Bridal Party Gift Ideas

Your bridal party will be with you through every step of your wedding. From the initial planning to the big day, you will always remember the people who made your special day all the more exceptional. Bridal party gifts are your chance to thank them for all of their support so make it personalized, fun and something they will treasure for years.

For your Bridesmaids:

  • Glam Flip Flops- When its time to hit the dance floor, give your bridal party a chance to kick off their heels and slip into cute flip flops that match their dresses! You can deck them out with pearls or bows to add a glamorous look or even personalize them with a monogram.

Find these here.

Find these here.

  • A Girl's Best Friend- Don’t worry, you don’t have to buy diamonds. But a simple freshwater pearl bracelet for each of your bridesmaids is a classic piece that will always remind them of your special day.

Find this bracelet here.

And find this bracelet here.

  • Personalized Robes- Before the morning-of buzz begins, give your bridal party the gift of silk robes with their initials embroidered. They will love to wear them while getting glammed up for the big event and beyond!

Find these here.

  • Initialed Make-up or Tote Bags- You can fill the make up bag with a picture of you and her, a lipstick or nail polish to compliment their gown. And you can add a personal note for each of your bridesmaids to let them know how much you appreciate them being there on your big day!

Find this bag here.
And this bag here.
  • Compact Mirror- A Classic gift that they will treasure for years. You can go with an eclectic funky design- there are so many designs out there- or classic silver and even initialed!

Find this here.

  • Trinket/Jewelry Box- It’s cute, fun and functional! You can find jewelry boxes in different shapes and colors and if you are feeling crafty, you can decorate the box to reflect her style.

Try Urban Outfitters for this adorable jewelry box.

And for the Groomsmen:
  • Initialed Cuff Links- Your wedding will go up a notch on the elegance scale with your groomsmen wearing these on their sleeves. Not to mention, cuff links area a timeless piece that they will keep for years and years.
Find these here.
  • Engraved Flask- Enough said.

You can buy one and get one half off here.

  • Cigar Box- A unique cherry wood humidor with cedar lining will keep both the cigars and your groomsmen happy.

This humidor was found on Amazon.

  • Personalized Silver Money Clips- Make your groomsmen feel like Rockefellers when thy whip out this classic, impressive gift.

Find these here.

  • Custom Steak Branding Irons- This idea is totally out of the box and will crack your groomsmen up! Watch them smile every time they bring out the grill.

Find these on Brandmysteak.com!

-Hannah

Teaser Tuesday

We were busy this weekend with Beth and Jon's wedding at Phoenixville Foundry! The weather started off gloomy and rainy but by the time Beth was walking down the aisle, the sun was shining! During cocktail hour, guests were able to go outside and enjoy themselves and we were able to set up a luminary path at night. A big thank you to David of Campli Photography for sending us a few teasers that you'll see below! We can't wait to blog all of the great details that were used for their wedding. Keep you eyes on the blog for the full post!

Must Have Monday

Today's Must Have Monday is about videography! We tell all of our couple's that if you can get one, do it! No one ever regrets getting a videographer but they definitely regret NOT getting one. I know for me, video was originally not in my budget and didn't seem very important. After looking around at different websites and watching wedding trailers and highlight videos, I knew I need to shift a few things around so that we can get one. We ended up going with Martin's Video, and I'm so glad we did. Our video caught all of the things that photography couldn't- us reading our vows, my sister's amazing maid of honor speech and of course, the dance off between my dad and my cousin. There are photos of all of these moments but being able to see AND hear them makes paying for a videographer completely worth it in my eyes.


A few weeks ago, we heard about this new company, Weddeos. For the budget conscience couple, this idea is perfect! Weddeos sends you 3 or 5 mini HD cameras to you and you assign family and friends to film your wedding! You then send the cameras back and they edit it for you. So simple and fun! If you're on the fence about getting a videographer, do some research on some of the company's in the Philadelphia area. We can guarantee, you won't regret hiring one!

-Lisa

Featured Vendor Friday

This week's Featured Vendor Friday is a two-fer! Read on below to learn about Pete Malone's photography, 217 Photography, and videography, First Floor Films, businesses!

Name of Company: 217 Photography and First Floor Films

Contact Information/Website/etc.: www.217photo.com | www.firstfloorfilms.com

Services Offered: Photography, Videography and Super-8 film making

Locations that you cover: Philadelphia area, New Jersey, Delaware and NYC area

When was your business established?: First Floor Films was established in 2004 in SF, CA. And 217 Photography was established here in Philadelphia in 2009.

How did you get involved in events?: I started shooting wedding videos in San Fransisco after several years working as a video editor for a cable television station. A friend needed someone to shoot her wedding at a vineyard in Napa. After the experience of shooting a celebration like that in a location like that I was hooked. After moving back to Philadelphia, I reconnected with some old friends who were in the business on the photography end. I shot for about a year mainly as an assistant before opening up 217 Photography.

What is your favorite type of event to do?: Weddings are my favorite type of event to do. Everyone brings their A game to a wedding and I love being able to capture that. People looking, acting and partying as best as they can makes for great photos and videos. And it may sound corny, but I really do love creating these images for each of my clients almost as gifts for them. Because often times our couples become friends after spending the better part of a year working with them in many aspects leading up to and after the wedding day.

Where is your favorite venue to work?: My favorite venue hands down is Congress Hall in Cape May, NJ. It is such a unique looking building inside and out. And I love the blue walls and checkerboard floor of the ballroom. Plus it's right on the beach...that can't be beat.

What do you look forward to most on the event date?: On a wedding day, I look forward to capturing real emotions between a bride and a groom as well as those real emotions shared between family members. Some of my favorite images aren't of an amazing location with perfect light on a perfect day, rather they are the shots that may not be framed perfectly but that were absolutely 100% real. Moments captured like a father wiping away a tear as his son thanks him in front of 300 guests for all that his dad has done in raising him throughout his life. Or capturing the moment when a mother/son dance becomes an entire family dance with all of the groom's sisters surrounding and hugging him because his mother had passed away shortly before the wedding day. Capturing that moment on video for a couple to see and hear for years and years to come is something that I'm very, very happy to be able to do.

Tell us about the best event you've worked: It would be hard for me to choose THE BEST event that I have ever shot. But I always feel very good about a wedding when I can come home with the feeling that I was really a part of the day. I am the happiest when I work an event where the families are very open, welcoming and loving and those emotions envelope everyone and everything associated with the day. It's really something special to share in a day like that not only as a photographer or videographer who may be excited to shoot and share great footage, but simply being surrounded by that love and happiness makes me feel as though I was really a part of something good. And it makes me feel good about my own family and loved ones. I will often times think of my wife and our family during some of the more emotional weddings and events and I'm happy for that because it helps me feel more grateful for them and for my own life.

How do you feel about working with wedding coordinators?: I ALWAYS recommend that my couples look into hiring a wedding coordinator. If not for full on "stress free" coordination, then at least for day of coordination. Erin and her team can often times be the single determining factor between a smooth running wedding where the bride and groom can relax and enjoy their day and a stressful day that seems to run away from a couple. Plus Erin and the ladies of Proud to Plan always help make my day easier when they're on site...I like that.

A wedding coordinator will help keep your day on schedule, they will help with any unforeseen issues that may arise on the wedding day and most importantly...the wedding coordinator will help the couples to feel that they can simply enjoy their own wedding day without having to worry about doing anything other than getting married and having fun doing it!

What is the price range for your services?: The package prices for 217 Photography run from $3,200-$6,700. The package prices for First Floor Films run from $1,200-$5,500.

Do you run any specials?: We always offer 10% discount from our First Floor Films packages when a couple books a 217 Photography package.

Anything else you'd like to share?: My wife, Dawn and I, actually hired Erin as our day of coordinator for our own July, 2008 wedding and we have said time and time again how Erin was THE BEST money that we spent for the entire wedding. I have worked with several wedding coordinators on both coasts as a vendor so to choose Proud to Plan as the Coordinator for my own wedding speaks volumes about the level of respect and confidence I have in Erin and Proud to Plan!

Thanks for sending us the information Pete! Here are some sample pictures that Pete also sent to us, along with a Super-8 trailer! Enjoy!!

Kay and Doug's Wedding

Kay and Doug were married in October at Mount Lebanon United Methodist Church in Delaware. This small and quiet church was a perfect location for their beautiful ceremony. Sherif Zaki's team made Kay and her bridesmaids look amazing! Their hair and makeup stayed in place throughout the day. Their reception was held at Harry's Savoy Ballroom and Celebration Design Group did a fabulous job with their centerpieces. The centerpieces were made up of soft purple and darker pink flowers and the Kay's bouquet was a gorgeous mix of white flowers with greens and soft pinks. Kay and Doug are in the US Coast Guard so they cut their traditional cake with a military sword! A big thank you to Laura Novak Photography for sending us these stunning images!

Congratulations Kay and Doug!

Teaser Tuesday

This weekend was Nelene and Josh's wedding weekend at Hotel Palomar. The staff at the hotel were absolutely incredible to work with and made Nelene and Josh's wedding day seamless. Their ceremony and reception were held in the beautiful Burnham Ballroom and during cocktail hour we flipped the room. The amber uplighting added a romantic ambiance to the room and was complimented by the florals created by Brittany of Petals Lane. We provided all of their stationery for the wedding. Their color scheme was pale pink, cream and black and we added rhinestone gems on the menus and programs. Keep your eyes on the blog for their full blog post filled with lots of great details!