The wedding is finally over and it is time to thank the special army of people without whom you couldnt have made it through those unending to-do lists and tiring festivities your bridesmaids. After all, they organized your bridal shower and your bachelorette party and did all kinds of assorted tasks for ranging from the complicated and long drawn (like choosing the dress and the accessories) to the simple and mundane (like addressing all your envelopes). They wore their less than satisfactory dresses with a smile (they even paid for it!) and danced with your boring uncle John. Most importantly, they stood by you like a rock through all the ups and downs that the days and months leading up to the weddings brought. They held your hand when you needed it the most and they soothed your frazzled nerves when you were on the verge of deciding that getting married was not worth all the hassle.

So now it is time to thank them from the bottom of your heart. And theres no better way to really show how you appreciate them than by giving them a bridesmaids gift that they will treasure and love.

When it comes to choosing bridesmaids gifts, the decision on whether to gift all your bridesmaids with the same gift or whether to give each one a different one belongs to you. The advantage of giving each bridesmaid a different gift is that you can tailor each gift to the specific likes of a particular bridesmaid. However, the flip side of this is that you spend more time trying to find individual gifts that are also of approximately the same price.

If you do decide to go in for the same bridesmaid gift for all your bridesmaids, it helps to pick up something that will be universally appreciated. Simple and elegant jewelry is an all time favorite when it comes to bridesmaids jewelry gifts. Necklaces and bracelets are especially popular. Depending on your budget, you can decide on the material, the design and the embellishments. Jewelry boxes are also extremely popular bridesmaids gifts. Here too a range of designs are available to suit just about every budget.

Other popular bridesmaids gifts include personalized handbags, handkerchiefs, potpourris, fancy hairclips chocolates, perfume and wine glasses. Nowadays, items like votive candles, aromatherapy kits and spa kits are also fast gaining popularity. Yet another great idea for a bridesmaids gift is to gift an experience such as a day at the spa or an adventure trip for the girls.

A final note: There is some debate on whether the bridesmaids gift should be given to them before the wedding or after the wedding. If you are leaving for your honeymoon immediately after your wedding, it may be more practical to give your bridesmaids gifts before the wedding rather than after. After all, you want to thank them as close to the event as possible and not delay it till you come back from your honeymoon. However, if before the wedding seems impossible and you are going to be around for sometime before you leave for the honeymoon, it is alright to give the bridesmaids their gifts after the wedding. However, whether you give your bridesmaids gifts before or after the wedding, the important thing is to choose your bridesmaids gifts with care and to gift them to your bridesmaids with genuine love and gratitude. Here too, the thought counts as much as the gift itself!