Grab a few baskets and filler at a nearby thrift store, and fill them with some wonderful goodies you think your bridesmaids will like. Your gift baskets can have any kind of theme to them that you like, such as coffee, chocolate, lotions and oils, bubble bath and spa gift baskets or even flowers. If you are having a wedding theme, then make your gift baskets go along with your theme. For example, if you are having a summer themed wedding, then use some giant colorful beach bags and fill them up with all kinds of goodies, like flip flops, towels and other fun summery stuff.

Personalized Bridesmaid Gifts

Many brides who purchase their bridesmaid gifts off of the Internet want to personalize the gifts for their bridesmaids to make it a little bit nicer for them. Many companies will personalize nearly anything, so your options are pretty open. You can give your bridesmaids personalized t-shirts, purses or handbags and even jewelry. It’s something you know your bridesmaids will enjoy, not only because it is a gift from you a memory of your wedding, but also because it is personalized with their names.

Miscellaneous Bridesmaid Gifts

If you’re on a limited budget (and to a point, every bride’s budget is limited), then you may want to look at some smaller kinds of bridesmaid gifts. Look at some stationary with fun colored pens, a single bottle of lotion or even some home made candy with a personal note from you. Your bridesmaids will appreciate the time and effort that you took to thank them for their time.

No matter what kinds of gifts you choose to get for the women in your bridal party, make sure that there is some kind of a personal touch so that they know and understand that your gift has come from the heart. That way your best friends, relatives or sisters will know how much you appreciate them and they’ll cherish the gifts that you give. I gave my bridesmaids a necklace and earring set to go with their bridesmaid dresses so that everyone would match, and I also paid for all of them to get their hair and make-up done for the wedding. It was a fun time to spend time with my sister and my new sisters getting our hair and make up done, and I know they enjoyed it as well.

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Bridesmaid Gift Ideas

Choosing a Wedding or Bridesmaid Dress

One of the tasks that the maid of honor is typically given is to help the bride choose the dresses that the bridesmaids will wear, as well as be with the bride when she is picking out her wedding dress. This can be done from a distance, though it may be a little difficult. For the bridesmaid dresses, ask your maid of honor to look on the Internet and/or try some dresses on to come up with some favorites for bridesmaid dresses. Then, you can easily email pictures back and forth. If you really want your maid of honor to be there when you are looking at wedding dresses, and the distance between you isn’t too far away, then plan a weekend when ya’ll can get together, and run and look and bridesmaid dresses and reception venues, and anything else you want to do with her.

Planning Bridal Showers or a Bachelorette Party

The Internet is a beautiful thing. If your maid of honor wants to throw a bridal shower or bachelorette party for you, it can still easily be done from a distance. Find a location you want (like a friend’s home or a restaurant), and then via the Internet she can easily make her reservations, buy any decorations she needs, and even send invitations to invited guests without living in the same town as you.

Being the Brides Right Hand “Man”

The basic duty of the maid of honor is to be there for the bride in whatever she may need. Your maid of honor can still do this for you if she lives farther away. By means of telephone calls you need her to make, some projects your maid of honor can do on her own out of town, and much more. Plus, she should be with you a few days before the wedding so you can get some help and friend time before the wedding as well.

When my husband and I got married, his best friend lived in Alaska at the time, and we live in Texas. There was no question in his mind that he still wanted his best friend to be his best man, and they just made it work. But if you think about it, the best man really doesn’t have as many duties as the maid of honor does, and it kind of got me to thinking a little bit. Hopefully this article has been a help to you, and if you have any more questions or examples about how this has worked out for you in the past, don’t hesitate to write and ask.

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Maid of Honor Lives Too Far Away?

Assistance with General Decision Making

While the bride and groom are responsible for making the majority of the important decisions regarding the wedding, the maid of honor is there to give opinions, offer support, and lend a hand wherever and whenever needed. This does not mean that she should stay glued to your hip from engagement to wedding! Phone conversations, email, and brainstorming girl’s nights are a great way to get another viewpoint without ruling your maid of honor’s life.

Planning Bridal Showers and Bachelorette Party!

This is probably one of the most fun parts of being the maid of honor! Coming up with fun bridal shower ideas and games, putting together guest lists and organizing parties is a huge part of their duties. Also, the maid of honor is expected to attend and help the bride by making notes while she is opening gifts on who gave what for thank you cards.

Assisting the Bride Before the Wedding

Whether it’s helping the bride scout out great locations for the reception, helping address and mail wedding invitations, calling for quotes, or even helping make some great wedding favors, the maid of honor should try to make herself available for whatever she can do to lighten the load of the bride. This even includes showing up before the ceremony to help decorate the ceremony and reception location, if needed. Another great idea, try to take the bride-to-be’s mind off of wedding details to help preserve her sanity!

Being the Right Hand Lady!

One of the most important responsibilities of the maid of honor is that she’ll be acting as the bride’s assistant and right-hand lady for whatever the bride needs on her wedding day. She does much more than just stand by the bride and hold her flowers during the ceremony. Helping the bride with her dress, hair and make-up, running messages to vendor and other wedding participants, typically the maid of honor is also one to sign the marriage license after the ceremony, secure any money given to the bridal pair during the reception, giving a speech during the reception if necessary, and being a point of contact for other guests are just a few of her possible wedding day duties. An important task of the maid of honor is the maid of honor speech she is expected to make at the reception. To help out with this, see my article on Maid of Honor Speeches.

After Wedding Duties

The maid of honorary typically is in charge of taking care of the wedding dress once the bride leaves, as well as any gifts that are left, and sometimes helping take down decorations and any other duties defined by the bride.

The duties of the maid of honor are usually vaugely defined since they differ from wedding to wedding. When they are poorly communicated, it can cause problems, so make sure you are upfront about what you need from your maid of honor, while understanding that she does have a life outside of your wedding. Remember, that no matter how much of a treasure your maid of honor may be, she still has limits, so treat her well.

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What are the Duties of the Maid of Honor?