How do you ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids? The best way is with a fun bridesmaid proposal.
Thinking up bridesmaid proposal ideas is something you’ve probably been imagining since you were young, and now the time has finally come to ask your best friends the most important question and you have no idea how to do it!
How To Ask: Will You Be My Bridesmaids?
We’ve rounded up 19 cute ways to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding with these best bridesmaid proposal ideas:
Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas
1. Send A Handwritten Bridesmaids Card
Nothing says how much you value someone like a bit of good old-fashioned correspondence. We so rarely receive hand-written post these days that when someone we love takes the time to put pen to paper on our behalf, it feels very special.
This is one of the best bridesmaid proposal ideas around because it doesn’t have to cost more than the price of a stamp, and is something they will treasure forever.
We adore this beautiful bridesmaid proposal card that you can have customised:
Etsy: £3.20 per card
Customise & Buy here
2. Meet Up & Surprise Them
The best way to ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids is in person – that way you can all squeal and get excited together straight away!
You could invite them all over together for a nice dinner at home as one of the nicest bridesmaid proposal ideas, meet up in a café or park for a picnic, or make individual plans with each of them and then pop the question.
3. Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas: Flowers
There will no doubt be flowers at your wedding, so why not give flowers as a bridesmaid proposal gift when you ask them to be at your wedding?
This is a great idea for long-distance friends that you want to ask to be your bridesmaid since you can order letterbox flowers to be delivered to them with a special card asking them to be a part of your big day – one of the sweetest bridesmaid proposal ideas!
How about sending this gorgeous bunch of Peonies from Bloom & Wild with a cute note – they’ll be so touched that you went to such an effort to ask them.
Bloom & Wild: £30
4. Will You Be My Bridesmaid Mug
For a more unique way to ask your bridesmaids, why not sit down with a cuppa together. Doesn’t sound very unique so far I hear you say, but this is a cuppa with a difference – a hidden message bridesmaid proposal idea!
Etsy: £16
5. Send A Scratch Off Bridesmaid Card
Another idea for a bridesmaid proposal with a hidden message is to send them a scratch off card. This is one of the particularly good bridesmaid proposal ideas for younger bridesmaids and flower girls (more ideas for them below).
You can buy really pretty scratch off bridesmaid proposal cards on Etsy and some allow you to customise them to feature your girls’ names.
Etsy: £20.91 for a pack of 8
6. Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas: Cake
If there was ever a time to celebrate and eat cake, it’s when you’re asking your pals to be with you on the best day of your life.
You can order all kinds of bridesmaid proposal cakes and cupcakes, we love this cute popsicle cake that can be customised with your bridesmaids’ names.
Etsy: £14
7. Use An Old Photo Of You & Them
…Or even several old and current photos to make them a cute pull-out photo box.
You can tell them that you can’t imagine getting married without them by your side and ask them to be your bridesmaid.
You could easily DIY one of these bridesmaid proposal ideas, or just order one online.
Etsy: £9.50
8. Break Open Fortune Cookies Together
To make sure your big day is filled with good fortune, you could propose to your bridesmaids with a fortune cookie.
You can buy fortune cookies with a personalised message to say whatever you want – so go wild with your bridesmaid proposal ideas and really take them by surprise!
Etsy: £8
9. Send A Bridesmaids Box
If you really want to go all in with the best bridesmaid proposal gifts then you should think about putting together a full on bridesmaid box.
You can go to town on customising what you put in there to make this one of the best custom bridesmaid proposal ideas, or pick up a bridesmaids box online pre-filled with cute bits and bobs to ask your best friends to be your bridesmaids.
What to include in a Bridesmaid Proposal Box:
- Bridesmaid proposal card with handwritten message
- Photo of you both
- Chocolate
- Personalised item such as champagne flute/slippers/bracelet
- Confetti
- Mini bottle of bubbly
These are the most common things to find in gift boxes for bridesmaids, but you can customise it based on your friendship and include things that mean something to both of you.
Etsy: £9.95
10. Go Out For co*cktails
If there was ever a great way to celebrate and get excited about your upcoming wedding it’s to go out for co*cktails with the girls as a nice bridesmaid proposal idea.
And it also makes for a great moment to ask them to be a part of your special day.
You could also host a co*cktail night at home and try out some co*cktail delivery kits.
11. Treat Them To A Spa Day
Looking for bridesmaid proposal ideas that take the whole day?
If you want a relaxed way to ask your bridesmaids to be in your wedding then there is no better way than to head to the spa for a chilled out day together.
You can then choose whether to pop the question while you’re luxuriating in the jacuzzi or sweating it out in the sauna.
You can find great spa day deals on Spabreaks.
12. Bridesmaids Proposal Bags (with a secret message)
Can you tell that we love a secret message bridesmaid proposal ideas over here at PTH HQ?
You can get your pals a lil cosmetics bag which when they open it reveals a hidden message asking them to be your bridesmaid.
Etsy: £14.50
13. Host A Movie Night (Make it wedding themed!)
Another of the best budget bridesmaid proposal ideas is to get the gang over for a movie night chez toi and make sure that all the films you watch are bridesmaid related.
Think: Bridesmaids, 27 dresses, The Proposal, Made of Honour…
14. Gift Them A Bridesmaid Proposal Candle
There are no end of options for personalised bridesmaid proposal ideas and one of the most popular is a candle.
The great thing about this as a will you be my bridesmaid gift is that when they unwrap it they might think the label is just a generic candle label at first glance, but when they read it they will see you are asking them a v.important question!
15. Bake Bridesmaid Proposal Biscuits
If you’re feeling like going with a bit of a DIY bridesmaid proposal idea then one of the simplest things to do is bake up a bunch of biscuits, grab a Will you be my bridesmaid? stamp or icing embosser and get creative!
16. Send Them A Balloon Proposal
Another cute idea to ask you bridesmaids is to send them a balloon and pop the question with a balloon pop proposal!
Bridesmaid proposal balloons come pre-inflated and in a box. They are filled with pretty sparkly bits and a piece of paper with the all important question on it.
Etsy: £4.21
17. Pop The Champagne
There’s no need to re-invent the wheel when looking for ideas to propose to your bridesmaids – why not stick with the traditional bevvy for celebrations and pop a bottle of champers with them.
If you want to make it one of those extra special bridesmaid proposal ideas then you could buy a personalise the champagne bottle with a sticker.
18. Gift Them Something Sparkly
A great keepsake bridesmaid proposal gift is some personalised jewellery.
The added bonus with these bridesmaid proposal ideas is that your bridesmaids can wear the bracelet, necklace or earrings on your wedding day so they all have matching and meaningful accessories.
19. Bridesmaid Puzzle Proposal
This is one of the most unique bridesmaid proposal ideas but it’s definitely one of our favourites since it has the best surprise effect.
You can buy a personalised puzzle with any photo and text you like on it. Just make sure to add your text using Canva before you upload your photo to be printed onto the puzzle and voila!
You could sit down to do the puzzle together and only at the end will your friend realise what you’re asking!
Check out Photobox for personalised puzzles.
When To Ask Your Friends To Be Your Bridesmaids
If you’re wondering when is the best time to ask your bridesmaids to be a part of your wedding, and most importantly how to use our bridesmaid proposal ideas, follow this simple timeline:
- After setting your date & securing the venue, start to think about who you’d like to have as your bridesmaids. It’s a good idea to do this 9 – 12 months before the wedding.
- For the bridesmaids who live nearby, arrange a date to meet and pop the question!
- For long-distance bridesmaids, send a Bridesmaid Proposal Gift (plenty of ideas below) or just a handwritten note.
- Follow up with a conversation about your wedding plans – as a member of your wedding party you can share more details with them
- Make introductions – if your bridesmaids don’t already know each other, start a Whatsapp group so they can start to get to know each other and help you make plans.
The Best Flower Girl Proposal Ideas
Asking your flower girls to be a part of your special day differs a little to asking your bridesmaids.
While some of the ideas listed above, such as a scratch off card or a bridesmaid proposal cookie will work for little ones, here are some other ways to ask your flower girls:
- A flower girl proposal teddy bear
- Flower Girl bracelet
- Flower Girl painting kit
Long Distance Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas
If you and your best pals live miles or even oceans apart then finding the best way to ask them to be your bridesmaids can seem hard.
Here are our favourite long distance bridesmaid proposal gifts to ask your bridesmaids virtually:
- Scratch off card
- Balloon Bridesmaids Proposal
- Flowers
DIY Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas
For brides who are happy to get creative and make their own DIY bridesmaids proposal, we suggest:
- Bridesmaid Proposal Box
- Bridesmaid Proposal Champagne
- Bridesmaid Proposal Biscuits
Non Cheesy Bridesmaid Proposal Ideas
We know that for some brides lots of these ideas will be too cheesy and kitsch for their style.
That’s ok – some of us love the idea of a novelty mug with a surprise message at the bottom, others can’t think of anything worse.
For the best simple ways to ask your friends to be your bridesmaids and maid of honour, stick to what you know works and go for one of these:
- Handwritten card
- Flowers
What To Write In A Bridesmaid Proposal Card
It can be difficult to know what to write in a card asking someone to be your bridesmaid.
Here are a few simple suggestions of what to write in a bridesmaid proposal card:
Dear [insert friend’s name]
- “I can’t say I do without you!”
- “I want you by my side when I become a bride”
- “I’ll only be a happy bride if my best friend is by my side”
- “Please hold my dress while I pee”
Unique Ways To Ask Your Bridesmaids
There are of course hundreds of fun ways you could ask your bridesmaids to be your bridesmaids, but ultimately the best way to do it is the one that feels most natural to you. So choose one of these bridesmaid proposal ideas and make it the one that feels right to you.
If that means that your bridesmaid proposal is simply asking them over your weekly coffee date, or sending them a nice message, then that’s great too!
Don’t fall into the trap of spending loads of money when proposing to your bridesmaids – it’s very easy to make everything about weddings cost £££, but there are plenty of ways you can do a lovely but cheap bridesmaid proposal too.
Hopefully you’re now feeling much more prepared to pop that all important question: Will you be my bridesmaids?
