As a bride, you can choose to ask dear friends and/or relatives to participate in your wedding, sharing the joy you have found in your lifelong match.  Deciding whether or not to even have bridesmaids or how many you are going to ask to be in your wedding, depends entirely on your personal preferences.

Fortunately, there are no rules regarding bridesmaids.  These days, wedding parties don’t need to be equal in numbers, nor does a bride necessarily have to have only female bridesmaids.  Men are now invited over to our side!

Regardless of whether you have one bridesmaid or eight, most likely you have chosen those individuals because your relationship with them means a lot to you.  Asking them to participate in something as personal as your wedding emphasizes the roles you play in each other’s lives.  Being a bridesmaid involves giving a fair amount of personal time, energy and even finances to this event.  Because these people mean so much to you and they are helping you out as a bride, finding ways to thank them is usually a priority of the bride at some point in the wedding.

So, how can you thank a bridesmaid?  Begin the first time you ask them.  When you ask them to take part in the celebration of your wedding, tell them why you have chosen them.  Speak from the heart and make it personal.  Tell a funny story about when the two of you met, or a favorite memory you both share.  List their personal characteristics that make them dear to you and therefore why you want them beside you on one of the most important days of your life.  People like to hear complimentary things about themselves and we don’t do it nearly enough.  Asking someone to be your bridesmaid is that perfect opportunity.

Many brides give their bridesmaids a gift on the day of the wedding as a symbol of their appreciation.  The best gift is one that the bridesmaid can either really use or will really appreciate.  Some times the best ways to thank your friends are easy and not very expensive.

Tip:  Below is a list of some appreciated ways to say “Thanks for being my bridesmaid!”

• Pay for their bridesmaid dress.  This allows them to enjoy participating in the wedding without having to stress over how they are going to pay for it.
• Leave a pair of Crocs on the reception chair of your bridesmaids.  They come in cute colors that can come close to matching your dress.  This will save your bridesmaids’ feet from dancing in heels and looks much cuter than dancing around barefoot.
• A thank you gift could be a pampering session at a salon.  A luxury item is something that people rarely will spend money on themselves so they appreciate it when someone else gives it to them.
• Give a specific item that you know the individual really could use or has wanted for a while but hasn’t bought for themselves