2024 Holiday Gift Guide For Her (Your BFF Who is Getting Married!)

Nicola and Albert Wedding – Bride Bridesmaids Bouquet – Stephanie Naru Photography

When it comes to shopping for the best friend who is in the midst of planning her wedding, the best holiday gifts for the bride-to-be are thoughtful, personal, and fun. Each woman is unique – the key is to focus on what you think she’ll appreciate during this exciting, but also very hectic period leading up to the big event. If making decisions about a venue, dress, and catering have her feeling stressed out, a journal maybe just what she needs. Perhaps she and her partner just bought their first house and could use stylish decor to make it feel more like a ‘home.’ If you’re looking for an arts & culture lover, a scarf inspired by an Impressionist painting is a must-have accessory for the season. And she’s sure to find her signature wedding day scent by sampling the luxury fragrances in a perfume sampler set. Read on for more ideas from our 2024 holiday gift guide for her – aka your BFF who is getting married!
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Katie and Bryan Wedding - Bride and Groom Kissing Bouquet - New York Botanical Garden - Sarah Churchill Photography

Weddings

Katie & Bryan: A Tropical-Boho Affair at New York Botanical Garden

by Kate Murphy

Katie and Bryan Wedding – Bride and Groom Kissing Bouquet – New York Botanical Garden – Sarah Churchill Photography

Katie and Bryan met through an app in early 2021 during COVID when going on a ‘first date’ was proceeded with caution. After a sushi dinner, Kate invited Bryan over so they could continue talking. “At 6 am, after two bottles of cabernet sauvignon and 12 hours of nonstop conversation, we basically had to pry ourselves away from each other,” the bride remembers. The connection was immediate for the two Tauruses whose birthdays are two days apart. “Bryan and I are the same in so many ways,” she adds.” We are weird and silly, but also strong-willed and driven.”
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Courtney and Sander Wedding - Bride and Groom Portrait - Blue Hill at Stone Barns - Golden Hour Studios

Weddings

Courtney and Sander: Late Spring Romance at Blue Hill at Stone Barns

by Kate Murphy

Courtney and Sander Wedding – Bride and Groom Portrait – Blue Hill at Stone Barns – Golden Hour Studios

When Courtney met Sander in 2021 during a COVID peak in NYC, dating for everyone was anything but casual. This was especially true in their case – Courtney, a doctor, was vaccinated early and taking extra precautions. “We were kicked out of bars at 10 PM due to the curfew and spent more time hanging out and chatting on street corners during those first few weeks,” she recalls. In these conversations, the couple would find themselves agreeing on most any topic that came up, eventually learning that they shared very similar views of the world. “We both had intense feelings early on,” she confides.
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Alexandra and Robert Wedding - Reception Atmosphere Tablescape Low Centerpiece - New York Botanical Garden - A Day of Bliss

Planning & Inspiration

Bright Ideas For Using Colorful Taper Candles From Real BB Wedding Receptions

by Kate Murphy

Alexandra and Robert Wedding – Reception Atmosphere Tablescape Low Centerpiece – New York Botanical Garden – A Day of Bliss

If you want your wedding reception to have an air of enchanted romance, decorate the tables with lush floral arrangements under candlelight. If you want the room to be an extraordinary scene to remember, make sure the light is coming from colorful tapered candles. Ask anyone in the midst of planning for their big day and they’ll say it didn’t take long to come across a vibrant, flickering display in a wedding editorial or on Instagram and Pinterest. While beautiful, often these ultra-saturated tablescapes are designed on a set for a magazine or to catch your attention while scrolling, leaving the question, “Would that actually work for my wedding?”
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Rachel and Adam Wedding - Chuppah - Brooklyn Botanic Garden - LH Photography

Weddings

Rachel & Adam: Enchanted Splendor at Brooklyn Botanic Garden

by Kate Murphy

Rachel and Adam Wedding – Bride and Groom Portrait Bouquet – Brooklyn Botanic Garden – LH Photography

Rachel and Adam met in Washington, D.C., where they lived a block apart. Rachel was attending Georgetown Law School and they started dating four months prior to the beginning of COVID. Rachel remembers, “We were lucky to be together during the pandemic and found a lot of activities to keep us busy.” Now deemed ‘Camp Adam’ by the couple, this time was spent doing everything from playing tennis, hiking, and kayaking to taking virtual cooking and candle making classes to doing puzzles. While many would find being thrown into such an intense situation while still getting to know a person challenging, Rachel and Adam credit this period for establishing the strong foundation of their relationship. “Adam and I perfectly balance each other out. We love to sit on the couch watching TV shows and movies together just as much as we love to play tennis or go out with friends. Neither of us could imagine spending our life without the other.” She finishes, “To this day, we still try to incorporate ‘Camp Adam’ activities into our free time.”
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Lara and Tom Wedding - Low Centerpiece - New York Botanical Garden - Pat Furey Photography

Planning & Inspiration

Fresh Wedding Ideas Using Pantone’s 2024 Color of the Year Peach Fuzz

by Kate Murphy

Lara and Tom Wedding – Low Centerpiece – New York Botanical Garden – Pat Furey Photography

If you were to imagine a painterly sunset vista, a picture awash with graduating pink and orange may come to mind. Sauntering throughout the composition, harmonizing its alluring scheme is Peach Fuzz, Pantone’s Color of the Year for 2024. Where as last year’s color, Viva Magenta, announced itself in dramatic fashion, Peach Fuzz greets with soft caress. Pantone Color Institute Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman elaborates:

“In seeking a hue that echoes our innate yearning for closeness and connection, we chose a color radiant with warmth and elegance. A shade that resonates with compassion, offers a tactile embrace, and effortlessly bridges the youthful with the timeless.”
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Planning & Inspiration