Asking someone to be a bridesmaid

Is she one of your nearest and dearests? If so, just ask her privately over a phone call or coffee. Most women feel honored to be asked without gifts etc so there is no need for expensive proposal boxes that pressure her to say yes. There is also nothing that is publicized to the rest of the group that you have added someone new. However if she is not one of your closest friends, I would not ask.

You could ask her in a similar way to how you asked your other bridesmaids! If you got the other girls proposal boxes, you could put together one for her! Or if you asked them in person, setup a girls night and ask her then.

I would ask her in the way you presented it here: Thet when you first were thinking a long while ago, she was not a particularly close friend. But as time goes by, you are feeling a closer bond, and would be pleased if she would be your BM. That is the right kind of afterthought, flattering. Don't worry about proposal boxes. They are totally unnecessary and add pressure to say yes, which you do not want.

I would be honest with her. I was in a similar situation. I had already chosen my MOH (my sister) & my daughter (she’s 24) as a bridesmaid. I have a really close friend & asked her months later if she would be a bridesmaid. She didn’t feel like she was an afterthought & was super excited!