Bridal and Wedding Showers? Why is this?

Question

When did this bridal shower thing get so big. I am talking about a bridal shower for the bride where they expect gifts off of their wedding registery... I undertstand the personal bridal shower with the fun gifts, but I am preparing for a friends wedding where she expects gifts from her wedding registery for her bridal shower and her wedding. I got gifts at my wedding...I had no other shower that I was registered somewhere for... Since when do we have to provide 2 gifts for the happy couple???

Answer 1

Actually, the two gift thing has been around for a very, very long time. But it used to be that the shower gift was smaller, and more geared toward the bride and her womanly duties as a wife (cooking, cleaning, etc.). The gifts weren't big, and wedding gifts were more optional. There wasn't a registry, and only close family and friends were invited.

I've been to some showers where every female invited to the wedding was invited to the shower...yes, every female. All gifts on the registry were expensive, too.

Brides should not expect gifts for either the shower or the wedding. A gift is just that...a gift. It is given because someone wants to give it, not because they have to.

Answer 2

Well, you don't have to go to the shower if you don't want to.
I think a bridal shower is a great tradition, for all the girls and women of all ages to get together and have a good, clean, fun time with the bride prior to the wedding. Games are fun, watching her open gifts, the snacks and sweets are always good, it's comfy being in someone's home, so it's casual and just nice.
Where I'm from, and in our circle of friends and family, no one really goes for that registry thing...

Answer 3

Let's see... out of all the weddings I've attended in the last five years, I only remember "double gifting" for two of them. One couple got married right out of college and had an engagement party. Lots of people bought them house stuff for that. A friend of mine had a bridal shower and many of the gifts that she received where gifts for her specifically; I gave her a custom designed journal to document her first year of marriage (she's a writer).

Bottom line is that if you attend the party, you probably should bring something. But NOWHERE does it say it has to be from a registry. If people want to and can afford it and all that, fine, but gifts are a personal choice.

Answer 4

I think the shower is mainly a regional thing. Here in the Northeast we have them because thats where the actual "gifts" are given. Meaning appliances, linens etc house things are given. Its to set her up so the day they come home she can begin her life as a "wife" in her new home. At weddings we give money, no gifts. We consider it helping give the couple a head start on purchases, like home buying and also to help them recoup some of what they spent on the wedding.

Although showers are becoming more common in places that didnt used to do them, I think its still really only "done" regionally.

I have no problem with them.

Answer 5

You don't have to get two gifts if you don't want to. One thing I do is get a gift just for her for the shower and a gift for the couple for the wedding.
Another thing you can do is get a two part gift and give one half at the shower, the other half at the wedding. A good example is towels and wash cloths....split them up and give half at each event.

Answer 6

A bridal bathe and wedding ceremony bathe are a similar concern. this is generally a million-2 months previously the marriage. this is optionally available-- maximum brides do no longer might desire to have a bathtub at present (showers are for people who might have hardship setting up an considerable different and youngsters with out others' help-- like an exceptionally youthful bride who've under no circumstances lived on her very own previously). additionally by potential of etiquette a bathtub can in simple terms be hosted by potential of a non-relatives member (groom's relatives counts, too). Engagement events are generally given by potential of the bride's relatives. lower back, the couple does no longer might desire to have an engagement social gathering. this is optionally available. presents are no longer given at an engagement social gathering. absolutely everyone invited to a bathtub OR an engagement social gathering should additionally be invited to the marriage.

Answer 7

you don't have to give anything, especially not a certain thing from a certian place, but registries are SUPER common, as are showers, Its been big for decades now, my mother had a huge shower when she married my dad 25 years ago and they registered and lots of people gave them stuff from their registry, no biggy! you register because getting gifts is almost certainly gonna happen and I would rather give folks an idea of what I like than get stuck with stuff I don't, and by doin this, I have gotten tons of the stuff I really needed for my house....I have gotten stuff off of it too, and thats great too, some of it has been really cool stuff!

Answer 8

You can get them as many gifts as you choose to....or none at all. Personally, I give one gift....either at the shower or wedding, but not both.

Answer 9

I and my sister-in-law got a lot of small things for our bridal showers, for example we got her a gardening tool set (they were 1.99 each at target) and a lily plant (5.00 at our local farmer's market), and then the big stuff came at the wedding...

Answer 10

You don't HAVE to get them anything if you don't want to. If you jsut want to get them one gift then that is fine...but you will feel a little strange showing up to their party with no gift...if they are good friends, you shouldn't mind buying them 2 gifts...