Weddingbee Blog

For our wedding week festivities, the Button Bridesmaids arrived a few days early to start the party! Because our pre-wedding plans involved some sun and fun, I wanted my bridesmaid gifts to serve a practical purpose! Yes… I said practical. I wish I could say that I am a creative gift giver, but alas I am not! I happen to be the person who gifts practical items. I know that many brides before me have gifted their bridesmaids with adorable monogrammed tote bags, jewelry, and the like, However, two of the Button Bridesmaids are getting married in the next year (so their monograms would be out of date soon), and my taste in jewelry sometimes differs greatly from that of my maids. Alas… I hit the drawing board.

Inspiration hit me in the store one day when I saw a display of some adorable beach bags for sale! They were lightweight, large, and have a zipper closure (3 very important beach bag attributes, in this Florida girl’s opinion…). I was sold… and thus, my gift bag was started!

What is a beach bag without a towel? My next addition to the gift was a brightly colored beach towel for each maid, along with an aluminum water bottle.

Next up was a small goodie bag that I put together. It included their favorite candy, a pretty pink nail polish, a nail file, two note pads, and a Burt’s Bees Chapstick!

And… I didn’t want my ‘maids to get bored at the beach… so I included a puzzle book (Soduku, crosswords, word finds, etc.). I never go to the beach without one!

Finally, each of the Button Bridesmaids received a tank top that I crafted for them. I sewed some fluffy organza flowers and attached them to pins. Each tank had two flowers on the strap; because the flowers were attached with pins, the maids can attach them to other items, keep them on the tank, or remove them completely… whatever their hearts desire (see… practical Miss Buttons…)!

I carefully placed all of the items in the beach bag, and I presented them to the Button Bridesmaids on the first day of our bachelorette festivities. They were able to use the items throughout the course of our wedding weekend festivities to tote their beach items (a few even made their way to our venue as tote bags to carry their “dancing shoes,” touch up makeup, and other items)!

Are you a practical gift giver when it comes to your bridal party? What did you gift them/are you planning on gifting them?