By Chris Rotolo
Bending on one knee and proposing to a significant other that your two souls were meant to be intertwined is a moment you never forget. But increasingly these days the primary proposal isn’t the only one brides- and grooms-to-be choose to make.
From orchestrated in-person brunches to synchronized unboxings over Zoom calls and Google meets, bridal party proposals are a trending pre-wedding event designed to create a lasting memory for the chosen few who will help guide you through your nuptials.
“My wife doesn’t remember saying ‘Yes’ to me, which is understandable given the surprise of the situation. But she definitely has a clearer picture of the proposals she made to her bridesmaids,” said Ryan Collison, who was married over the summer.
“Asking (her bridesmaids) to be part of her big day was a big deal. It wasn’t about just asking them. There was planning involved,” added Collison, who helped his wife assemble gift bags with specialty bath bombs, coffee mugs and sunglasses.
Collison, for his part, invited his potential groomsmen to dinner at a local steakhouse and presented each one with a cocktail glass set and a bottle of their preferred spirit.
The bridal party proposal began trending in the mid-2010s. A quick search for “bridesmaid proposals” on social media now returns thousands of hits. According to WeddingWire, an online site where couples can find vendors for every type of wedding, bridal party proposals should happen within a few months of the engagement. They suggest gifts that speak to both the bride and groom’s personality and the giftees’ tastes. Unique presents can cost as little as $10 (a single, elaborately decorated cookie and handwritten note, say) or as much as $100 and up for a basket of goodies expressing your desire to have someone be a part of the festivities.
For couples spread thin or short on time, various digital outlets and brick-and-mortar shops have your back, producing pre-packaged and a made-to-order bridal party proposal kits, both gender or non-gender specific. Some vendors offer packages that can be customized to an extent, with various candies, makeup bags, flasks, tumblers, glasses or mugs, earrings, cigars, bottle openers and so much more.
Since most bridal party members are good friends or family, it’s a way of saying thank you for all you’ve done together and everything that is to come. Being part of a wedding party is a commitment of both time and, often, money.
“Everybody told me it was my day and, of course, it is the couple’s day. But navigating from your engagement to your wedding day takes a lot of help. And a lot of that help comes from your bridal party,” said Jessica Albrecht, who was wed in fall 2021. “Giving my bridesmaids a token of my appreciation was the least I could do.”
Albrecht hosted a brunch for her bridesmaids, who each received a tote bag with personalized candles, tumblers and bottles of wine, the latter of which was labeled with a note: “Will you be my Bridesmaid?”
Samantha Hinds described herself as a “bride on a budget” leading up to her wedding in fall 2020, when the COVID-19 health crisis caused several of her revenue streams to dry up.
“Despite the unfortunate situation, I still wanted to do something special for (my bridesmaids), to thank them for being with me on my wedding day and for everything else we’d been through,” Hinds said.
Hinds made her way to the kitchen, tapping into her love of baking to design donuts and cupcakes with a dusty rose icing, a nod to her wedding color. She affixed handwritten, heartfelt notes to her sweet treats and made a series of socially-distanced deliveries to each of her bridesmaids’ doorsteps.
“A part of me was a little self-conscious about how I was asking (them). But I think I came away with a better understanding that telling someone you appreciate them, that you love them, and that you want them to be part of your wedding day and your life, it’s not about the size of the gift or the price of it. The message is what really matters,” Hinds said.
How did you pop the question to your bridal party? Let us know at editor@tworivertimes for a chance to be featured in a future Two River Times article.
The article originally appeared in the February 10 – 16, 2022 print edition of The Two River Times.
