After saying “YES,” the fun really begins! Asking your best friends and loved ones to be a bridesmaid is exciting, and everyone wants to think of a fun, trendy way to ask them. Lucky for you, Kalamazoo has so many unique and locally owned shops to put together the perfect bridesmaids gifts — from candles and wine, to the most adorable cookies. I have compiled a list of Kalamazoo’s best places to help put together a unique way of asking your BFFs to be by your side on your special day!

Tempo Vino Winery of Kalamazoo

260 E Michigan Ave | www.tempovinowinery.com

Everyone loves a celebration, and what’s a celebration without a toast? Tempo Vino Winery of Kalamazoo has been a long-time favorite of mine. While you can choose from their many bottles of wine, they also offer half bottles, perfect for this occasion! Best of all? You can create a custom label for any of their full- or half-size bottles of wine. Located right in downtown Kalamazoo, you can stop in for a wine tasting and Alex will help you pair the perfect wine to your bridesmaids. At Tempo Vino they are very proud of their wine and winemaking processes. Wines are handcrafted in small batches from grapes grown around the world. Tempo Vino selects the best grapes from top vineyards each harvest, and import the juice to the winery for winemaking. They stand out as the only winery in the area where you can actually taste and make wine from grapes grown in France, Italy, Germany, Australia and California. Need a custom wine for your wedding? Tempo Vino Winery also lets you create your OWN wine! That’s right. Stop in and create any of the wines on his list, or Alex will help you select the perfect blend.

Kalamazoo Candle Company

116 S Kalamazoo Mall | www.kalamazoocandle.com

Who doesn’t love a good candle? Kalamazoo Candle Company is my favorite place to grab candles and is conveniently located right downtown on the Kalamazoo Mall. You can plan an event at the Marketplace to make your own candles together, including custom labels, or place a custom order. They offer three different-sized candles and plenty of amazing scents to choose from. Their 10oz Jars are noted for 60-80 hours of fragrant burn time in a reusable glass jar. Design the label, wooden lid or both! The 6oz Tins with your choice of fragrance lend 30-45 hours of flame in recyclable metal containers. Customize the side label, lid or both. And the 1.6oz Tins are high-quality candles in a small but mighty “sample” size. Customize the lid label to make it your own. (Absolutely perfect to add to a bridesmaid gift box with their name on it! No minimum quantities!) If you are looking to make it a fun girl’s night out instead, Kalamazoo Candle offers Custom Candle Making at the Marketplace. Contact them to make reservations.

The Aroma Labs

www.thearomalabs.com

Who doesn’t want to smell amazing on their special day? The Aroma Labs, located downtown Kalamazoo in the Park Trade Center, is a fun and unique spot to grab a great bridesmaid gift, perfume! The Aroma Labs is a concept created by entrepreneur Tanya Thompson and inspired by her personal experience and passion for fragrance and mixology. Tanya loves helping people connect with their fragrance creation. She will help you mix up the perfect scent and you can even add a custom label to the fragrance bottles. The bottles are the perfect size for your bridesmaids clutch on the special day, too!

The Cookie Crafter

Instagram: @the_cookie_crafter | fb.com/lisathecookiecrafter

First on my list has to be the gorgeous cookies from The Cookie Crafter. A home baker located in Otsego, Lisa started her home-based bakery a few years ago. Hands down, she makes THE most beautiful cookies that I believe have ever existed. BONUS, they taste amazing! I typically don’t like the fancy sugar cookies, because they are just plain hard and dry. Yet, Lisa has perfected the cookies to where they are super soft and delicious. She can create most any custom cookie that your little heart desires, and her wedding cookies are among my favorite. Her cookies are custom order only, but you can choose from a host of flavors from the traditional vanilla, to cookies n’ cream, chocolate chip and other seasonal flavors!

Confections with Convictions

www.confectionswithconvictions.com

Everyone I know loves chocolate on some level. Those on a mission for stunning hand-made chocolates go to Confections with Convictions. Their confections are made from wholesome ingredients and organic fair-trade chocolates, based on recipes that were developed by chocolatier Dale Anderson right in their shop. They source from the local farmers market or buy directly from local makers and farmers whenever possible. Confections with Convictions is proud to share “Pure Michigan” tastes and ingredients with customers. Their chocolate treats are designed to satisfy a range of tastes, from classic flavors to the seasonally inspired and wholly unexpected. And they are always adding more! Many of the confections are also vegan and gluten free. You can special order right from their website or visit them downtown.

Colors and Cocktails Studio

240 S Kalamazoo Mall | www.colors-and-cocktails.com

For a more personalized gift for each of your bridesmaids, you can head over to Colors and Cocktails Studio. Lauren’s shop offers lots of cute custom glassware, earrings, cute socks, adorable bottles with matches to light those Kalamazoo Candles, cocktail mixes, cute stickers, and THE most adorable wrapping paper in the city. I highly recommend her shop to add the finishing personal touch to your bridesmaid gift box! You can order custom glassware on her website or visit her downtown shop.

Rachel Kirtley

Rachel has worked in all levels of the food industry for over a decade. She is currently a Social Media Influencer, Content Creator and Restaurant Reviewer. You can visit her at thekalamazoofoodie.com