For many years it has been considered a tradition for the bride to give jewelry to the bridesmaids as a thank you for participating in her wedding.  As a general rule, the bridesmaid jewelry was given with the the bride intending for the jewelry to be worn during the wedding.  However, recently, the gift of jewelry has been replaced with other items such as electronics and gift cards although there are still some brides that hold true to the tradition.

Most women who are asked to be bridesmaids end up spending a great deal of money.  Most pay for their own dresses, bags and shoes along with their hair and makeup for the wedding day.  Many even help to pay for the wedding shower which might include making or purchasing the bridal shower invitations.  This doesn't even include gifts for the shower and the wedding.  Presumably, the jewelry the bride gives her bridesmaids helps to lessen their financial burden, at least a little bit.

When shopping for bridesmaid jewelry it is not necessary for each bridesmaid to match.  Every bridesmaid has her own distinct personality and the jewelry purchased should match her style.  Many brides will choose jewelry with similar colors or themes, but different styles, for each bridesmaid.

The piece or pieces of jewelry a bride might choose for her bridesmaids varies greatly. She may choose a necklace, a pair of earrings or a set.  Many brides will choose jewelry that is the same as her own but in a different color.  An example would be the bride wearing pearls.  She may choose pearls for her bridesmaids but in a color rather than white pearls like hers.  

Many times a bride will choose to give her maid of honor a very special piece of jewelry.  It can be a piece that coordinates with the bridesmaid jewelry but is more expensive, or it can be totally different.  Basically this is up to the bride and her personal preference.  

There really is no right or wrong time to present the bridesmaid jewelry.  Many brides will give these gifts at their bridal showers and some will wait until the rehearsal dinner. Still others may wait until after the wedding and give the gifts during the reception.  Of course, this would only work if the bridesmaid jewelry was not intended to be worn during the wedding.