The Basics of Bridal Shower Etiquette
While showers have evolved into something more relaxed in recent years, you should still know the basics of bridal shower etiquette to avoid a chance of offending anyone.
Since there will probably be disparate groups at the shower — friends, family and co-workers, usually — it's important to understand how everyone should interact. Especially in the case of family: mothers and grandmothers can place great weight on proper bridal shower etiquette, so make sure you know "the rules"!
The Maid of Honor's usually the person who plans and organizes the bridal shower. If she lives out of town, however, it's fine for someone else to do the honors.
Don't take over without checking with her, though. It's her privilege, and you should always ask her before assuming anything. If you're going to do it for her, make sure you keep her comfortably involved through frequent emails and phone calls.
Bridal shower etiquette traditionally says that a shower should take place at least four to six weeks before the wedding. This is just for practical reasons — the bride's going to be too busy any closer to the ceremony — but if she's coming home only two weeks before the wedding, talk to her and see how she feels about having a shower in her honor so close to the wedding. Chances are, she'll think that's fine if most of her friends can manage to come.
There's been an uncomfortable trend in recent years for large showers, where nearly everyone the bride knows gets an invite. This isn't quite what the bridal shower is supposed to be, though. At least by tradition, a bridal shower's meant to be a small, intimate gathering of the bride's closest friends and family. Proper etiquette dictates a group of no more than ten to twenty guests.
Who the guest list should include: the wedding party, the mothers of the bride and groom, sisters of the bride and groom, and the bride's closest friends and/or coworkers. Contrary to some recent practices, it probably shouldn't include every woman invited to the wedding.
Finally, bridal shower etiquette means making a special point of including the wedding party members ... and the mothers. Ask each of these people to take on some particular responsibility, whether it's recording a list of the givers as the gifts are opened, or running the party games. This will help everyone feel like a key part of this special day.
|
|
|
|
||||||||
|
|
|
|
||||||||
| See All Bridal Shower Favors | |||||||||||
Pages: « 21 … 16 15 14 13 12 [11] 10 9 8 7 6 … 1 » Show All
Is it proper to invite close friends and family members who live out of state to a bridal shower or does it appear you are just looking for the gift.
My mom has been invited to a bridal “drop-in” for a friend’s granddaughter. Is a gift expected?
Is there a tactful way to inquire concerning wedding gifts or cards that may have been lost? Several close family and friends recently attended our daughter’s wedding. All had been invited to a shower, which they did not attend, but did come to the wedding. There were gift tables at both the wedding and reception and many gifts and cards were left. Our children were blessed with all they need and we are not concerned about the lack of a gift from these families, but are concerned about not expressing thank yous if there are in fact missing gifts. I am sure we are not the first to run into a situation like this - can anyone help us determine how to handle this?
This is about the wedding, not the shower
i am getting married next year and there are family members who will bring people i dont want there. what can i do to stop it but be nice about it in the same way
Is it okay for the bride to register for lingerie-type items in addition to household items?
If you are invited to a shower for the bride in her hometown and one in the groom’s hometown, are you obligated to take a gift to both showers?
how does the mother of the grom sign a bridal shower card
If you are invited to a shower, and are unable to attend, is a gift still sent? Thanks Janice
Dixie … here are some great places to start spinning out teacher-theme ideas for a shower or wedding.
StyleMePretty, Dear Abbey: Lisa Vorce of “Oh, How Charming!” gives her thoughts on adding teacheresque touches to trivia games, favors, menus, table numbers. Great ideas in the comments fields, too.
DIY Bride, Chalkboard Votives: You can make the coolest favors or decorative items using spray-on chalkboard paint. I’ve seen terra cotta pots planted with herbs, masked off with a “chalkboard” center, and personalized with pretty colored chalk as favors. You can do much more. Again, see the comments for lots of extra helpful info.
Snippet & Ink, School Days: as always, she finds a way to stay firmly within the realm of elegance while doing “school”. Should spark some fun ideas. Plus, be sure to follow the link on that page to Brooklyn Bride’s Grade School Sweethearts. HTH!
We have decided to go away and get married and when we return we are going to have a dinner / reception. We are going to play a video of the wedding, eat and then have a reception. I come from a really big family and I am only inviting our parents, wedding party, Aunts/Uncles, and close friends, for the video and the meal, and everyone else will be invited to the receptions. For my Bridal shower I was wondering if it is ok to invite people that are going to attend the reception but not the dinner or do I only invite the people that are invited for the whole thing? I just want to make sure I’m using the proper etiquette.
Thanks
I need your help. My son goes to a small school and his teacher is getting married. The class is very close to each other. They call themselves a classroom family. The kids want to surprise her with a small shower from them. I need ideas! Please help.
The children are 9 and 10 years old.
I am the bride I am having a very small wedding with just 15 of my close family (his and mine), Is it appoprite to have a bridal shower?:?
Is it proper to have a money tree at the bridal shower?
I was told that I have to send my wedding invitations to guest to announce the wedding before I send invites to a wedding shower. I was also told that I shouldn’t invite anyone to the shower that isn’t invited to the dinner reception. Are either of these “rules” necessary?
Elizabeth,
Assuming the pen will be used by the bride - I would personalize it with her married name “Mary Smith” or monogram and the wedding date.
Another pen idea for those interested, there are beautiful hand blown glass pens available which can be used at the wedding and shower guest books. I found ours by google search, also available at fine stationary stores.
“Shower situations”
Rather than invite people to a shower who would not be invited to a very small or destination wedding; I would host a reception at a later date (as soon as possible after the wedding date) Receptions can be well done without great expense and those who might want to help with the expense of a shower could instead help with expense of a “cake, fruit and punch” reception. If all else fails, send wedding announcements immediately following the wedding. Those who want to give the couple a gift, will respond to an announcement.
I’m personalizing a pen to give as a gift at the bridal shower. What’s the proper message that should be written? Both the bride and grooms name with the wedding date? OR Just the bride and her shower date??
Thanks!!
Always a bridesmaid
I am interested in your answer to Karen Poirier. My daughter is having a very small, intimate wedding where most of the guests are family. This too is due to trying to keep within a certain budget.
Is it ok to ask someone to the shower but NOT to the wedding due to budget restraints?
Thank you.
I am going to my first wedding Bridal Shower. If I take a gift to the shower am I suppose to take one to the wedding as well?