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One of the most exciting parts of wedding planning is asking your best friends to stand by your side! There are so many ways to do this, from a simple phone call to an elaborate gift box. I’ve rounded up some awesome and unique gifts from Etsy, which will hopefully help you plan your perfect bridesmaid proposal!

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Bridesmaid Proposal Gift Ideas

1. A thoughtful card

Starting with the simplest of ideas, you cannot go wrong with a personalized card and a handwritten message. There are so many beautiful card designs to choose from! I’m personally loving this Scratch-Off card but there are lots of funny and sweet cards depending on the personality of your friends.

Etsy: PixelcoutureDesigns

2. Necklace

When it comes to jewelry, the options are limitless. A delicate initial necklace can be personalized for each bridesmaid, or you could always go for matching druzy or pearl necklaces. Maybe they could even wear their necklaces on the big day!

Etsy: HunterAndTrove

3. Ring

If you know your girlfriends’ ring size, a cute gift idea is a friendship ring! I love this simple knot ring while this tiny ring is super affordable.

Etsy: minimalaccents

4. Bath bombs

Bath bombs are such a fun gift to give! Because they are available in so many scents and colors, you can really personalize them to each recipient. I love that these bathbombs come in a custom box, and how pretty are these glittery champagne bath bombs?

Etsy: TailoredSoap

5. Chocolates

Any chocolate will do, but how sweet is this custom chocolate bar? You can also buy a custom chocolate bar wrapper and gift each bridesmaid their favourite chocolate bar!

Etsy: TeamHen

6. Keychain

For a close-knit group of friends, this Puzzle Keychain is super cute. You also can’t go wrong with a Floral Monogramed Keychain or a stunning Simple Handstamped Keychain (I’d really like one of these myself!).

Etsy: OakleeMae

7. Candle

Candles are a great gift that can be customized to suit everyone’s individual tastes. This candle comes in scents like “Blackberry Vanilla” and “Cozy Blanket”, as well as a variety of sizes. You could also buy a custom label to place over her favourite candle from Bath & Body Works. This stunning candle comes with a beautiful box and ribbon and a “Wedding Cake” scent!

Etsy: This candle

8. Mug

There are honestly so many cute mugs out there that it was hard to narrow down a few for this post! I love the custom I Can’t Say I Do Without You Mug because it’s so detailed and unique. These Camping Mugs are perfect for the adventurous bridal party while these mugs are simple and classic.

Etsy: MagnoliaAkers

9. Wine Glass

You can’t go wrong with a simple Custom Stemless Wine Glass, in my opinion. I also really love these Stemless Wine Tumblers which are personalized and perfect for traveling!

Etsy: keeplifesimpledesign

10. Compact Mirror

I can’t get over how sweet these Pastel Compact Mirrors are! I think this would be the perfect gift for the classic girly girl in your life. If you’re having a vintage or bohemian themed wedding, these Floral Rose Gold Compacts would fit the bill.

Etsy: ThreeTwo1

How did you propose to your bridesmaids? I’d love to hear your story!

Tips for Attending Your First Bridal Show

I attended my first ever bridal show this past weekend. Despite having many of my vendors booked, I really wanted to attend a show just to check it off my wedding bucket list. It can be a very overwhelming experience so I figured I would pass along some tips that I discovered. If you are just starting to plan your wedding, I highly recommend checking out a show as it’s a great way to meet a variety of vendors in one setting.

BEFORE YOU GO…

1. Pre-register for the show online if it is an option! It saves time when you arrive. The show I attended was cash-only but if there’s an option to pre-pay online, I would also recommend doing so.
2. Check out the list of vendors & make a list of those that you want to meet with. I already had a lot of my main vendors booked so I had a short list to visit! If you’re in the early stages of planning, keep an open mind and shop around.
3. Print mini labels with your name, address, and phone number. Most vendors have prize giveaways and this will save you from having to write out your info each time!
4. Take a buddy! At this show, the bride and groom could enter the prize draws, but friends and family could not. Therefore you could double your chances by taking your significant other! I took a group of friends with me but if they are already married or not planning a wedding, it may not be very exciting for them.

WHEN YOU ARRIVE…

1. The show that I attended was giving away bridal bags to the first 200 brides. I opted not to arrive when the doors opened at 11am because quite frankly, I didn’t care if I got a bag or not. I arrived at 1pm and actually snagged the last bag! It contained a gym bag, some chocolates, pens, and a bridal magazine.
2. Try not to get overwhelmed! When I first walked into the room, I was immediately overwhelmed with vendors vying for my attention. If there was a booth that I definitely wasn’t interested in (for example, I already had my photographer booked so I skipped those booths), I tended to avoid eye contact and kept walking!
3. That being said, most vendors had prize giveaways which often required making small conversation. If I wasn’t interested in the prize, I kept going! But I would talk to anyone if it meant getting the opportunity to win a great prize.
4. Be prepared to answer the following: who’s the bride? When is your wedding? Where are you getting married? Do you have your [vendor] booked?
5. Try samples! Cake vendors often provide sample mini cupcakes and one of the catering companies was sharing samples of mashed potatoes & gravy! I was too stuffed from breakfast to try anything so learn from my mistake and leave a little room for snacking.
6. Introduce yourself and take the time to chat with any vendors you are interested in. I was able to speak to the bridal salon that I loved, a florist, and a DJ, as those were three vendors that I hadn’t booked yet. I bypassed the decorators (but oogled their set ups for ideas!), the venues, and the photographers as I already had those booked.
7. Be prepared to book your vendors on the spot or within a few days! The vendors tend to have promotions on for the bridal shows. I was able to book my florist and save the tax! Many other vendors offered $50-$200 off their packages or products if you booked at the show (also another reason to bring your significant other).
8. Head to the fashion show early! We waited until about 5 minutes before the show started and unfortunately, we didn’t have prime viewing. I do recommend the fashion show if you haven’t purchased your wedding dress or bridesmaid dresses. It was so nice to see the dresses in motion as it definitely gives a different perspective than seeing them on a mannequin!
9. The bridal show that I attended offered a $1000 cash prize draw to one lucky bride! The only catch: you still had to be in attendance when it was drawn. This is why I opted to arrive late rather than early. They actually had to call three names before they found a bride that was still there.

AFTER YOU LEAVE…

1. I’m not an impulsive shopper so I didn’t book any vendors at the show. I went home, discussed what I liked with my fiancé, then contacted the vendors that I was interested in booking. They still honored the discount when I told them we were speaking at the bridal show.

Have you ever attended a bridal show? Do you have any other tips for future brides?

My Favourite Wedding Dresses

I’m officially going to start trying on wedding dresses soon, eek! I say “officially” since I did try on a couple already, but I didn’t have an actual appointment or one-on-one experience. I was worried that the store would stop carrying a particular dress so I literally ran in there one day while Jordan was waiting in the truck! This time I am going with some girl friends to really try on some potential dresses. In preparation, I rounded up a few of my current favourites below!

Hayley Paige Peyton

Sadly, none of the local bridal salons carry Hayley Paige dresses. Though on second thought, that’s probably a good thing since they are way out of my budget. I reposted this one on my Facebook page this week (follow along for more!) because it really caught my eye. I love how simple and classy it is but still fun with the major leg-baring split.

Hayley Paige Arlo

Yet another Hayley Paige gown because hello, how can I not? I am definitely open to the idea of a “different” wedding dress, both in style and in color. I am actually in love with this particular color! It’s not necessarily the style I ever imagined myself wearing but I’m going in with an open mind. I’d love to have a dress that isn’t white or ivory!

Morilee Meralda

The fitted lace dress has been my go-to wedding dress style for years, honestly as long as I can remember. I’m not fond of this particular color but I love the beading at the top of the dress!

Jasmine T202001

I’m not really familiar with the Jasmine bridal line but this one really caught my eye! Luckily one of the local stores carries this line so hopefully I will be able to try it on. I love delicate lace with the pearl straps and the back of the dress is to die for!

BHLDN Lucca

It’s a shame that there are no BHLDN stores in Canada because I adore their dresses and their price points! Jordan has already told me that he doesn’t like this dress so it isn’t really an option but it gives me all the bohemian vibes that I am going for. I love the simple lace paired with the dramatic bell sleeves! It would pair perfectly with a flower crown and a braid.

Theia Lenni

Okay, so this could pass as a really nice evening wear gown but let’s be honest – when am I ever going to have the opportunity to wear this other than my wedding? I love how simple the silhouette of the dress is while the all-over sequins add a massive dose of glam.

What is your preferred style of wedding dresses?

Surprise.. it's a Wedding Wednesday post!

Apologies for being MIA over the past couple of weeks! I had all intentions of writing some posts this weekend but then this happened and ruined all my plans in the best way possible..

Eeeek! To say I was surprised is the understatement of the year. We had just gotten home from watching volleyball and I had changed into my PJs and a hoodie and was preparing to get supper ready. Meanwhile, Jordan turned on the TV and started playing a slideshow that he made of our relationship, recapping all of our trips, concerts, etc., with my “dream” wedding song in the background. At the end of the video, he got down on one knee and asked me to marry him. Honestly, it’s mostly just a blur but I remember saying yes (obviously!) and then “Oh my God.. I’m in my pajamas” and also “My nails aren’t done!”. I just couldn’t stop staring at my ring which I am so in love with as it is exactly what I wanted (rose gold, sparkly and dainty). He then gave me the most gorgeous bouquet of flowers and informed me that he made supper reservations at The Merchant Tavern, where I had a lovely meal of wine, soup and steak frites.

I’ve spent my whole life dreaming of the day when I could plan my own wedding but now that it’s here,  I have no idea where to begin! I plan to document all the stages of planning on here, though as of right now we aren’t planning to get married until 2019, so these Wedding Wednesday posts may be infrequent for a while yet. Step one: pick a date! For now, I’m trying my best to just relax and enjoy my newfound engagement.

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Surprise.. it's a Wedding Wednesday post!

Apologies for being MIA over the past couple of weeks! I had all intentions of writing some posts this weekend but then this happened and ruined all my plans in the best way possible..