards $1/each

Initial journal $1/each

White card stock cards and envelopes $10/pack

Brown paper for wrapping the boxes to ship $2/roll

Shipping:

Priority Mail $5.00/each

Total:

Gift boxes that made my bridesmaids living in three different states feel special: $17.40/each

Tips for keeping costs low

Sticking to a budget?  Don't worry, these packages don't need to be expensive to be special.  Just tap into your natural talents to let your girls know you love them. 

Are you are a great baker?  Bake a special bridesmaid cookies and personalize it with her name. Silver and white dragees and edible luster dust elevate the home baked cookies to look like professional works of art.  (I used these in my gift packages for my girls!)

Are you great with words?  Craft a special poem to ask your girls to stand next to you on your special day.  If you are struggling, search the Internet for some ideas to get started! 

You have always been there, you're more than just a friend.

 You're the one that I can turn to, you'll be there 'til the end.

As I walk down the aisle, to begin my married life

Please be my bridesmaid, as I become a wife.

Here is a bracelet to wear when we're together

It's more than just a circlet, it means we're friends forever!

This poem comes from Miami Wedding Helper . You can purchase a card with this poem and a hot pink rubber bracelet stamped with "Bridesmaid" for $5. 

Are you artistically inclined? Make the card from scratch.  Sketch, paint, or get some nifty scrap-booking supplies to create something significant to the bridesmaid or a bridal-inspired image.  A rendering of the bridesmaid in a dress or a bridesmaid dress on a hanger is a sweet sentiment.

This craft concoction from Once Wed is a DIY that any bride can handle.