Its All In The Details: Bridesmaids Gifts!

Its all in the Details by Alyssa Aiola

From start to finish and through thick and thin your bridal party managed to survive the wedding planning process and deserves some appreciation. Whether you have two bridesmaids or twelve, it is important to put some thought into a gift that they will actually enjoy and will use for years to come.  When it comes to actually picking out your presents there are thousands of options and not breaking the bank is extremely easy. In the past most brides gave out the usual key chain or strand of faux pearls but today we are all about the trendy and unique presents. Here are a few of our favorite stylish and personalized bridesmaids gifts that are all under 100 dollars!

Apron:  What a cute way to play up “maids” then to give her an adorable, stylish and feminine apron from the Anthropology Apron Collection ranging from only 32.00-38.00 dollars!

Jewelry: What girl doesn’t love jewelry! From necklaces to bracelets, personalizing is made easy since you can incorporate your bridesmaids first initial. One way you will really brings your bridesmaids to tears is by giving them a personalized Tiffany Notes Disc Charm necklace for only $75.00!

Compacts: If you are trying to go for the more playful present, compacts are extremely practical and fun. Our favorite is Henry Bendels initial compact, which once again allows room for personalization for only $38.00!

Cosmetic Bags: Cosmetic bags are a great way for your entire bridal party to keep their makeup and jewelry together when getting ready for your ceremony.  We love Tory Burch’s Cosmetic Bags that are only between $55-$75 dollars and come in fun vibrant shades that can be tied back to your wedding theme!

Earbuds: Allow your bridesmaids to never miss a beat by buying them a great pair of ear buds. Kate Spade has come up with a trendy and stylish collection of ear buds for only $40.00

Kindle: Give your bridesmaids a gift that they can use anywhere at anytime and is one of the top wanted gadgets of all time! Kindles are now more versatile then ever and start only at $69.00!

Pretty Maids in a Row

Diary of a Bride to Be by Lauren Cooper

I’ve been obsessed with the Twobirds bridesmaids dresses long before I was even engaged. I saw them on an episode of David Tutera’s My Fair Wedding (yes, I watch that show) and immediately googled the dresses.  The downside of the miracle convertible dress is the price tag.  So I took to Etsy and Google to try and find the same dress at a more affordable rate.  So about a month (two months?) ago I thought I had found the perfect solution on Etsy. Unfortunately, the seller didn’t have the color fabric I was lusting after since receiving the Two Birds fabric sample.  Back to the drawing board.  After getting samples from several other people, much to the bewilderment of my future husband, I finally found the perfect dress maker.  Henkaa, is a Canadian company that makes the same exact dress and the plum purple is nearly the exact shade of the Two Birds Aubergine.  Eureka!

While searching through Etsy, I also found some fabulous ideas for bridesmaid gifts.  Each of my girls has very different taste so I want to do something special for each of them.  I LOVE these pretty clutches…and you can customize the color to suit each of your ‘maids personality.  A little funky and very unique, Luz Designs has fun jewelry for everyday wear.  I’ve thought about getting each girl a piece of jewelry to wear the day of the wedding and I have two fav shops for this idea; NY Light Metals and Dogeared.  Gorgeous pieces with so much variety, you can find something for literally everyone!  I haven’t forgotten about our guys though…I love the idea of these custom ties!

Friends with Benefits

“I Do” By Jennifer Bueno

A bridal party is made up of completely different personalities, so when thinking of the perfect gift for your girls, deciding on the right one becomes quite the task.  Luckily, Swarovski’s New Wings of Poetry Spring 2011 Collection reminds us all of the irresistible, and often times, unhealthy, relationship women have with jewelry.

The Wings of Poetry Collection consists of a broad range of jewelry pieces, beautifully ornamented in vibrant colors to complete the springtime theme of the collection.   Charms, pendants, earrings, and brooches, Swarovski offers it all.

For the more feminine girl, the butterfly necklace with matching bangle is a great choice.

Stud earrings with the matching pendant are the perfect way to go for the simple gal.

To compliment the edgy chick’s style, look no further than the bold red bangle it will make just the right statement.

While we’re on the subject of bridal party gifts, why not kill two birds with one stone and, get your groomsmen a sharp pair of cuff links?

By the end of your shopping spree, you’ll have a bridal party to be envied, and most likely new treats for yourself!

New Online Registry!

There’s a new Manhattan-centric Online Registry in town, and we like it! The girls at NewlyWish share the details with Private Receptions.

NewlyWish is a NYC based online wedding registry that offers all of the traditional registry items, plus a range of experience and non-traditional gifts, all in a single online portal, to provide the choice, convenience, and personalization today’s couples expect. NewlyWish was born out of the registry experience of the founders who, like many of today’s to-be-weds, had lived together prior to getting married and already had many of the traditional registry staples – such as cooking equipment and dinnerware – and, living in NYC, didn’t have too much extra space to store large kitchen items or china sets.

NewlyWish’s founders thought that couples should have a place to register for all the things they really want – with a range of non-traditional options – while accessing their favorite local merchants.   2 years later, NewlyWish was born.

What sets NewlyWish apart?

• Focus on NYC-based merchants (e.g. Fishs Eddy, John Barrett Salon at Bergdorf Goodman, Bowery Kitchen Supplies, etc…)
• Experience and Non-Traditional gift options: Food & Wine, Dancing & Cooking Lessons, Fitness Memberships and Personal Training, and even Artwork and    Museum Memberships.
• In addition to a registry, NewlyWish operates as a regular e-commerce platform for wedding-related products, services, and gift ideas including gifts for Parents and Attendants, Favors and Welcome Bags, Bridal Showers/Bachelorette Parties (e.g. cooking or salon pampering themed parties), and Eco-Friendly Registry Options.

Comments from Bride-to-Be Rosa Pellicano

Fishs Eddy

With NewlyWish I feel like I can truly customize my registry and not feel pressured into registering for items big name department stores tell me to register for.

My favorite items on my own registry are the unique and charming 212 NYC Skyline every day dishware from Fishs Eddy, Physique 57’s 10 class package (I plan on taking their Bridal Countdown challenge), and a Dancing Lesson for me and my fiancé at NY Wedding Dance.

What Does Your Wedding Smell Like?-with Le Cherche Midi

We recently had the pleasure to meet with the fine folks at Le Cherche Midi and learn about thier fabulous custom fragrances. Here are their tips and tricks for the bride and groom to be:

A custom fragrance is the perfect way to celebrate and remember your wedding.  Whether used as a personal touch only by bride and groom or to scent the entire wedding, making a bespoke fragrance is a unique experience you can enjoy together for the rest of your life.

Here are some ideas on using a one-of-a-kind fragrance for your special day:

• Indulge: Make an intimate statement with a fragrance made just for you or a matching set for bride and groom
• Scent the Ceremony: Create a fragrance that compliments your theme, season, colors or location
• Shower: Host a scent-party bridal shower where you and your guests can learn about fragrance development from a professional perfumer
• Party favors: Preserve the memory of your wedding with scented parting gifts for your guests
• Celebrate:  Mark your anniversary with scented candles in your custom fragrance
• Thank Yous: Show your gratitude to bridesmaids and groomsmen with personalized perfumes and colognes

Working with a professionally trained perfumer is the only way to make your fragrant dreams come true and the fascinating process of fragrance development is something everyone can enjoy.  For more info contact Nathan Motylinski at nm@lecherchemidi.com.

How To – Give Great Maids and Men Gifts

How To by Jennifer Crone

Your Bridesmaids and Groomsmen: they threw you a shower and a bachelorette/bachelor party, helped you pick out the perfect dress, played interference with your crazy cousins, and put up with your bridal freak outs. So how do you get them the perfect gift that says “1,000 times thank you!”? Here’s How To:

Maids:

Wanting to get each bridesmaid a different gift is a nice thought, but sticking to the same gift for all (except your maid of honor) is smart because no one will feel they got a better/worse/more or less expensive gift and it’s easier on you, since once you get into the swing of the wedding you’re not going to have a lot of free time to ponder gifts.

Dalla Nonna’s Calendar Bracelet is the perfect way to commemorate the date of your wedding for your bridesmaids. Choose any metal and color stone and mark your date forever. Any color suede is also available, so choose your wedding color or bonus: if you go with pink 10% of the proceeds go to fight breast cancer at Susan G. Komen for the cure. Talk about custom, have your maids names plated in gold with CAJA Custom Vermeil Nameplate. If jewelry isn’t your thing choose a photo frame for each of your maids and hand pick a photo of you and each girl. This gift is particularly special if you’ve known your bridesmaids for a long time. How cute to put a photo from childhood or high school in a nice frame as a thank you for all your years of friendship and for being a part of your wedding.

clockwise from top left: CAJA Custom Vermeil Nameplate, Dalla Nonna Calendar Bracelet, Bulova Watch, Cufflink Afficianado, Thompson Cigars, Ashleigh Manor Frame

Men:

The counterpart to jewelry for a man is a watch, and you just can’t go wrong with a nice watch. Try this Bulova watch for a sleek and strong look. Cuff links are another way to dress up your groomsman. Go with monogram cufflinks for a personalized touch or choose something fun like these summer stripe cufflinks. Giving your groomsmen watches or cufflinks the day of the wedding will ensure they look uniform as well. If your men aren’t into the glitz go with a cigar sampler.

Whatever gift you choose to give remember to include a heartfelt thank you note. The goal of a great gift is, after all, to show your appreciation, so this is the most important part.