Between unflattering dresses and Friday nights spent licking envelopes, bridesmaids have it tough. The best cure for the always-a-bridesmaid blues? A little bling of their own.

Embraced by celebrities like Oprah, Tyra Banks and Kirsten Dunst, the Ah Ring is a diamond pinkie ring featuring eleven small round cut diamonds fashioned in a 14-karat white gold band.  It’s a great idea for bridesmaid gifts your girls will actually like, since this is a diamond ring that celebrates their relationship status for a change.  For your single pals, “A” stands for Available, and “h,” happy – or for those already taken, Attached and happy. 

It will also cost you more than a cliché monogrammed tote – maybe give it as a special gift for your maid-of-honor if you don’t want to take out a loan to supply them for your nine bridesmaids – but these sparkling rocks are sure to earn forgiveness for that requisite teeth whitening you forced them to endure.

Weddings are often about compromise, but when it comes to your bridesmaids of varying sizes and shapes all fitting into the same dress, there’s often no wiggle room.  Thankfully, modern alternatives have arrived to ensure your ‘maids feel fabulous while providing a cohesive look for the wedding party.

Online boutiques like Olivia Luca and Coco Myles now allow you to create one-of-a-kind bridesmaid dresses by selecting body style, skirt shape, fabric, color, and embellishments.  You can have as much or as little control as you like; each girl can create her own style (with your direction), or the whole bridal party can get together to create one dress that everyone loves.

Another concept is brought to you by Twobirds.  The boutique features one simple dress that can be worn more than 10 different ways, with instructions on creating each look.  The bride selects a color and each bridesmaid can wrap her dress into the variation that caters to her personal style and figure.

You may want to put a personal stamp on your wedding invitations, but it’s probably best not to wait for the post office to release your mug on their next commemorative series.  So do it yourself at Zazzle.com, where you can make your own custom postage. 

The site guides you through easy step-by-step instructions that even your mother-in-law could follow, and your options are practically endless.  Use your engagement photo, monogram, or even your parents’ wedding picture.  Simply select your size and quantity, upload an image, and add some text.  Your very own personalized postage stamps should arrive in about a week.

Sure, you only wear it once, but a wedding dress can be appreciated as a fashion objet d’art.  Capture the masterpiece in all its glory with a one-of-a-kind fashion illustration by artist Jennifer Angilello.  You’ll revere it long after you’ve retired the dress to the closet.

Why We Love It
This isn’t just a retread of the bridal or engagement portrait.  Jennifer Angilello creates a sophisticated yet whimsical fashion illustration depicting you in your gown, all with a chic look that emphasizes your dress.  Send in photos from your wedding or from a fitting, and Angilello creates a custom illustration ($375) in four to six weeks.