💰Do I have to give a gift?

1-800-Bridesmaid

📞 Hello? Hi. It’s me, Jen Glantz. Welcome to the 1-800-Bridesmaid, by Bridesmaid for Hire. A place where real stories are shared and your best advice is given.

This week: Taylor is a bridesmaid for the first time and unsure whether to give a wedding gift. She can’t afford to give very much at this point.

Last week: A bridesmaid shared how deeply mean the other bridesmaids have been to her. Here’s the advice you gave her.

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Dear 1-800-Bridesmaid,

My best friend is getting married next month, and I'm her matron of honor. I’ve never been in a bridal party before. The wedding is in her small hometown, which means it's a destination wedding for the rest of us.

Here's my situation: I'm already spending quite a bit on this wedding. I'm flying in from out of state, splitting an Airbnb with the other bridesmaids for a few days, bought my own dress and shoes, and I'm doing my own hair and makeup. I've also put together a cute "bride survival kit" with day-of essentials and bought a heartfelt card.

Now, here's where I'm stuck. Normally, when I attend weddings as a guest, I give a cash gift. But this time, as part of the bridal party, I'm wondering if it's still expected. There wasn't a bridal shower or bachelorette party, so I haven't had other gift-giving opportunities.

I'll be honest, between the wedding expenses and some unexpected costs this month, my budget is getting tight. I could manage to put some cash in the card if that's the etiquette, but it would be a stretch.

What do you think I should do?

-Taylor

Let’s help Taylor!

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💗 A Few Things I’m Loving:

• These shoes. Still. I wear them ever day and feel like they elevate any outfit.

• Got these long sleeves in a few colors. They are 50% less than the same ones at Lululemon or Alo.

• A bit of a splurge but I plan to wear this every day stacked with other necklaces.

• Great little party gift to keep handy for a girl’s night, bachelorette party, or just get together. I hand these out as if they are mints at the end of the night.

• A great last-minute gift to pick up for someone that’s under $20.

• In love with the color and style of this dress and think it’s a good staple addition to the wardrobe.

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What’s new with Bridesmaid for Hire:

• Jen Glantz here! I’m so grateful you’re here. I started 1-800-Bridesmaid as a way to bring you into the world of my life as a hired bridesmaid for strangers.

  If you’re wondering what I’ve been up to lately, here’s a little preview:

  • A lot of you are reaching out to see if we are still hiring. Yes, but at the moment, there aren’t any open positions. I’ll keep you posted inside the newsletter when open positions to work weddings pop up.

  • My team and I developed these interactive maid of honor/best man speech, wedding officiant speech, and wedding vow tools. You chat with us about the stories, details, and memories you want to include and I write the speech for you — in just a few hours. If you have a wedding coming up and need a speech, check this out. We’re expanding this month to offer wedding officiant and father of the bride/goom and mother of the bride/groom speeches.

  • Did you know we have a Bridesmaid for Hire book? It’s a best-seller on Amazon and it dives into how I started the business and what it’s been like to work weddings as a hired bridesmaid.

I'm Jen Glantz and this is my Bridesmaid for Hire newsletter.

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