You might remember that my post on ‘the things that no one tells you to think about when you get engaged,’ made mention of gifts for when you ask your bridesmaids to be a part of the wedding. I had said that I loved what I landed on, and now that they’ve all been delivered I can share what that is! I decided on a DIY bridesmaid box for each of my girls, and will share below my reasoning and how to recreate for yourself –
Ok, so first and foremost, I’m all about useful gifts and that really guided the choice to do a DIY bridesmaid box gift, and the contents within. I saw so many cute ideas on Pinterest and that friends had done (balloon pops, champagne deliveries, etc.), but I just couldn’t shake that once they were done, that was it. If I’m going to invest in something (x5 in my case), I wanted it be worthwhile.
I then stumbled across a company that makes boxes for a whole variety of occasions, but they were PRICEY AF, and not all the contents were really to my liking, but it got me thinking and so I started to pull together what I needed to make my own bridesmaid box. Keep in mind if you’re thinking of doing the same to pre-set your budget so it doesn’t get out of hand. I knew I didn’t want to exceed ~$75 per girl (again, I’m multiplying that by 5 so), and came in just slightly over that all in by being savvy with some things and going nicer on others.
The one thing I did LOVE about those pre-made boxes were that the boxes themselves were a nice rustic looking reclaimed wood that could definitely be repurposed and I knew my girls would appreciate. However, before I could pick one out I needed to know my items so that I could ensure they would all fit. I also knew nicer boxes would up my cost versus paper packaging or a gift bag, so I was mindful of that when picking the items.
My must have item to start the bridesmaid box was live flowers – I know that might not sound practical/in line with my point above, but if you know me I always have fresh blooms in the house so it’s something relevant to me/my style. Plus, it’s a way to really make a statement with the look of the box and my gfs share my affinity for pretty things 🙂 I ended up picking a variety of stems from my regular flower market (plus, greenery and fillers) and making the bouquets myself. THIS IS THE MOST COST EFFECTIVE THING YOU CAN DO. I was able to get all the flowers I needed for quite substantial arrangements for $100. That’s $20 a girl which is way less than what I would have paid had I just sent everyone a bouquet delivery with nothing else, especially considering I got high-end options like roses, peonies, ranunculus, etc. Vases were from the trusty dollar store and only set me back $7.50 total (steal).
In addition to the flowers, I wanted something that would come in handy to my girls over the course of what is sure to be a busy year, so naturally I turned to Saje, another personal fave wellness brand of mine whose products I use religiously. I opted for their Pocket Farmacy Remedy Convenience Kit which is literally PERFECT for splitting up and keeping costs down (worked out to ~$12 each). The kit includes 5 different roll on remedies (including my personal fave, Peppermint Halo) to help with everything from headaches, to stress to digestion.. ie. problems associated with me having too many requests, making everyone travel for the bachelorette and squeeze into dresses after tasting menus lol!! These were probably the most practical item of the whole box, and the girls were thrilled!!
Next I needed something celebratory for each bridesmaid box, and since good champagne is pricey /overdone/big to fit in a box, I went for booze-infused candy instead! Squish has the CUTEST options for these, they are delicious and vegan so you don’t need to worry about dietary restrictions AND have a whole bridal themed collection. I chose a variety of prosecco bears, champagne roses and ring bling. Very well received and cost ~$30 total.
Then I decided a candle would be a good addition because, again, useful and good to destress when I become an annoying bride lol. I found ones that said ‘You’re My Fave’ on the packaging so that was perfect. I also included lavender infused fuzzy sleep masks (no longer available, but these are similar!) that I alluded to in the cards were to try and get some shut eye en route to the bachelorette (I will share the destination when it’s confirmed but it’s going to be epic!). Those items cost me $40 (on sale) and $75 for all 5, respectively.
Now that I had the goodies, I could find the box! I had to go to a few of the craft store (Michael’s) to get 5 of the same, but managed to find them + the filler crinkle and the chalkboard name tags for ~$90. The cards I put in with a personal note were from an existing stationary set I already owned by Papyrus, so no cost there.
So the verdict.. my girlfriends LOVED their gifts (I’m so happy), and all said yes to be in our wedding (well, duh lol), and I spent a total of ~$402. That’s $80 per girl and WAY less than the other options I originally mentioned with more items to enjoy! Two of my bridesmaids live in my condo (living our best lives, yo) so I hand delivered their boxes and was stopped by two different girls in the elevator asking to see the boxes and saying how much they loved the idea versus stuff they had been gifted as part of wedding parties (score!). I also delivered one to a hotel concierge to my one bridesmaid who was only in town for the weekend, and the concierge told me she wanted to steal it lol (tbh, I was a bit concerned after like ha-ha, suspicious laugh, but it was a nice place so I figured it was fine lol).
Anyway, I hope this helps/inspires any other bride-to-be’s and leave me a note below if you like this idea, what you did for your bridesmaid gifts or maybe the best one you’ve ever received! xx
You are amazing to share and so detailed!
Beautiful display!
My cousin and his fiance are starting to prepare for their wedding in June, and they consulted me for cute stuff they can give to bridesmaids and groomsmen as a thank you gift. We’ll just change some items or goodies in the DIY bridesmaid box, depending on the preference of the couple. But I would really suggest the Squish candies. Anyway, I think the couple will have more control on what to buy, especially they’re on a tight budget for gifts. This idea is really great! Thank you for sharing this!
Great job!!! I love this idea
Great idea.