One of the trickiest parts of planning your wedding can actually be buying your bridesmaid’s gifts.  You need to find something that’s unique and useful, while still being pretty and meaningful.  Not that hard so far, right?  It also needs to be something that no one will have any kind of allergy to, or moral objection to, or anything else negative.  OK.  Harder, but still do-able.  Right? 

Well, now it also has to be something that seems like you spent a lot on it, but in actuality is not expensive at all, because you need to buy anywhere from five to ten of them!  OK, now you need help.  Well, don’t worry, because here are some ideas that will help you come up with the perfect Bridesmaid’s gifts that will fit all of those criteria, and that your girls will absolutely love.

JEWELRY – A piece of jewelry or a lovely hair clip is always a sweet option, particularly if it’s something that’s meant for them to all wear on the wedding day.  For one thing, you don’t run into the question of whether any of the ladies are allergic to it, as you would with bath products or perfume, so it’s a great gift on that count.  Also, while high-end jewelry can be quite pricey, you should be able to find costume jewelry that is very affordable if that’s what you are looking for.

A MIX CD – Fill a mix CD with songs that have been special to you as a group, or songs that fit the theme of the wedding.  If neither one of those options fits, you can always make a mix CD of songs about the power of being female, such as “Don’t Need You to Tell Me I’m Pretty” by Samantha Mumba and “32 Flavors” by Ani DiFranco.

PERSONALIZED PHOTO ALBUMS – Small photo albums with room for approximately a dozen photos can be purchased inexpensively online or at drugstores or craft stores.  You can choose the appropriate amount of photos and have copies made of them or have them color photocopied.  If you have them in digital format, you can have them printed out.  Also, you can use some of the photo slots for drawings, quotes, if you like.

CREATE PERSONALIZED GIFT PACKAGES – At craft stores or at places like Oriental Trader, you can inexpensively purchase items such as woven satin heart boxes, plain wooden boxes you can decorate, or small tin pails.  In these, you can assemble small trinkets that fit the theme of the gift packages that you put together for your bridal party.  It will be highly personal and they will love it!

CUSTOMIZED PICTURE FRAMES – Make customized picture frames, or have them made, with scraps of the fabric that the bridesmaids’ dresses are made out of.  In the frame, put a picture that you have taken of all of you together – bride and bridesmaids.  This will be a gift they will treasure forever.

As I hope you can see from these ideas, the sky is the limit when it comes to creativity!  The primary determining factor in choosing the perfect gift is your personality and tastes and that of your bridesmaids.  Make it personal, make it memorable – and that will make it special.

One of the main iconic representations of a wedding is the wedding cake.  Aside from the bridal gown, nothing will be more anticipated, examined, and discussed at your wedding than the cake.  This makes the choice of cake particularly important.  However, to some people, the idea of a traditional wedding cake is simply not appealing.  If you are one of those folks, these ideas are just for you!

UNIQUE FLAVORS – If the traditional flavors of cake – chocolate, white cake, or some variation thereof – do not appeal to you, or if you have a particular favorite flavor of cake, you can have a cake custom made in that flavor.  Some examples of flavors are carrot cake, jello cakes, strawberry shortcake.  I will warn you, it will very likely be more difficult to find a vendor that can accommodate you.  However, if the extra effort is worth it to you, you can have a cake that is your very favorite flavor!

UNIQUE SHAPES AND THEMES – The idea of having wedding cakes custom-made to fit something special about the life of the bride and groom has gained popularity in recent years.  In fact, there is even a reality television show on The Food Network called “Ace of Cakes” about a bakery (Charm City Cakes in Baltimore, MD) that makes extreme custom wedding cakes.  These cakes can focus on anything in the couple’s life – a place that is important to them, a shared passion, or even a visual representation of the couple themselves.

CUPCAKE TOWERS – For less formal events, many couples choose to have a cupcake tower rather than a traditional wedding cake.  Cupcake holders are available which are very lovely and detailed, so the idea is not entirely informal.  Also, many couples like the fact that, with a cupcake tower, they can have a wide variety of flavors available rather than just a few.

DECORATING WITH REAL OBJECTS – Decorating with real objects is a great option in a couple of different instances.  First, if you are on a tight budget and can’t afford a traditional wedding cake at traditional wedding cake prices, a lovely alternative is to purchase several small plain white frosted cakes, arrange them in an artistic way, and surround them with flowers or beautiful stones or any other kind of objects that represent the theme of your wedding.  Second, if your wedding theme is centered around a particular type of flower, such as roses, what could be more appropriate than a wedding cake adorned with that flower?

CAKE ALTERNATIVES – Lastly, if cake in any shape, form, or flavor is really just not to your taste, you can always have a cake alternative.  Many couples choose to serve pie, brownies, cheesecake, donuts, or cannoli instead of the traditional wedding cake.  It is entirely up to you and your fiance’s tastes and preferences.

There is nothing written in stone about what a wedding cake must be like.  This is your wedding - the only important thing is that you love it.  If you love your cake, you’ll be happy with it, and it will create a beautiful centerpiece for your reception – and for your memories of the day.