While The Big Day™ is definitely all about the Bride and Groom, we’d be lying if we said it wasn’t also about being able to celebrate the great friendships in our lives! Your wedding day is a chance to show the ladies in your life just how special they are to you by including them in the festivities as a Maid/Matron of Honor or a Bridesmaid.

Bachelorette Themes We Love

If you’ve been tasked with hosting and/or planning a bachelorette, we’ve got a pro-tip: theme it! Nothing beats dressing up and decorating to theme, and it gives such a great cohesiveness for the night (or weekend!) celebrating the bride! Here are a few of our favorites (that we may or may not have attended in the recent past!)…

• Vegas / Casino Night / Club- or Bar-hopping
  • Can’t get enough of these party dresses [1], [2], [3], [4] perfect for a night on the town!
  • Can’t make the trip to Vegas or Atlantic City? Host your own at-home blackjack battle and decorate with these!
• Girls Gone Mild / Staycation / Slumber Party
  • Yes to these giant popcorn bowls, a time-loved rom-com, and comfy PJs!
  • Can we suggest an hour of DIY spa time, too? Some of our fav ideas: [1], [2], [3]
  • Order in, mix up your bride’s favorite drink and chat the night away…
• Wine Tasting Weekend Away
  • If you live in a wine tasting region (or are willing to travel) – we love the idea of a weekend away in the vines!
  • You can hire a company to drive you between wineries (or breweries or distilleries, whatever you fancy!)
  • We love these “sip squad” shirts and these wine tasting scorecards, and nothing says weekend-away-with-your-besties quite like tattoos!
• Plan a trip!
  • If you are a frequent blog visitor of ours, you know we love to travel. For travel-loving bride, plan a trip with your friends!
  • There are lots of places that do all-inclusive resorts, or you could book a cruise!
  • There has also been a recent trend of camp for adults. Check out Camp No Counselors or Club Getaway for ideas!

Where to Find Inexpensive Bridesmaids Dresses

Bridesmaid dresses definitely come with some interesting connotations. But they do not have to be all doom and gloom! Recent trends have allowed for a lot more flexibility when it comes to matching (or not!), price ranges, and where to shop. We love the idea of picking a color or fabric (lace seems very in at the moment!) and having each bridesmaid use that as a starting point to pick a dress that still reflects her personality (and one that she might just wear again!).

Some of our favorite spots to shop for affordable bridesmaid options are:

• Lulus: love this convertible maxi dress, this full skirt skater dress, and this high neck halter floor-length dress
• Asos: love this bow-front v-neck midi dress, this strapless knot detail maxi dress, this all-over lace pencil midi dress, and this sheer lace midi dress
• Etsy: the go-to for convertible styles in every color you could imagine, we love all of these at such great price points! [1], [2], [3], [4], [5]

Bridesmaid Proposals, Yea or Nay?

It seems as if Pinterest is the main driver behind proliferating the “Bridesmaid Proposal.” This practice involves asking your MOH and ‘maids in a cutesy way, whether with a personalized mailer holding a ring pop to “pop” the question, customized hair ties to “tie” the knot, or a bottle of bubbly alongside a personalized champagne flute. We’re all about the endearing details when it comes to wedding season but can also see the side of adding one more thing to your Wedding To-Do List is just going to pile on the stress. So take a minute to weigh your options and really decide what is going to feel the best for you. If that means blurting the “will you be my bridesmaid” question in the same phone call as letting her know you’re engaged, so be it!

If you’re into the surprise and delight scheme, here are some more of our favorites we’ve rounded up: Personalized Bridesmaid Makeup Bag, Personalized Candle and Spa Gift Box, Bridesmaid Proposal Koozies, Personalized Bridesmaid Wine Glass, and Tie the Knot Bracelets.

Gifts For Your Squad

Weddings are a time of giving, remember your squad when you are making plans for your big day!

Outside of the proposal, brides often do gifts on the day of too. We love these Morse Code Personalized Necklaces and Tie the Knot Bracelets. You can also buy your ladies gifts they can wear the day of like matching robes for getting ready.

Gifts for the Bride

Gifts are a tradition throughout the wedding planning process. We wrote a whole post about our favorite ideas for bridal showers and engagements.

Remember that bachelorette parties can also be a fun way to shower your bride. There’s the “traditional” route of doing lingerie gifts. But you can also try something different like asking each girl to bring a succulent for your garden or bud vase for your wedding decor.

Tell us about your bridesmaid duties, tips and tricks, or must-haves for your bestie’s big day! Anyone else have strong opinions on bridesmaid proposals?? Let us know in the comments!