Blog post

Gifting the wedding party

Tracey Dale
by
Sophie Green

The people that make up your wedding party will undoubtedly have a profound effect on your special day.This group of people help to ensure that everything goes exactly as you envision, so naturally, it is only right to show your thanks

The people that make up your wedding party will undoubtedly have a profound effect on the outcome of your special day. This small (orlarge!) group of people work tirelessly to ensure that everything goes exactly as you envision. Naturally, it is only right that you show your thanks.

Giving gifts to the wedding party has been a tradition for many years, and is a great way to show your appreciation for the hard work and effort they put into your wedding day.

But the question is, who do you buy for, and what should you gift them? The specifics of this will depend on your relationship with the individuals, and may also be influenced by your budget.  

So who makes up the wedding party and usually receives a gift

  • Mothers of the Bride and Groom
  • Fathers of the Bride and Groom
  • Best Man
  • Maid of Honour
  • Bridesmaids
  • Ushers/ Groomsmen
  • Flower Girls and Page Boys

The Mothers of the Bride and Groom

A Bride and her Mother gazing lovingly at each other
A moment of thanks between a bride and her Mom on her wedding day.

The Mothers of the Bride and Groom usually play a huge role in the planning and production of the wedding. It is customary for them to help the Bride to Be choose her wedding dress, and here at Dream Days we have witnessed many magical moments between Mothers and daughters over the years.

Sometimes, the Mothers may help in selecting the venue, as well as assisting with the guestlist, no mean feat! It is also tradition for the Mother of the Bride to help her daughter get ready on the morning of her big day, which can be a lovely experience to cherish forever.

Jewellery, trinkets and a framed picture, wedding gifts for the Mother of the bride.
A selection of gifts suitable for the Mothers of the Wedding Couple

Giving a gift that justifies all their hard work can be tricky, but how about something simple and beautiful,such as jewellery that will last a lifetime, like this Mother /Daughter charm by Pandora. Or perhaps a piece of customised artwork by Etsy, that can be framed print to keep as a heartfelt memento of the special day. This figurine set by Enesco is a beautiful keepsake for a Mother of the Bride to keep displayed in her home, and is the perfect reminder of her daughter’s special day.

Fathers of the Bride and Groom

A Bride and her Father smiling at each other on her wedding day.
Father and Bride as she walks down the aisle

Traditionally, the father of the Bride finances the wedding,but in recent years this has become more of a shared role between the two families and the Wedding Couple.

No two weddings are the same! However, despite whether or not the father of the bride pays for the cost of the wedding, he usually plays a very important role on the day. This tends to involve travelling to the wedding with his daughter and walking her down the aisle, as well as the nerve wracking father of the bride speech and the father-daughter dance at the reception.

wedding day gifts for the Father of the Bride, A hp flask, a whisky glass and an engraved watch.
A selection of Gifts for the Father of the Bride.

Whilst some brides may not choose their father to carry out these duties, for those that do it is natural to want to give a gift that displays not only their thanks but also their love. Some examples of such gifts may include an engraved wooden watch, with a personal hidden message, like this one, or a personalised cut glass whiskey tumbler. If you want to give a small but meaningful gift that won’t break the bank, why not take a look at this Pocket Token gift on Etsy?

The Best Man

A Groom and his Best Man laughing and sharing a joke.
A Groom and Best Man, sometimes relatives sometimes friends.

The Best Man,often a best friend or close relative, is the Groom’s confidant throughout the wedding and weeks leading up to the big day. Whilst rarely involved with the direct planning of the wedding, his responsibilities span from planning the stag do and helping the groom get ready, to greeting guests and presenting an epic speech that guests will never forget…so he has quite the juggling act to perform!

He may also be in charge of keeping the rings safe and calming the groom’s nerves the morning of the wedding. To say thank you for your Best Man’s help, you may consider gifting him something he can keep forever, like a personalised engraved pocket watch or cufflinks. If your budget is slightly higher, consider a leather wallet, like this one from Ted Baker, or perhaps a bottle of high end whiskey.

A selection of gifts for the Best Man and Grooms Men

If you have Ushers or Groomsmen at your wedding, you will most likely want to gift them similar gifts to those of your Best Man.

Maid of Honour

Bride and her Maid of honour holding hands dressed ready for the ceremony.
A bride and her Maid of honour

Your Maid of Honour sometimes helps you pick your wedding dress, she plan your hen party and keep your bridesmaids in order on the day. She is also likely to help you get ready on the morning of your wedding, along with your mother and may even give a speech at the reception. She will keep you looking your absolute best throughout the day, passing you handkerchiefs when you get emotional, and sliding your lipstick when you need to reapply!

Some Maids of Honours may have more involvement than others, but whether yours is more laidback, or the type to create a WhatsApp group and hand out individual to-do lists to the bridesmaids, you and the groom will want to thank them for their involvement in your wedding.

Depending on her personality, you may decide to give your Maid of Honour a piece of jewellery or a personalised notebook, a gift set of her favourite things. You can find many personalised gifts on line.

A necklace,a notebook, a make up bag and a toiletries gift set all personalised for a matron of honour
A selection of gifts for your Maid of Honour

The Bridesmaids

The gifts you choose for your bridesmaids may depend on how many you have. Whether you have decided to keep it low key with just two or three, or if you have opted for a full-on bride-tribe of ten bridesmaids will most likely affect your gifting budget.

Your bridesmaids will work alongside your Maid of Honour: They often come along to choose the wedding dress, help plan your hen party and prepare for the big day. They will be behind you every step of the way, and quite literally as you walk down the aisle! It is likely that however many you choose to have, your bridesmaids will be made up of some of your closest female friends and family, and you will want to choose the perfect gift for their contribution to your wedding day.

Bride in her ivory wedding dress with 4 bridesmaids in burgundy red.
Bride and her four bridesmaids in burgundy gowns

You may decide to give similar gifts to those which you give your Maid of Honour, however if you have a large number of bridesmaids, less expensive jewellery like this pretty pearl necklace, is a great option.

You may decide to go down a different route, such as creating a Bridesmaid Thank You gift box. You can make these yourself or purchase ready-made ones, like this one from Etsy. If you opt to craft you own gift box, include things that your bridesmaids will love, such as fragrant bath bombs, or a small bottle of prosecco. .

some personalised wooden hangers, bridesmaid toque bracelets, bridesmaid gift box with toiletries and a frame with room for a photo.
A selection of bridesmaid gifts

Flower Girls and Page Boys

Deciding to have a flower girl and page boy at your wedding is guaranteed to give it the ‘cute factor’ and will have your guests cooing as they walk down the aisle. They are likely to be just as excited as you are, so expect to treat them like little princes and princesses on the day!

Being a flower girl or a pageboy is a big responsibility for a little one, so to say thank you, consider gifting them something they will truly appreciate.

a bead bracelet and cully bunny for a flower gorl and a jigsaw and toy tractor for a page boy
A selection of gifts for your flower girls and page boys.

For a flower girl, how about this fluffy bunny, customised with their name and the date of your wedding, or a little bracelet for your flower girl and what little page boy would not love a jigsaw or a toy tractor. Having the gift personalised makes it extra special.

The bride and Groom

A bride and groom by a lake kissing
A romantic moment to say thank you for your special wedding day gifts.

 Whilst it is true that you will be inundated with gifts on your wedding day, did you know that it has also become customary for the bride and groom to give each other gifts too?  

Your rings don’t have to be the only way to commemorate your special day! Whether you decide to give gifts the night before the wedding, the morning of the special day, or in the evening, you’ll want to make sure the gift you give to your partner is something that they will love.

Aftershave, a mans watch, a pair of diamond earrings and a tiffany necklace.
A selection of gifts for the Bride and Groom.

You may consider giving your partner a gift they can use on the day, such as cufflinks, a watch, or a new signature aftershave or perfume.

Is your partner a jewellery person? How about a Tiffany necklace or a pretty pair of diamond earrings that can be worn on the wedding day and for years to come!

Whatever you decide to gift, make it personal and enjoy the look on their face when they know how much you care and appreciate them.💖

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