Bridesmaid Gift #3: Handmade Jewelry

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin

This was by the most time consuming and expensive bridesmaid gift, but it was well worth it. If you haven't already seen the bridesmaid dresses that I designed and made from scratch, you can start here if you're interested. In addition to making the dresses (the bridesmaids paid me for the supplies), I also gave each of my bridesmaids and bridal assistants three gifts: an initialed robe (click here to view), an initialed hanger (click here to view), and a handmade jewelry set (earrings and a necklace for the bridesmaids and earrings and a bracelet for the bridal assistants and moms). 

I ordered all the supplies at Fire Mountain Gems: sterling silver for the chain and other metal parts, and Swarovski Crystal for the crystal parts. I made the necklaces and bracelets adjustable but kept in mind approximate wrist sizes. The jewelry really tied everything together and contributed to a sense of colorful sameness. My own jewelry was Swarovski, so that matched, too.

I have no jewelry-making experience, so I won't try to teach you how I did it (I learned myself by watching videos and looking at examples throughout the process), but I hope you enjoy seeing the final product.

Bridesmaids' necklaces and earrings. The message reads "I'm such a lucky bride to have you by my side." The bridal assistants have the same message, obviously.

All the bridesmaids' jewelry (purple-blue-teal-yellow-orange-pink)

Bridal assistants' bracelets and earrings.

One of my bridal assistants doesn't have pierced ears! Displaying the clip on earrings was the trickiest. I ended up punching two holes into the cardstock to put the clip ons through.

One of my bridal assistants doesn't have pierced ears! Displaying the clip on earrings was the trickiest. I ended up punching two holes into the cardstock to put the clip ons through.

Wrapping the jewelry

My mom's jewelry (a bracelet and earrings). The message reads "Today a bride, tomorrow a wife. Always your little girl." I made the same jewelry for my mother-in-law (except in blue), and her message read, "Thank you for raising the man of my dreams." I wrapped her jewelry first, though, before I remembered to take pictures.

All wrapped up! I placed these boxes inside the larger gift bags containing the robe and hanger.

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin
I accidentally forgot to make/make arrangements for my milkfat free slice of cake until during dessert at the rehearsal dinner. Thankfully, my awesome bridesmaids threw together some brownies with white icing and flowers. They iced the brownies while still hot, so it wasn't pretty, but it got the job done. Made for a beautiful jewelry showcase!

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin

Photo by Sean Marshall Lin

I did have one major oversight: I forgot to include the little rubber backs to keep the dangly earrings in place. I know at least one person lost an earring. Also, my jewelry craftmanship was decent, but my mother-in-law lost a piece of her bracelet in one of the many layers of my dress while assisting me with it. Luckily I have spare supplies to replace these parts!