Photo: getty
It's quite an honor.
By Aly Walansky — Written on Aug 01, 2019
Your future spouse isn't the only one who gets to pop the question. After you get engaged, you’ll pop a question as well and ask someone extremely important in your life to do a very crucial wedding job: be your maid of honor.
Sure, you can just call her and ask, but what’s the fun in that? Make the moment extra memorable with special gifts and props to mark the proposal (and make it ready for Instagram). Once you ask her, "will you be my maid of honor?" she's sure to say yes and help you prepare for holy matrimony.
1. A silly and cute card
If you’re hoping to be cheeky, this card is essential. Suggests Kylie Carlson of The International Academy of Wedding & Event Planning, “You can combine it with a beautiful box full of all of her favorite things from lip gloss, wine and sheet masks. The possibilities are endless."
Adds Oleta Collins, owner and creator of Flourishing Art Design Studio, “Keep it short, sweet, and straight from the heart with a card custom designed for this very purpose.”
(Etsy, $4.39)
2. Custom illustration
Who doesn't want a custom illustration designed specifically for them?
Says Carlson, “Select your favorite photo of the two of you, and this Etsy artist will turn it into a custom piece of artwork that you can have framed and matted. Gift it to your best friend and include a note about how you couldn't see your big day happening without her.”
(Etsy, $60+)
3. Personalized gift box
Create a personalized gift box with your wedding colors, filled to the brim with gifts to pamper her. This is a great solution when you aren’t able to “pop” the question in person.
(Amazon, $14.99+)
4. Bespoke box
If you want the “ask” to be completely bespoke, there are companies that will allow you to customize the branding for an entire gift box worth of goodies.
(Etsy, $60)
5. A shirt
“Say it by giving your future maid of honor her new favorite shirt! This is a fun way for the news to continue to travel too!” Carlson advises.
(Amazon, $26.97)
6. Sweet rewards
Who doesn’t love cookies? This listing is for one set of 3 cookies, packaged in a gift box and tied with ribbon. It doesn’t get sweeter than asking with sweets.
(Etsy, $18)
7. Girls day out
“If you and your best friend have a favorite lunch or brunch spot, invite her for an impromptu girls day. Once you get to dessert, have your waiter bring out two glasses of bubbly and speak from the heart on why you would like her to be your maid of honor,” says Collins
(Etsy, $5.95)
8. Flowers
“If you can't ask your best friend in person, consider sending her a beautiful bouquet along with a sweet note telling her why you would like her to stand beside you on your wedding day,” Collins suggests.
(1800 Flowers, starts at $50)
9. Celebrity cameo
“Why ask your friend when you can have your favorite celebrity to do it for you? Cameo has made it simple to hire a celebrity to share the message. The turnaround time tends to be fairly quick, and when you’re narrowing down talent, you can see samples of their recent videos to help you decide,” says Kevin Dennis of Fantasy Sound Event Services.
(Cameo, starts at $15)
10. Survival kit
“The role of maid of honor will be equal parts fun and work, so consider popping the question with a pre-assembled survival kit to make sure she’s fully prepared," Dennis advises.
(Etsy, $10+)
11. Custom wine glass and labels
For your wine loving future maid of honor, consider having her over for dinner. You can order a custom wine glass and label, switching out the brand label. Then, you can share a toast with her!
“Have your friend over for a glass of wine and switch out the label to surprise her. You can then toast the good news. If you’re both wine lovers, a custom wine glass will do just the trick,” says Heather Jones of Wente Vineyards.
(Wine glass: Etsy, $14.95; Label: Etsy, $4.99)
12. Custom robes
“Pretty robes to wear when getting ready on the big day are a must. Not to mention, they're great for photos. So get your maid of honor excited from the start with a personalized one just for her,” says Paula Ramirez of Historic Mankin Mansion.
(Etsy, $11.82+)
13. Charm bracelet
You can either get her a bracelet that has something engraved, or maybe a charm bracelet of all your memories together. Either way, she'll wear it forever as a reminder of this great honor.
(Amazon, $13.89)
14. Coffee tumblers
Does your maid of honor love your daily coffee dates? Mark this occasion with a custom tumbler for her favorite cafe beverage. Plus, she can use it on your wedding day when getting into hair and makeup super early.
(Etsy, $10.25)
15. Spa set
Pamper your maid of honor with a set curated to her interests. Maybe give her one that has lotions, essential oils, and candles to keep her relaxed for the big day.
(Etsy, $29+)
16. Rock candy
She is your rock, after all, right? And you'll get extra points if you order the rock candy in her favorite color or your wedding theme colors.
(Amazon, $16.99)
17. Piñata
Who says a piñata has to be for children? There's no doubt she won't love hitting it until a proposal note falls out!
(Etsy, $13.25)
18. Makeup bag
Yes, you already were planning a gift box, but what about a makeup specific one? She'll need all sorts of lotions and potions on the big day.
(Amazon, $14.99)
19. Socks
There's a whole lot of leg work invovled in this gig, and there's no way around it. So, make sure her feet will be adorable and comfy.
(Etsy, $6+)
20. Personalized flask
Get the party started early by gifting her a flask with her very own name on it. You can choose the font style, and if she likes pink, she'll keep this in her purse for all future events.
(Etsy, $9.99)
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Aly Walansky is a NY-based lifestyles writer who focuses on health, wellness, and relationships. Her work appears in dozens of digital and print publications regularly. Visit her on Twitter or email her.
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