Good gifts for bridesmaids and ushers?

[ScrimpAndSave]

I have 23 people in my wedding party including junior brides maids and a flower girl and ring bearer...and then 6 bridesmaids and ushers...

I would like to give them really great gifts...not just the boring personalized stuff...


Any thoughts? I've budgeted $1000 for it.

[gamecock43]

lottery tickets

[ScrimpAndSave]

That is a very cool idea.

[MiikeB]

I was an usher and if I recally correctly I got a watch...

I am sure gas cards would be greatly appreciated nowadays

[ScrimpAndSave]

Wow gas cards is an awesome idea! Watches are very nice, too...hmmm...I probably couldn't afford a really nice one for everyone, though.

[cptacek]

I made pearl necklaces and earrings for the women/girls and we gave pocket watches to the men (with 30% off coupons from Shepler's). The ring bearer got a toy truck

I had a friend from work that does jewelry as a hobby and she helped me pick out everything and showed me how to make them. They were really easy.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by gamecock43

lottery tickets

I'm not sure if you were serious, but I don't think that is a good idea at all. Lottery tickets are worthless unless they happen to be winners, and the odds of that are astronomical.

OP, typically the bride gives gifts to the women in the bridal party and the groom gives them to the men. So I think your husband-to-be should handle the guy gifts. That said, I honestly don't remember what I gave the guys at my wedding. I'll have to ask DW. I'll ask what she gave the women, too. I seem to recall it was a necklace of some sort that we put in shell boxes we bought in Disney World.

[hopefulfirefly]

So I think your husband-to-be should handle the guy gifts.

I had to laugh. No matter how much we ask our dh to handle that stuff (as you suggested above), the same result ends up happening, the dw handles it (as evidenced below). No offense, I just thought it was funny

I honestly don't remember what I gave the guys at my wedding. I'll have to ask DW.

[ScrimpAndSave]

Exactly.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by hopefulfirefly

I had to laugh. No matter how much we ask our dh to handle that stuff (as you suggested above), the same result ends up happening, the dw handles it (as evidenced below). No offense, I just thought it was funny

Sorry. Just because I don't remember what I gave them 16 years ago doesn't mean I didn't handle it. I'm quite sure I did. I just know DW is more likely to remember something like that than I am. And I know it wasn't anything fancy or expensive. Just some little token gift to say thanks.

[Joan.of.the.Arch]

ooooooooooooooooooooooo

[vsjhoc]

Ummmmm ... excuse me while I go against the wedding etiquette, but is it really necessary to get gifts for 23 people?

I can understand getting something for the kids (ring bearer and flower girl) but I don't think the attendants will be upset if they don't get something. Yes, I have been a bridesmaid in numerous weddings, the bride always gave me a gift, and it was always jewelry that wasn't really my taste which I wouldn't have selected.

How 'bout a handwritten note to each expressing your thanks and why you chose them (i.e., spelling out why they mean so much to you).

JMHO.

[ActYourWage]

Originally Posted by hopefulfirefly

I had to laugh. No matter how much we ask our dh to handle that stuff (as you suggested above), the same result ends up happening, the dw handles it (as evidenced below). No offense, I just thought it was funny

I got married about 8 months ago, I too bought the guys in my wedding a gift - $15 dollar gift cards from Books-A-Million. Just something that said thanks. $1000 dollars just for gifts is ALOT of money for gifts.

[gamecock43]

I actually got a lottery ticket for attending a friends wedding 2 years ago and i loved it. I dont buy them for myself so it was fun having a 'free' oppertunity to play. I didnt win, but others did. Its the tickets that cost a few dollars and you will win $10 or $15.
Everyone would crowd around you as you scratched it off and cheer when you won something. The memory was better for me than the bottle of monogrammed bubbles i got for attending another friends wedding.

[disneysteve]

Originally Posted by gamecock43

I actually got a lottery ticket for attending a friends wedding 2 years ago and i loved it. I dont buy them for myself so it was fun having a 'free' oppertunity to play. I didnt win, but others did. Its the tickets that cost a few dollars and you will win $10 or $15.
Everyone would crowd around you as you scratched it off and cheer when you won something. The memory was better for me than the bottle of monogrammed bubbles i got for attending another friends wedding.

I see your point. There are worse gifts than lottery tickets.

[vsjhoc]

Originally Posted by gamecock43

The memory was better for me than the bottle of monogrammed bubbles i got for attending another friends wedding.

Was the bottle monogrammed? Surely not the bubbles!

[gamecock43]

yes, monogrammed bubbles might be more memorable than lottery tickets but it was only the bottle that was monnogrammed, therefore, not so memorable.

[disneysteve]

Ok. I just asked my wife what I gave the guys. Her response was, "I really don't remember. I had nothing to do with it." Big help that was. All we can both agree on is that I would have made sure it was something practical that they could all use but neither of us can remember what is was.

[vince]

My sister got me a cool mug that has my name on it, I use it all the time. Get something thats personalized with the persons name on it and not your name/spouses name and a date is a good idea.

They have the mugs similiar to what I have here. Sports Gift, Gift For Dad, Jerseys, Watches

[eisor]

The bridesmaids & groomsmen didn't pay much to be in our wedding. The dresses were purchased by my mom and the alterations were covered by the girls (~$30 a person). I purchased their shoes. My gift to them was a set of jewelry which I made myself. I made them pearl necklaces & bracelets. I also made the same for the flowergirl & I purchased her dress.

For the guys, they wore suits they already owned and we gave them ties & suspenders (DH's choice) as their gift.

That's pretty much all we got them. Nothing major. We were on a really tight budget.

For the kids, I think a camera is a great gift. Get them their own camera & that way they can document the night from their own eyes.