Express your gratitude in style
They’ve been the first to cheers to your engagement and the last to leave your side during your bachelor or bachelorette party. They have put hours upon hours into making sure your big day is everything you dreamed. These are your ride or dies: your wedding party. While being a bridesmaid or groomsman is no doubt one of the greatest honors a couple can bestow upon their friends and relatives, it also comes with a lot of work, time, and resposiblity (and not to mention, money). When it comes to expressing your gratitude for your wedding party, it’s all about pampering them, letting them know how appreciated their friendship is to you during life’s seminal moments as well as every day.
While luxury may also be synonymous with “expensive,” Margaret Moraskie, CEO of luxury brand Levenger, captures the essence of luxe gift giving: “It’s not about what you spend, it’s about making the memory and experience last. By selecting quality, meaningful, long-lasting and personal gifts, your bridesmaids and groomsmen can fondly remember your wedding day each time they see their gift for years to come.”
Here are sixideas that will make your wedding party feel like the royalty they are:
Sumptuous Skincare
“I think anything that makes those in your bridal party feel beautiful and confident from within is a wonderful way to say thank you for supporting you on your special day. High-quality skincare made with nourishing ingredients, such as Míage Skincare, is an easy and fabulous way to do this,” says Shirly Zheng, General Manager at Míage Skincare, an AAPI and woman-owned luxury waterless skincare line fusing human stem cell science and isotonic nutrient delivery.
You can also couple personalized skincare gifts with an experience, says esthetician, celebrity facialist, and beauty/skincare expert, Angela Caglia: “What better way to thank your bridesmaids and groomsmen for standing by your side on your special day than to pamper them with a spa day? The Geneo Facial immediately exfoliates and oxygenates the skin offering five different types of treatments customized to their skin concerns.”
Sweets for the Soul
When it comes to treating your wedding party, sometimes a literal treat is the best way to go. For a sweet that is both delicious and wholesome, luxury honey is a gift that will nuture and delight. “Manuka Honey is natures best wellness gift for any special occasion,” says Linda McWilliam, Business Development Manager at Three Peaks Manuka Honey. “It is a wellness gift that is sweet to taste and has a multitude of uses such as everyday wellness, when you consume a teaspoon a day or [use as] a perfect component for beauty masks!”
McWilliam also notes, “Three Peaks Manuka Honey has our signature characteristics of thick and velvety texture, herbaceous aromas, and mineral, caramel flavors. Each jar is handled with care, is traceable and UMF certified as Manuka Honey. Three Peaks was formed form a passion of New Zealand‘s volcanic central plateau with the desire and commitment to produce the most magnificent Manuka Honey from the dense and remote manuka forest sites.”
You can never go wrong with chocolate, and no one knows chocolate like Hilliards. Founded in 1924 in a small town south of Boston, Hilliards is a family owned business in its fourth generation. They offer classic assortments and creative seasonal concoctions that can add a personalized touch to a gift, like the lemon lavendar truffles pictured above or their craft beer collection shown below.
Lush Leathers
Luxury and leather go hand in hand, and for good reason: quality leather goods are both durable and chic. CEO of luxury brand Levenger, Margaret Moraskie, says: “You want to give them something luxurious that’s going to last for years to come, something that prompts beautiful memories of the wedding and friendship, but also something they’ll actually use. Gifting a fine pen, like our True Writer Select Rollerball, a monogrammed journal, like our gorgeous pebbled-leather Carrie Journal or a fine leather wallet, are all fantastic options because they’re thought-provoking, quality gifts that the bridal party can use long after the wedding is over.”
Leather goods like wallets and journals can also be easily personalized, notes Moraskie, “Personalization and longevity have become huge trends when it comes to identifying gifts for the bridal party. Fine leather goods, like journals, wallets and bags all have become great options since they’re long-lasting, beautiful items that are simple to personalize. Everyone wants each member of their bridal party to feel that their gift is special and unique to them as an individual. Personalization does just that – it can take a wonderful gift and make it all the more special when you add a name, initials or a meaningful quote.”
Sparkle Squad
Simon G. Jewelry
Brooke Brinkman, SVP of Marketing and Communications for Simon G. Jewelry, says: “Getting married is the most important day in your life and you want those that stood beside you to cherish the memory as you will. Investing in a piece of fine jewelry that will forever hold the moments of that day and serve as a reminder of the bond you share is important. The gift is a token of your appreciation and should be something that is unique and memorable.”
“When gifting those closest to you, who you’ve chosen to share your special day, you want to give your wedding party something they can cherish as much as you cherish having them be a part of your nuptials. Luxury jewelry lets them know how important to you they are and is something they will appreciate and will always make them think of you,” notes ManLuu Founder and Creative Director, MoAnA Luu.
Just because it sparkles doesn’t mean it’s only for the bridesmaids. Luu says, “For the groom squad, give your guys a structural ring that exudes an air of sophistication and harkens back to a gentleman’s classic signet ring. Your band of brothers will be members of the suavest secret society with this sleek ring that will stand the test of time, just like your bond. The ML Embossed Ring, from the ML Collection, in sterling silver is the perfect fit.”
For a sustainable brand whose mission is to “create an item of equal or greater quality than the leading luxury brands at a much lower price,” definitely check out the jewelry and apparel at Quince. (And for more environmentally friendly ideas, pop over to our Green Gift Guide).
Unique Memories
“Ultimately our experts all agree that a meaningful wedding party gift makes the recipient feel special, appreciated, and cherished. For an unforgettable present that is sincere and individualized, take a look at Artifact. Artifact puts those that want to tell their stories (i.e. life stories, family history, lineage, new baby, weddings, family/friends roast, graduations, new school year, traveling or camping adventures etc. are just examples of timely events) with a professional interviewer to capture those cherished moments and put together a professionally edited 20-minute podcast for your friends/family to have for years to come.
Co-founder George Quraishi says, “We think about luxury a little differently than most companies. Time is our single most valuable resource, and our recordings make use of it in some interesting ways…When we interview the bride about her bridesmaids… we’re able to create a snapshot of the most important relationships in her life at a very important moment in her life.”
Personalized Keepsakes
Retail Manager and Designer Tom Lapan of Home by Modern Relik at Rowes Wharf advises, “I think the most important thing to consider when giving bridal party gifts is to personalize each gift to each member of the party so it shows you thought of the individual’s tastes and preferences. Another trend is to give gifts that represent/are of importance to the couple themselves.”
Lapan suggests, “An interest specific Assouline coffee table book – inscribed on the inside by all wedding party members, or simply a message from the bride and groom.”
Jen Lehman, Conference Services Manager at Mission Point Resort, agrees: “We are seeing more couples customize and personalize the thank you gifts they give to their wedding party with monogrammed first names, initials, their wedding date, etc. Some couples have also been sending different gifts to each member of their wedding party as well; giving a gift that reminds the couple of that unique individual. It’s a great reminder as to why that special person was chosen to stand up with the couple on their wedding day.”
And of course, no gift is complete without a heartfelt thank you note, Lehman says, “The thought behind a simple handwritten note continues to be incredibly important to couples. While it’s great to have so many digital aspects of a wedding, you truly cannot outshine a handwritten thank you note that’s paired with a unique and customized gift for your wedding party!”
