How I Made My DIY Bridesmaid Proposal Boxes
If you want to ask your girls to be your bridesmaids in a fun and thoughtful way, consider making a bridesmaid proposal box! This post will go over how I made my DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes to hopefully give you some inspo for yours.
I got so into all of the fun wedding tasks and events, including making my DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes. I had seem some super cute things on Pinterest and thought it was such an exciting and thoughtful way to ask my girlfriends to be a part of my big day.
With just a few items, I put together these super cute bridesmaid proposal boxes and popped the question! I had a great time making them, and I know my girls had a great time opening them.
This post is all about how to DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes.
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Bridesmaid Proposal Box FAQ
Do you have to make a bridesmaid proposal box?
Absolutely not! A bridesmaid proposal box is not a requirement. If making a proposal box is not in the budget or just not your thing, skip it! You could easily send your bridesmaids a cute card, a handwritten note, or even a text. The box is just an exciting way to ask them to be a part of your big day. And who doesn’t love opening a present?
How much should you spend on a bridesmaid proposal box?
There’s no right answer here. You can make any DIY bridesmaid proposal box fit your budget. I spent around $20 per bridesmaid. If you only have a few bridesmaids, you can get them a few nicer gifts! If you have a lot of bridesmaids, you may need to go for more affordable gifts. It really just depends on how much you want to spend!
Whatever you decide, I usually recommend that you spend 1-2% of your wedding budget on gifts and favors, so make sure you factor the cost of your DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes in there.
What do you put in a bridesmaid proposal box?
Typically, bridesmaid proposal boxes are put together with various small and inexpensive items that most girls would like or use. I would opt for practical items rather than decorative items. This way, the gifts are something your girls can actually use and don’t end up becoming extra clutter in their houses.
I would also caution against gifts that are super bridal in nature or are specifically customized for your wedding. For example, if everything says “bride tribe” or is labeled “Luna’s Wedding 2023”, they can’t get much use out of it once the wedding festivities are over, and the gifts will probably end up in the donation pile eventually. One or two of these types of gifts is fun and totally okay, but I would opt for a majority of gifts that are more timeless and practical.
If however, there are any matching bridal accessories that you want your bridesmaids to have, like sunglasses, slippers, robes, t-shirts, or hats, totally throw them in among the other gifts! This way, your girls have them for wedding events but don’t have to spend their own money on something they will only use once.
Here are a few ideas for your DIY bridesmaid proposal box:
- mini champagne or rose bottle
- Tumbler, mug, or cup
- sunglasses
- candle
- lotion
- jewelry
- jewelry box
- perfume
- hair accessories
- nail polish
- makeup
- makeup case
- lip balm
- snacks
- chocolate/candy
- key chain
- picture frame
- socks
- slippers
- robes
- tote bag
When do you send a bridesmaid proposal box?
There isn’t an exact answer for this one, but I would send out your bridesmaid proposal boxes between 6 and 8 months before the wedding. I would also send them before you send out your save the dates, just to let your girls know that they will be a part of your big day before all of your other guests find out.
It’s better to wait longer than to send your proposal boxes too early. A lot can change in a year, including your friendships or the financial situations of your friends. I’ve heard quite a few stories of brides who asked someone to be their bridesmaid but then had a falling out with them before the wedding, leading to some uncomfortable situations. Or, a fried may accept the invitation to be a bridesmaid, but their situation changes before the wedding and they are no longer able to. Just to be safe, wait until about 6-8 months before the wedding and before you send your save the dates to propose to your girlfriends.
My DIY Bridesmaid Proposal Boxes
I decided to give my girls a few gifts in a proposal box, and a few other things at the rehearsal dinner the night before the wedding. I wanted to include practical gifts and a few things they would use for our bachelorette party in the proposal box, and I saved wedding-day items (like slippers and robes) for the night before. Here is everything I purchased for my DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes.
The Box
For the actual boxes, I ordered this pack of 10 craft cardboard boxes from Amazon. It came with the twine and cute gift tags. I decorated the box with a few dried baby’s breath and bunny tails.
Because I had six bridesmaids, I had a few leftover. I used one for the gift for my husband on our wedding day, and saved the others to use for Christmas or birthday presents.
I also ordered 1 pound of light ivory crinkle cut paper shreds to fill the boxes with. This was to add to some padding to make sure items did not shift around or break, but also to make it look cuter when my girls opened their boxes.
Click below to buy now on Amazon.
The Gifts
The box consisted of five small gifts. I purchased the small champagne bottles came from Target for $2.99 a piece, but I ordered everything else off of Amazon.
The star of the show was this cute glass cup with a bamboo lid and glass straw. The set came with 8, so I kept 2 and gave each of my bridesmaids one. I decided not to personalize them to a) save money, b) I wanted it to be dishwasher safe, and c) I was worried it would feel tacky. The girls say the still use and love their cup today.
I also ordered this pack of 8 heart shaped sunglasses that also came with silk scrunchies. There were 7 pink sunglasses and scrunchies for the bridesmaids and 1 white pair for the bride.
The girls used the sunglasses on the bachelorette trip and the wedding night during the reception. They also commented on how soft and silky the scrunchies were in their hair.
These gold metal claw clips were beautiful, inexpensive, and a nice touch. I liked that they came in different designs so I could pick which design I thought each of my girls would like, which made it feel a bit more personal.
While the hair clips were super cute, they were a bit sharp and unfortunately did not hold my fine hair very well. I probably would not recommend this brand if you have fine hair.
I purchased the cute bridesmaid proposal card off of Etsy, customized it on Canva, and printed it at Walgreens on photo paper.
The top of the card got cut off a bit, but I think it still came out pretty cute!
Total Cost
Here is the cost breakdown for each item.
- Box: $14.99
- Shredded paper: $19.99
- Mini Rose: $17.94
- Glass cups: $27.89
- Sunglasses & Scrunchies: $15.89
- Hair clip: $14.99
- Etsy template: $6.50
- Printing: $15.36
Total cost: $133.55
This means that each of my DIY bridesmaid proposal boxes cost right around $20 to make. Not bad if you ask me!
Summary
If you are thinking of making a bridesmaid proposal box, do it! I loved making mine and it really is such a nice gesture for your girls. You don’t have to spend a ton of money on them, but it is an exciting and thoughtful way to ask your besties to be your bridesmaids on your big day.
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Happy Planning!
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