Memento Marry: The Best Jewelry to Gift Your Bridesmaids

With all the planning that goes into a wedding day, gifts for the bridesmaids are probably well down the list of priorities. However, there is a tradition of giving presents to show appreciation for the support that the bridesmaids — and of course, the mother of the bride — give during the wedding-planning process. It has therefore become a significant sector of the bridal market.

Sometimes the gifts are jewelry — a pendant or pearl earrings for the bridesmaids to wear on the big day, or a personalized memento of the occasion with an engraved message.

“Bridal gifting is definitely a market for us, both for brides to gift themselves [to wear at events, including the rehearsal dinner] and for their bridesmaids and mothers,” affirms Khadijah Fulton, founder of White Space in Los Angeles.

At New York-based jeweler Alison Lou, “our most popular bridal gift to bridesmaids is our Letter necklace, or personalized pieces,” reports founder Alison Chemla. “A wedding is such a special and personal moment that it feels most appropriate to gift your bridesmaids something they will cherish and want to wear even after the wedding is over. Some brides go all out and do custom name necklaces or bracelets.”

What’s hot

Jemma Wynne’s flip rings are popular options for this market, as the couple can get their names and wedding date engraved on one side, while fellow New York brand Briony Raymond offers gold charm bracelets with letters, as well as a bangle that can be engraved with dates in Roman numerals. New York-based Jade Trau’s wide range of engravable charms includes a friendship heart charm, and the Heavenly Vices brand in Atlanta, Georgia, sources enchanting Victorian love tokens — antique engraved coins — and reimagines them as contemporary pendants.

The most popular gift item from jeweler Aurelia Demark in Palm Beach, Florida, is her 18-karat gold Heart bracelet. “One client engraved her wedding date on the back of each heart,” says Demark, “and we have sold out of our pearl Fleur earrings for bridesmaids to wear on the wedding day.”

In Denver, Colorado, designer Sarah Ortega’s Sarah O. brand highlights the appeal of initial necklaces, as well as pieces like earrings or pendants that have a meaningful gemstone noting a birthdate or the wedding date.

Chemla recommends her Cocktail collection of gem-set enamel earrings for the mother of the bride, and fun, personalized enamel bracelets for friends, such as the Wildflower model for flower-lovers, and the Mini Pasta by the Yard bracelet for foodies.

Fulton cites pearls — including her Dario pearl bracelets and Baby Baroque pendants — and her pavé Linea threader earrings as some of her clients’ favorite items for bridal presents, with prices ranging from $160 to $500.

Price is a notable factor. “If the price point is approachable, particularly if there is a versatile or personalized aspect, they can be an easy sell,” says Fulton.

Ortega agrees. “Given the significant expenses involved in planning a wedding, budget is definitely a consideration for most brides,” comments the jeweler, whose initial necklaces are $395 and Beacon earrings $325. “While it’s possible to find meaningful gifts at a variety of price points, brides often look to personalize gifts to make them more memorable while not overspending.”

Satisfied customers

Many jewelers say brides return to look for gifts after purchasing their rings. The wedding market presents a golden opportunity for retailers and wholesalers alike to provide a bespoke ring service with an edited bridal-party package.

“Our experience with this [market] has been directly with our clients,” says Demark, though she also believes “there is an opportunity for wholesalers to curate a collection of thoughtful bridal gifts at varying price points.”
Like many of the interviewed designers, Fulton has wholesale accounts but often works with consumers for this specific segment.

“If the gifts are fine jewelry or another type of high-quality, handmade item, this sector leans a bit more direct-to-consumer because [brides] tend to be buying for multiple gifts and may want to make small changes to each item to personalize for each bridesmaid (birthstone pieces, for example),” she says. “However, if the pieces are at a lower price point, there are certainly larger retailers that can accommodate group orders and personalization for each. I think the opportunity for growth here [lies in] fresh ideas for gifts that the bridesmaids will truly love and wear and use repeatedly.”

Main Image: Jade Trau Friendship charms in 18-karat gold with diamonds. (Jade Trau)

This article is from the October-November 2024 issue of Rapaport Magazine. View other articles here.