You’re newly engaged and excited to start planning your dream wedding. From your wedding dress to your venue to your decorations, the excitement of getting to choose all the important details of your special day can be thrilling.
Another special part of planning your wedding is choosing who will be at your bridal party. Most likely you’ve already thought about who you want to be standing next to you as you say your vows. The next step is the fun part; finally, asking them if they will be your bridesmaid.
While brides can always just ask their bridesmaids to be part of their special day in a straightforward manner, note that it’s always a touching gesture to go out of your way to make them feel special by asking in a unique way. Be creative and have fun asking those you want by your side.
The rule of thumb that’s crucial to remember is to propose to your bridesmaids at least 6-8 months before the wedding. Ideally, you would ask them even further in advance, potentially up to a year before the wedding. This will make sure they have enough time to plan the festivities of the bachelorette party, as well as get their dresses and accessories.
Bridesmaid Proposal Box
Now that you’ve decided when you want to pop the question to your bridesmaids, it’s time to consider how you would like to do it. One method is to create a bridesmaid proposal box. Items you can include are:
- A heartfelt note.
- An “emergency” kit filled with wedding-day essentials.
- Sweets or treats they prefer.
- A personalized item with their name.
- Self-care items such as nail polish or face masks.
- Mini bottles of their favorite beverage.
- Jewelry
Any combination of these items is sure to make your bridesmaids feel special and excited about being included in your wedding day. Be sure to keep the items similar when giving them to your bridesmaids, so no one feels left out or excluded if someone else gets something more costly.
Additionally, consider including elements of the season in which you’ll be getting married. For a fall wedding, you may choose to include items like pumpkin-scented candles or blankets. If you’re holding a winter wedding, consider including bridesmaid accessories such as shawls, stockings, or even a personalized jacket to compliment their winter bridesmaid dresses. Adding these elements to your bridal party are sure to create a wintry and cozy feel on your big day.
Lastly, ensure that you aren’t giving gifts with the word “bridesmaid” included, as they most likely won’t use the items in the future. A better option is to include their name on gifts instead.
You’ll also want to keep in mind that you don’t need to spend a large amount on the gift boxes. On top of paying for your wedding, you’ll also most likely be providing small gifts for your party on the day of, so stick to your budget and space gifts out appropriately.
Proposal Jewelry
Jewelry for your bridesmaids is another great way to ask them to be part of your big day. You can include matching jewelry you would like them all to wear on your wedding day, or you can choose to provide them with personalized items instead. Gifting them necklaces or bracelets with their names on them, or even pendants, are sure to be treasured for years to come.
If you’d prefer to not personalize jewelry, there are countless gift sets out there that are also great options. Additionally, there are sets asking, “will you be my bridesmaid?” on the packaging, but the jewelry itself doesn’t have anything written. No matter what you choose to gift, your bridesmaids are sure to love it.
Scrapbook or Photo Album
If your bridesmaids are long-time or even childhood friends, creating a personalized and special scrapbook or photo album is a heartfelt way to ask them to be at your wedding party.
Start with a few pictures of when you first met or became friends, and continue through the timeline of your friendship. Include any memorable or exciting photos that highlight your time together. To tie it all together, add a recent photo of the two of you on the last page with the caption, “Will you be my bridesmaid?”. This is a way to ask your friends in a more unique and special way, and it’s also a great gift they can treasure.
Send Flowers
Consider sending them flowers with a personalized note for a simpler yet touching way to ask your bridesmaids. Sending them a curated arrangement of flowers to brighten up their space is sure to delight.
Create a cohesive look by choosing flowers that you’re planning to use in your wedding bouquet as well. You can also pick unique flowers for each of your bridesmaids that you feel represents them. Work with a local florist to ensure your blooms are just the way you want them to be before sending. If your bridesmaids live nearby, also consider hand delivering them instead of having them delivered by the florist.
Host a Wine Night
If you would prefer to have all of your bridesmaids together for a more low-key proposal, consider hosting a wine night to ask them all at the same time. You can pop the question at the end of the evening by presenting a wine bottle with a custom label that asks them to be at your wedding party.
For gifts, including customized wine glasses, their favorite wine of choice, customized bottle openers or corkscrews are all wonderful options that fit the theme of your proposal. This wine night is sure to have you all toasting to your big day.
Time to Pop the Question
Now that you’ve decided who you’re going to ask to be part of your big day and how you will ask them, it’s time to start getting everything together. Make sure you leave enough time to ask your bridesmaids thoughtfully and give them a gift they’re sure to love. No matter what you choose, your bridesmaids will be excited to be part of your big day and celebrate.