Miss Peacock, Chicago
Age and Occupation: 26, PhD Student
Fiance's Age and Occupation: 29, Internet Whiz
Engagement Date: December 5, 2006
Wedding Date: September, 2008
Blogging Since: December 13, 2007
Venue: St. Clement Church, Cafe Brauer (or a big church wedding and a fancy party at a cafe in Lincoln Park.
About Me: I am a grad student with a secret obsession for all things wedding related. I also love to read, travel, drink champagne and go for walks with our dog, Maisy, and Mr. Peacock. We are planning our very vintage wedding in the greatest city in the world, our hometown of Chicago. I am so proud to be a Bee!
My Favorites
March 19th, 2008 @ 11:12 am by Mrs. Peacock
I have seen some really fabulous ways to ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids. I had been asked a handful of times to serve as a maid before it was my turn to get married, and I had never received any elaborate gifts. The bride called, told me how excited she was and that she hoped I would be able to stand by her on her big day and we cried happy tears for a moment before she returned to her new fiance.
When it was my turn, there were a slew of engagements going down. I knew that I wouldn’t be the only one asking, or they would be trying to plan their weddings alongside me. I wanted to give them a little warm fuzzy just to ease the request in. I invited them to brunch at the southside Orange location- a very fresh and yummy brunch spot- and handed them this little basket of goodies.
Brunch occurred a few weeks before Valentine’s Day last year, so I had my pick of all the heart shaped candies that a girl could want. Also inside the cute little Paper Source bag, I included a love note on a blank Paper Source card and made them a little paper fortune cookie with the big question inside.
I used Martha’s directions and bought my supplies at- you guessed it- Paper Source. I used brads instead of double sided tape because I think brads are cute and I am always looking for excuses to use them.
How did you ask your bridesmaids to be part of your wedding?
15 Responses to “My Favorites”
I agree so cute! I asked via phone (my maids all live out of state) and now wish I had done something more creative!
this is such a cute idea!
i didnt ask my bridesmaids - i just threatened to never speak to them if anyone refused.
=D
Since I wouldn’t be able to see my bridesmaids to ask them (they are spread across the country), I wanted to do something better than just call, so I shipped them all packages. I baked cookies and used wedding-related cookie cutters and iced them appropriately — a diamond ring to look like my new ring, a heart with the date of our wedding in it so they could save the date, a wedding cake in our colors, and a bridesmaid dress. Not only did they come out ridiculously cute, but they were delicious too! Then, to actually ask the question, I made them cards and on the front, I photoshopped their faces in the ugliest bridesmaid dress picture I could find online, and then on the inside promised not to make them wear a hideous dress if they agreed to be my bridesmaid. I, of course, would have preferred to ask in person, but since this wasn’t an option (I can’t afford 5 plane tickets to 5 different locations right now!) I am really pleased with what I wound up doing — it was a huge hit! A couple of my bridesmaids have done it multiple times, and they all said getting the package was the best way they had ever been asked by far.
Adorable! I love the polka dot bag and your handwriting.
They all live far away so I hand made them each a really funny card. On the front of the card I used a photo of 3 bridesmaids from the 1980’s, wearing hideous red bridesmaid dresses with big hair, looking very sad. On the inside I wrote a poem about how taffeta and ruffles look great on you so I want you to be my bridesmaid! The girls loved it and keep talking about the cards a year later. It was a big hit! There are photos in my knot bio, http://community.theknot.com/cs/ks/user/page.aspx?username=chibride08
How cute! Since I only have 3 my girls pretty much knew they were getting a BM spot even pre-engagement so I didn’t have to do any official asking. But I am going to make them pajama sets and travel totes when they come to visit for the dress trying on session, i hope that will win them over!
I bought the ugliest pink BM dresses I could find, invited them over, wrote them a card asking to be a BM, then said “I hope you don’t mind…I’ve already picked out your dresses”
the horrified looks on their faces were priceless 
it was a hilarious and memorable way to ask and it set the tone for the fun we were about to have!
I purchased cookies from weddingish.com that were in the shape of a bridesmaid, with icing that said “Will you be my bridesmaid?” They loved them, and still have them saved! We thought about shalaking (spelling) them to keep them from breaking.
Umm…am I the only one who just called them up and asked them? At the time — pre-weddingbee, pre-knot — it just never occurred to me to plan some elaborate gift. But then, I’m only having three bridesmaids, so it was fairly apparent who they would be.
The gag gift stories are funny though — wish I had thought of that!
I loved the concept of asking my friends in a special way. When it came to be my turn, there were a lot of engagements happening in my circles of friends too. My solution? Finding old (sometimes embarassing or funny) photos of the girls and I, framing them and writing on the frame “Will you be my bridesmaid?”
The girls all loved it, plus it fed my need to craft and gave them something to remember the occasion by
i made 4×6 puzzles out of foam core with a picture of my FI & I on one side, then on the other i wrote a note saying :
“how we have been apart of each other’s lives for so many special events, that there was one in particular i couldn’t imagine them not there for… so i asked if they would stand by me on the most important day of my life!”
i exacto(sp?) knifed it into about 5 puzzle pieces and mailed them to each of my girls in a bubble envelope. when they got them they had to put them together to read the note, and then i got either an excited/ borderline squealing voicemail or phone call back from the 6 of them! Side note I really made my girls squirm, while planning the puzzles and executing them took me some time… i didn’t ask (sent the puzzles) until about 4 months after our engagement! oops
if you would like to see pics… it’s on my blog…
http://joiedeviestyle.blogspot.com/search/label/asking%20bridesmaids
if i did them again i would change a few things to make them look more professional, but i’m a smidge OCD! =)
Wow- you are all so creative!! These are some awesome ideas. Keep ‘em coming!
I don’t think that there is anything wrong with a sweet phone call, by the way. I think that I was just looking for an excuse to get crafty! Plus, with all the other weddings going on and babies on the way, I knew they were going to make a big commitment. I was just so grateful that they were all able to do it!
i think any thoughtful sentiment is a sweet way to ask your bridal party.
i made cards (via shutterfly) with a picture of me and my future bridesmaid and sent it to their homes. A couple days later, I asked them to all go out for dinner where i had flowers and sweets waiting at their seat.
I love Orange…and Papersource! What a cute idea, and what lovely packaging.
