Gifts for the Maid of Honor
She's probably your best friend, maybe one of your oldest friends. She's been with you through the wedding planning process, helping you make decisions, counseling you through the numerous anxieties leading up to the wedding day, and standing by your side through the tough decisions. She plans the bridal shower, helps make arrangements for the rehearsal dinner, and aids in taking care of all the reception details.
That's a lot of friendship. The gift you give her should express gratitude, joy, and appreciation in an equal amount.
The gift for the maid of honor can be simple or elaborate, refined or intimate. It should, by all means, convey all the emotions you feel for her as a friend. Think of the gift as a time capsule, commemorating one event while at the same time extending into the future while harkening the past.
Some tips to remember include:
1. Keep it Personal. Expensive gifts communicate cost spent but not much by way of sincerity. Personalizing a gift is a lovely touch and makes the object unique. Personalized gifts can include locket key chains, photo frames - particularly when they include a photo of you and the maid of honor on your wedding day - or silver bracelets. The personalization may include a personal message, the date of the wedding, or even - for a fashionable touch - the maid's monogram. These gifts are particularly useful for the bride on a budget, as they are normally affordably priced but still convey elegance beyond their price point.
2. Keep it Simple: In recent years, there was an unfortunate trend towards giving elaborate bridesmaids gifts - costly gift packages, gift certificates to boutique clothing retailers, even unwieldy bundles of items with little in common or relevant to the wedding day. But to keep the message communicated by the gift clear, think in the simplest terms. As seen above, a simple jewelry set or personalized bracelet, creates a keepsake of the day and gives a touch of elegance to the maid's wardrobe for years to come. Elaborate gifts are okay - except they suck time and energy away from making other preparations.
3. Keep it Useful: As above, gifts that aren't immediately appreciated aren't likely to be treasured in the future. Moreover, they may make the maid feels as if her efforts were rewarded with a clumsy, overreaching attempt at grandeur. Giving knick knacks or fanciful chatskis such as ceramic statuary or original art may be imaginative, but not likely to catch their appreciation time and again. Useful gifts could include elegant tote bags (also capable for personalization), jeweled pendants, or cosmetic bags. An especially effective gift might also be a personalized spa gift set, treating the maid to a day of luxury in their home.
Finally, it's worth noting that these gifts are also worthy bridesmaids' gifts, as well. While the maid of honor occupies a special place, of course, these gifts also make ideal tokens of appreciation for your entire party.
MyWeddingFavors.com has a complete assortment of the gifts discussed above. For more information on these gifts - and hundreds more - please visit their website at www.myweddingfavors.com.