5 Bridesmaid Gifts That Don’t Suck. (Or EXACTLY What to Buy Your Bridesmaids!) Bridesmaids, Thank Me Later

A silver-plated picture frame with your wedding date engraved on it. Jewelry that PERFECTLY coordinates with the bridesmaid dresses. Anything stuffed with potpourri. Oh, wait. Those are all things your bridesmaids definitely DON’T want.

But the good news is, we’ve chatted about bridesmaid gifts so much on Save the Date that I know exactly what they DO want! The number one thing, forever and always, is that (1) If you want your bridesmaids to have their hair and/or makeup and/or nails professionally done, then pay for it. That’s the gift they’ll appreciate most. A close second would be (2) If your bridesmaids will have to shack up at a pricey hotel, offer to chip in for the cost.

If you’d rather get them an actual gift—a little token from your wedding that they can unwrap and have as a reminder of your big day, here are some things that seem to go over well.

(3) Jewelry that they’ll love—even if it has nothing to do with the wedding. Hint: It’s fine if you want them to wear coordinating hair clips on your wedding day, but that can’t be your only “gift.”

Blue Topaz Stud Earrings from Blue Nile, $90.

Melinda Maria Textured Ovals Bangle Bracelet from The Clay Pot, $50.

(4) Matchy-matchy clothing they can wear after your wedding. It’s cute to have your bridesmaids coordinate in your pre-ceremony pics on your wedding day. It’s not cute for them to wear “BRIDESMAID!” T-shirts the other 364 days of the year. Opt for clothing that’s NOT single-use.

Sweet Love and Yonderflies Knee-Length Kimono Robe from Plum Pretty Sugar, $65.

Rainbow Heart Tank Top from Wedding Chicks, $24.

(5) Something that celebrates their differences. One of your ‘maids is a foodie, another’s a bookworm, and so on. Don’t get them a one-size-fits-all gift.

Cuisinart Smart Stick 2-Speed 200-Watt Immersion Hand Blender from Amazon, $34.95.

Cloth-Bound Penguin Classics from Amazon, from $13.60.

Yes, some of these gifts are repeat suggestions, but they’re my favorites for a reason. And OBVIOUSLY not all of the gifts pictured would work for every bridesmaid, but hopefully if you’ve asked someone to be your bridesmaid, you know her well enough to buy her an under-$100 gift!

What’s the best bridesmaid gift you’ve ever received? What would you like to receive? And what’s the WORST thing you’ve been given?