Top Five Stocking Stuffers for Bridesmaids

Did you miss Black Friday? And Cyber Monday? Yikes! No worries, there are still a TON of sales, specials and promotions going on in time for the holidays. You’re going to want to try to get all of your holiday shopping done as soon as possible or you’ll end up at a mall at 11:30PM surrounded by angry, rushed shoppers. Yeah, that’s no fun. It’s a good idea to put your bridesmaids on your shopping list- they’re doing a lot to support you for your big day and you have the opportunity to thank them and give them something sweet. If you’re not sure what you can get to show you love them, we’ve got five awesome ideas that will be the perfect stocking stuffers.

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For the Business-minded Bridesmaid

For the girl who comes late to bridal party planning because she’s always caught up in meetings- pick up something fun from a Staples or Office Depot. We love fun things like 2015 planners, fun shaped post-its, and awesome tape dispensers. Scotch makes these awesome tape dispensers in shapes like martini glasses, puppies, high heels, and lizards. It’s easy to find fun stuff for under $15, and you know they won’t regift it.

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For the Sweet Toothed Bridesmaid

If you’re so over the mall and just want to fit your holiday shopping into your regular shopping, head over to do a specialty grocery store, like Trader Joe’s. Trader Joe’s has specialty packaged candy, chocolates, and even some home goods that are ready for holidays, like this holiday set of Joe-Joes. Just keep an eye out for the fun stuff while you pick up cereal and fruit. One of our picks is the chocolate sampler- it’s a small cube that has all sorts of different chocolates inside. It’s easy, a universal crowd pleaser, and will give your bridesmaids something to munch on while they’re watching you try on dresses.

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For the Team Photographer

You know that one girl that immediately instagrams everything you all do as a group? She’s secretly dying to get a selfie stick but feels silly buying one for herself. For most this will be a gag gift, but if you get it for the right bridesmaid it’ll actually be used. Most selfie sticks can be under $20, and it’s not hard to find them for under $15. You can get one for your photo-friendliest friend in a color that matches her bridesmaid dress, so when she inevitably whips it out on the big day it won’t clash with her outfit.

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For the Bag Lady

You know that one girl that comes out and needs a chair for her purse because she stuffs all sorts of fun stuff in her bag? You know how bummed she is everytime you go out and there’s no purse hooks at the bar? Fix that problem for her! Get a purse hook that she can stick in her purse and will create a place for her bag no matter where she goes. You can cruise etsy and find some awesome personalizable ones. You can put a picture of the both of you on there to remind her of how awesome you both are! She’ll thank you on your next girl’s night and she can have her purse next to her no matter where you go.

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For the Bombshell Bridesmaid

For the bridesmaid of yours that keeps hinting that she can do your makeup- give her some new toys to play with! All your favorite brands are doing fun holiday packs right now so it’s the perfect time to buy for your bridesmaids. Our favorite store for deals right now is Ulta- they are constantly offering bonus freebies, bonus rewards points, and have the best packages for both high end and drugstore level cosmetics. We love the Benefit Benebalm package- there’s three whole sets of the Benebalm and Benetint shades that are individually packaged and ready for gifting. We also love this EOS gift set for your girlfriends that need a little extra hydration this winter, and this kitty lip balm from Forever 21. Your bridesmaids will look so cute for all the photo ops coming up, and they’ll have you to thank for it!

 

Top Five Black Friday Tips for Brides

Happy Black Friday! Once you’re officially out of your food coma from Thanksgiving, you can take advantage of the best shopping day of the year. This is a great time for you to swoop up some fun stuff for your personal stash, but also for you to get great wedding items and gifts for your bridal party. If you’re waking up at the crack of dawn (or maybe even waiting until Cyber Monday), make sure you’ve got our tips for a great shopping day.

Do Your Homework

Before you head out to the mall, have a game plan. If you have a favorite store, go online and check out their deals. Some stores have deals that only last through certain hours and end at specific times, while some go all day. Figure out what stores you absolutely have to go to by a certain time, and which ones you can swing by later in the day. It can also help to park centrally between all your stores- it may be easy to park in front of one store, but if you need to run out to drop off bags, it’ll be smarter to make trips that are easy to get to from anywhere rather than park on one side of a mall and have to lug your bags through a department store crowd every time you need to drop stuff off.

Double Your Deal

While you’re out- look more for deals that will pay off later, rather than just one that has a flat discount. Keep your eye out for anything that will give you gift cards or some sort of credit for next time you go shopping. Rack up the credit for a future shopping trip will make last minute wedding buys that much easier for you.

Look Out for Your Friends

If you’re at the point in your wedding planning where you’re still looking for wedding party gifts, this is literally the best day of the year to pick fun stuff up. Keep an eye out for electronics deals- they’re great for both genders and are an easy and impressive gift. Fun things like tablets can be really affordable right now and are great for anyone. If you can’t afford to do something like a tablet for everyone in your wedding party, smaller fun things like waffle makers or LED showerheads are quirky fun for everyone you know.

Stock Up on Staples

If you have a vision for your wedding decor, keep an eye out for anything you can stock up on for fun DIYs. Black Friday isn’t just about high price ticket items- those are just usually the ones that get the best press! Find a local crafts store for fun stuff like vases, doilies, ribbon, DIY materials, anything you may need for wedding projects. You can take a DIY project and make it that much more affordable by stocking up now!

Stay Home and Dream Big

Not into the mall? Totally fine! Instead of waking up, putting on shoes, and running to the store do one type of shopping you have to do from home- travel shopping! Black Friday is effective in all realms nowadays, including travel. If you have a game plan for your honeymoon, go ahead and book something right now so you have another fun thing to look forward to! Aim for hotels since those are easier to cancel if anything (like your dates or location) changes. Flights may not even be that much cheaper than usual and are hard to cancel.

 

Five Fun Valentine’s Day Gifts for Grooms

It’s almost Valentine’s Day! Are you ready? Even if you’re not, there’s no reason to worry. Save the stress for the ceremony and check out our gift guide for your groom.

For the Chef

If you landed a man who’s great in the kitchen, you might as well get him the right tools for the job. A good knife block is a great addition to any kitchen, and will encourage him to cook more! Knife blocks can range anywhere from $40 and up, depending on the quality and how big the set is. Just remember, a knife set is a great investment and you do get what you pay for. 

For the Man of Mystery

Boys do love their toys, and spy toys are a sure-fire hit. A spy pen camera or spy watch is something fun for him to play with and are typically under $50. Typically the cameras in spy gear aren’t very high quality, so he really can’t get into too much trouble. It may not be as practical as a knife block, but it sure will be fun.

For the Gamer

Are his thumbs always sore from all the video games? Trick out his device in a cool way. Get a cool skin for his handheld device so it’s easier for him to find in the man cave. We’re obsessed with these fun skins from Etsy ($6-$10 each skin). You can also spring for  another year of either his PlayStation or XBox online membership, or load his Nintendo account with some funds for downloadable play.

For the Pop Cultured

Does he speak in movie quotes and wish he were the long lost Bluth brother? Find some fun fan art from his favorite television show or movie. Just search the title in Etsy and you’ll find tons of cool fan tributes that would be perfect and original for him. If he’s a Potterhead, we love this fun flask (Etsy, $20).

For the Architect

If your groom likes to tinker and create fun things, give him a blast from the past with a cool lego set. It’s a great fun activity that you can help out with, plus it’ll look great as a centerpiece. We’re obsessed with the limited edition ‘Back to the Future’ set ($35, lego stores) that builds a floating Delorean.