Ways To Thank Your Bridal Party

When you get married, it can be one of the most beautiful times of your life. It can also be one of the most stressful which is why you need your girlfriends by your side to make the journey special without losing your sanity. When it comes to ways to thank your bridal party for sharing in this momentous occasion, there are a few great ideas to show your appreciation.

1. Foot as much of the bill as possible

One of the best ways to thank your bridal party is to foot as much of the expense as possible. Being a bridesmaid can quickly get costly with the need for a dress, hair and makeup, and the travel costs associated with attending the wedding. If you are able to cover as much of the expense as possible, your bridal party will definitely be thankful, and it can be one of the easier ways to show your appreciation for their involvement in your big day.

2. Arrange for bridesmaid photoshoots

Another way to show your appreciation to your bridal party is to have a special photoshoot with them. While you will definitely get some great shots the day of the wedding, a pre-wedding photoshoot can be a more casual yet just as special affair. This can be a casual photoshoot depicting a girl's night in to celebrate you leaving single life behind, or it can be in their bridesmaid's dresses ahead of time in a pretty location to make sure you get enough gorgeous shots of all your girlfriends. Either way, make sure you get shots of the bride and each member of the bridal party individually so you can gift them with a photo of the two of you after the wedding.

3. Have a mani/pedi pre-wedding day lunch

Another one of the best ways to thank your bridal party is with a little quality time the day before the wedding. You want your bridal party to look their best before the big day so a lunch with the girls followed by a manicure and pedicure is a great way to thank them for being a part of this special day. It also ensures they will be picture perfect for the big day!

4. Give them a thoughtful gift personalized to the recipient

To show you really care, a thoughtful gift is always a good idea for your bridal party. From a beautiful necklace they can wear for the wedding and long after to a pair of earrings they are sure to love, there are plenty of great gift ideas to show your appreciation. If you are giving jewelry they can wear after the big day, make sure you personalize a bit by choosing each girls favorite color crystal or even personalizing it with an engraving.

5. Write them letters

We all know thank you cards are a must for post-wedding etiquette, but these are typically for your guests. To show your bridal party how much you appreciate them being such an important part of the big day, consider writing each of them a personalized thank you letter. You can even highlight a few precious memories you two share or the reasons why you chose her to be part of the bridal party. This is a thank you she is sure to cherish for years to come!

6. Have a girls weekend after the honeymoon

When you get married, it can be a concern to your girlfriends. There is always the chance you will move on to blissful married life and leave your friends hanging out on weekends without you. Show them this won't be the case with a thank you getaway with just the new bride and her girls. You can easily plan a short weekend trip post-honeymoon to spend it with your bridal party. This will show them you are still committed to maintaining the friendship even with your new Mrs. title.

7. Do something with just your maid of honor

Your maid of honor should be your closest friend. While you want to thank all the women of your bridal party, you also want to do something individual with your maid of honor. She will be taking on lots of responsibilities so taking a day to plan a special activity just the two of you is a great way to say thank you and strengthen your bond. This can be anything from a day at an amusement park to hitting up her favorite brunch spot and then a bit of shopping. The goal is to make it just the two of you and make sure it isn't wedding errand related. It is also the perfect time to verbally thank her for all she is doing to make your big day special.