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UKbride Member Request 12 Feb 2020

Bridal and grooms presents

So not sure what to do in regards to gifts couples usually give out on the day as a thank you. I’ve got a present in mind for my mum who brought my dress and my mum-to-be who helped pick out my dress. Here’s the thing we’ve paid for everything else though, the venue, flowers, favours, decorations, transportation for his family and a few close friends and have gone over our budget. I’d loved to give out gifts to my bridesmaids, my brother who for reasons being is walking me down the aisle and my other half’s best man and my cousin who is saving us a small fortune by making our wedding cake. But I’m wondering if I want to do these thank you gifts just because it’s tradition and people will expect it from us.

22 Comments
UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I don't think it's expected, also if you want it doesn't have to cost, I think cards are nice. Also have a look at local business things like, personalised glasses do not have to cost much and our a lovely little gift. X

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

For the parents we didnt do anything on the day! Once we recieved our photos they all got a personalised photo book each.
The rest of the bridal party received a bag of goodies on their table...the men, a bottle of their fav drink, personalised hip flask and chocolates. The ladies...bracelet each, chocolates, foot freshener, makeup wipes, lipbalm etc

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I gave ours out befor the wedding. Cufflinks for the men’s to wear on the day like father of bride best man etc for bridesmaids a bracelet and the same for mother of the groom and something a little more special for my parents who paid for nearly it all xxx

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

For the bridesmaids home bargains have some gorgeous stuff really good price! I have bought mine a candle each, some bridesmaid flip flops as a jokey present, a make up bag and a lovely cosmetic mirror XX

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

Give the flowers you have on the day as gifts. We had 2 large displays that the mum's had one each. Someone else had a table decoration. Bridesmaids had a bracelet each and groomsmen which included both dad's, we bought cufflinks with coins from the year they were born.

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

We are paying for everything ourselves apart from my dress my dad paid for so I’m going to sort something for him and his mrs but the bridal party are all having Thankyou boxes in the morning of the wedding so non to give out at the reception xx

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

Home bargains have little bottles of champagne for £1 so gonna get them and a bracelet for bridal party and small bottle of something for the men and not sure what else lol Ebay have some lovely bags cheap to put it all in x

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

We got some lovely necklaces with poems from not on the high street for both mums. Thay loved them and didnt cost too much

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I would buy your cousin who has made you cake something as you said she saved you a small fortune, but could give it her before the wedding rather than give out on the day xx

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I bought the parents a bouquet of flowers each for their help just added it on to flower bill ( I paid for ) xx

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I’m in a similar boat as no one has contributed any money to our wedding at all. I also don’t really buy in to all the stuff that’s done for tradition sake, so we’re not doing any gifts at all

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I bought some presents but didn't give them out on the day.

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I didn’t do thank you gifts for people other than buying part of the outfits for my bridesmaids and the groomsmen! So bridesmaids I bought earrings and groomsmen I bought the ties and pocket squares

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I made pamper bags for all the bridesmaids etc I made my own soap, bath bombs etc they loved it and it didn’t cost much to do x

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

I think the fact that you’ve stated why you want to by them gifts shows that you’re doing it for more than the sake of tradition. But at the end of the day they wouldn’t want you to skint yourself buying them presents xx

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

You don't need to give gifts, people who are a part of your special day are doing it because they love you both, not for a gift.
We had photo frames as out table numbers with a little tag saying "gift for bridesmaid" on them. One cost and two uses and very personal to the day. Is there anything of the table centerpiece or such you could gift them?

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

Have a look on wish, i found some beautiful knot bracelets for 50p identical to ones i saw in a shop for £20 i then wrote a thankyou note to each person, i also found a heart token that said off all the walks we have taken this is my favourite which i gave to my dad. Cost isn’t everything just a small thankyou note is all it takes x

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

Personally I don’t see the point in giving gifts. Write someone a nice card to tell them how grateful you are for them. I bet they’ll treasure that more.

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

Why not write little letters & put into a frame , not a lot on money but priceless in love

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

We are personally not giving out gifts on the speeches as not following a few traditions. We have pretty much paid for it all ourselves bar a few bits from my mum and my sister. Xx so might do a little pressies for best man etc my nieces are having bridesmaids packs and they are 8 and 10

UKbride Member 13 Feb 2020

We gave out everything before the wedding and didn't spend a fortune. Didn't want to do flowers, but wanted something they could remember the day by. I gave my bridesmaids a small gift each, groomsmen got cufflinks as did husband's dad. The mums and my husband's nan got a handkerchief which I had embroidered. It all matched the disney theme but nothing was too expensive.

UKbride Member 16 Feb 2020

A photo book of the wedding that we were given was a much treasured gift.

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