Tag Archives: bridesmaid gifts

Bridesmaid Gifts Under $30 (That She’ll Totally Love Too)

Bridesmaid Gifts Under $30 (That's She'll Totally Love Too)

Staying on a budget with bridesmaid gifts can be tough. You have to buy x-number of the same item, which means the item itself can’t be that expensive. But you still want to get your girls something thoughtful, personalized and fun. These bridesmaid gifts under $30 (and most are under $25) will make your maids smile and keep you on budget too.

This personalized tote comes in black, pink, blue and gold, and you can even customize the lettering style. I love the rope handle detail, and how spacious they are. You could definitely fit a lot in this bag! $24.95 each.

You can honestly never have too many cosmetic bags. They are just so handy! In addition to cosmetics, I store jewelry, pens, and even tampons in mine when I’m traveling. I love the gold details on this personalized cosmetics bag, $21.50 each.

Guys, I’m kind of obsessed with these personalized sleep masks from Sleepy Cottage. This version says “SHHHH, Sleeping Off Tilley’s Bachelorette,” which you can obviously personalize with the bride’s name and the color of your choice ($22 each). But they have so many other adorable options! Can I suggest the Wake Me For Mimosas version ($15 each)?

Perfect for a bachelorette party favor or to stuff in a beach wedding welcome bag: flamingo and swan drink floats, set of 2 for $12.99!

This sweet botanical travel set ($29) has so much going for it. The bag itself if adorable, with a tropical fern print, and it comes stuffed with a soap and lip balm of your choice, lavender detox salts, and a skin rescue balm.

These personalized champagne flutes are perfect for mimosas as you’re getting ready with your bridal party! $16.95 each.

This post contains affiliate links. Ultimate Bridesmaid carefully selects our affiliate partners to only work with companies and promote products we 100% love. Thank you for supporting Ultimate Bridesmaid!

An Orange and Pink Styled Bridal Luncheon

After a surprise email from a local seamstress, Shaunda of E’MAGINE Weddings & Events was inspired to collaborate with her to create completely custom bridesmaid robes and dresses. Seamstress Stini and wedding planner Shaunda carried the theme of personalization through the decor and accessories, incorporating wine glass decals to customize the beverages, monogramming on the robes and each bridesmaid’s name stitched into clutches. As a serial bridesmaid (eight times and counting!), Shaunda wanted to create a luxurious inspiration shoot for a bridesmaid luncheon, the perfect way to thank your ladies for being there for you through all the craziness of wedding planning. Charlotte wedding photographer Samantha Laffoon perfectly captured all the little details of the day.

Best of Etsy: Pastel Pretties

Take a look out the window. See snow? Again? Or it’s just really freaking cold? Girl, you are not alone. As a little pick-you-up, here are my fav recent Etsy finds, all in cheerful pastel hues to make you feel like springtime is already here. Whether you’re a bride searching for the perfect gift for your bridesmaids or a party planner on the hunt for bridal shower favors, these pretty accessories and thoughtful pieces are perfect for bringing a little sunshine into the mix.

I’m a little bit obsessed with the blend of delicate pastels and a modern geometric triangle pattern on this cotton pendant necklace from The Fox and Fig.

You can seriously never have too many vases—they’re stylish and useful. I especially love the organic feeling of this teardrop shape from The Object Enthusiast, with the modern pop of metallic dots to add color and shine.

Wouldn’t this be perfect for a “Will You Be My Bridesmaid” gift? The gem-shaped soaps from Vice and Velvet are crafted through a cold-process method the uses at least 50% olive oil, plus organic rice milk, macadamia nut oil and Australian pink clay. The prism necklace gets a whole new look, cast in concrete that gives an almost industrial vibe and offset with delicate lilac and sunshine yellow. (Similar here.)Artwork is one of my favorite unexpected gifts. For a unique bridesmaid favor, ask Milk Foam to create a perfume watercolor for each of your ladies, showing her signature scent. The resulting piece will be personal and totally one of a kind.

Bridesmaid Gifts Under $30: Our Favorite Bags and Jewelry from Etsy

Many brides like to choose bridesmaid gifts that their maids can wear to their wedding, but I also love the idea of just choosing something fun that you know your girls will love and that they can mix into their daily ensemble. Bags and jewelry are always welcome—what girl doesn’t love a handy new tote or a little extra sparkle? Plus, one size fits all and lots of Etsy vendors allow you to purchase assortments of different colors and prints. We rounded up our favorite bridesmaid gifts under $30 from Etsy.

You got a diamond, so why shouldn’t they? I’m quite taken with this stunning little bamboo ring (and it will be way more affordable than your rock, at $19.92).Brighten up their day with this soft vegan leather foldover clutch accented with a punch of neon yellow (and it’s a steal at only $26).

I’m loving the bold graphic statement of these leather cuffs ($18), laser cut with tribal patterns (and perfect with jeans and a chambray shirt, don’t you think?). You can never, ever have too many totes, especially delicate arrow-printed ones, made from recycled organic cotton ($24.50). Mix and match these enamel-dipped brass feather hairpins with their favorite colors. Can’t you just see them tucked into a loose braid? ($10 each, plus buy 3 get one free!) (similar here)

Looking for a cute bag to stuff with bridesmaid survival gear? Look no further. Dotted with stars and trees, this linen pouch will double as a stylish makeup bag after your big day ($29.94).

Bath and Beauty Favors

I recently finished moving, so after all that packing and unpacking I’ve been seriously considered a spa day complete with a massage. Next best thing to an expensive appointment? One of these spa gift sets! These would be perfect for bridal shower party favors, or to incorporate into an at-home spa party. They’d also make great bridesmaid favors. Your maids are going to want to relax after the wedding too—and they don’t have a honeymoon to look forward to!

The graphic ombre lines on this spa gift set box remind me of sunset over the ocean. The kit has everything you need for a perfectly rejuvenating bath: salts, body oil, a clay facial mask and lip balm.

Hello, darling little owl soap. Yes, I must have you! Oh, you arrive with a lip balm and nourishing serum? How lovely!

This sugar scrub, exfoliating goat’s milk soap and natural lip balm will leave you and your maids glowing. There are tons of scents to choose from here.

In scents like lavender lemongrass, orange patchouli walnut, and rosewood, these organic soaps are not only gorgeous—they give back. For each bar you purchase, Poppy Soap Co. donates a bar to a local women’s shelter.

This at-home facial kit is perfect for a spa party in your living room. Set up stations for manicures, pedicures and facials and then have girls switch off.

Best of: Etsy Bridesmaid Gifts

A roundup of a few of my favorite finds on Etsy right now.

A classy lady needs a classy flask, am I right? Groomsmen can’t have all the fun. The high-heeled boot and vintage-looking wash say “I’m a lady, but I can hold my liquor.”

You spent so much time on those wedding photos, why not present your maids with rustic custom frames to display them? Send the seller a picture of your bridesmaids’ dresses and he’ll hand draw a gown to match, then burn it into the wood along with your maid’s name.

Supply your girls with comfy and cute handprinted TOMS so they can dance the night away.

Perfect for those bridesmaid survival kits I know you’re planning on making. The seller will also personalize with your names, wedding date—whatever you want!

These button-front kaftans will look great and keep you from messing up your hair and makeup while getting ready the day of the wedding. Available in long or short styles, drawstring or buttons. The silk floral prints are stunning!

Why not just get them something cute? These patterned wristlets are sweet as can be with a dainty bow and perfect for storing their essentials the day of the wedding. No bulky bags, but cell, gloss, etc on hand.

Bridesmaid Gifts from Lydali

I’m super excited to bring you a roundup of bridesmaid gifts from Lydali, a line of global handmade goods that connects you with artistans in developing countries around the globe. Oh, and it just so happens to be cofounded by my freshmen-year roommate, Ali Price! I’m so happy to see Ali’s business taking off and super impressed with the gorgeous collection she and her business partner (and fellow Wake Forest grad) Lydia Harter have curated. Here are a few of my favorite items, which would all be beautiful (and socially conscious) gifts for brides to give their maids. Ali was also nice enough to share a little about how her business got started, her tips for others hoping to do the same, and even a few special memories from her own wedding. Check out her interview below!

These banana bark and fabric bangles are absolutely stunning and highly stackable. Each bangle is handmade in Tanzania, where women peel the bark from the trees, treat it, then turn it into bangles with the help of colorful locally produced fabrics. $35 for a set of three

These soft cotton clutches handmade in Guatemala make perfect makeup bags or pouches for bridesmaid emergency kits. I particularly love the coral diamond print and the two-tone tassels. $24

I couldn’t resist adding a second set of clutches because they made me think about needlepoint in a new way. I’ve always associated this craft with bygone eras, but seeing it here in modern colors and striking florals (gotta love the pomegranate flower!) made me swoon. The bags come straight to you from a folk art fair in Uzbekistan. $25

I’ve always been a sucker for a leather-bound book and this one is no exception. These 40-page honey-colored journals are made by women in Northern India and the proceeds go to funding literacy in the region. $15

UB: So tell me about starting Lydali! How did you get the idea?

Ali: I was in Bali last year and I started talking to one of my friends who lived in Bali and was working with artisans there. She was employing talented people to make really beautiful jewelry and accessories, but she was having trouble finding a market for their products outside of friends and family. I had experience working with artisans in Kenya, and I knew that my friend’s issue was common—small groups of artisans were making really unique products with great stories behind them, but no one knew about it. I puzzled over that problem for the rest of my time in Indonesia, and then when I was on the 16-hour flight back to San Francisco, I came up with the idea for a store that housed a well-curated collection of artisan-made products from all over the world. Back in San Francisco, I talked to my buyer friend Lydia Harter about it, and she immediately signed on. A few months later, we launched Lydali.

UB: Can you tell me about how you track down these amazing artisans?

Ali: We have a couple of different ways of connecting with artisans, but most of the connections happen through friends and friends of friends. One of my favorite connections came from having my family friend, Jay, and his wife, Diana, who had just moved to the Bay Area over for brunch. They had been living in Haiti for the past few years, and Diana had been working with women who were amputees as a result of the 2010 earthquake. She helped to train the women to sew and make bags and hair accessories, and I loved the story and the products. A few weeks after the brunch, we had their products up on Lydali! (Here they are, if you want to see.)

UB: Do you have any advice for young women trying to set up an online business?

Ali: I was a little bit intimidated by the prospect of setting up an online business. Don’t be afraid to go for it, and once you start taking steps to make it happen, things start feeling easier. I reached out to anyone and everyone who was doing something even vaguely related and had conversations with them. So many great learnings came out of talking to others who had started businesses themselves or worked in similar fields. We also were really lucky to have lots of talented friends who wanted to help, so we had friends styling our products, taking photos, writing copy for our website, and helping us find more artisans to work with. Think about the talent you have around you, and don’t be afraid to ask for help.

UB: Since this is a bridesmaid blog, I have to throw in a wedding question! Can you share a special memory from your own wedding?

Ali: So, I mentioned that I worked with artisan women in Kenya when I was in college. Well, for my wedding, they sent me this hilariously awful pink plastic ring box that played music for our rings to be carried in for the ceremony. It clashed completely with my style and the style of the wedding, but it was such a sweet thing for them to think to send. We didn’t use it for the actual wedding, but we did bring it out beforehand for pictures so that I could thank the women for the thoughtful gift. (I attached the only picture of it I could find, which doesn’t really capture the true ugliness of this thing!)