Are you having a Bridal Shower?

[akw94]

Just wondering if most people have a bridal shower or not. If not, why not? I don''t think I''m having one. My step-brother has offered to throw it but most of my family and all of his are out of town. We''re keeping it small so most of my in-town friends I''m not inviting. I only have one close friend in town that I''m inviting and the other 2 are out of town. It just doesn''t seem worth it. Plus, I''m not quite sure if I get the point. W/a baby shower, I understand b/c it''s the only time you get together to celebrate having the baby but w/a wedding shower, you get together at the wedding so why even have the shower. I''m sure that''s just my odd reasoning but that''s just me....

So.... you having one? Why or why not? What will you do there?

 

[Blenheim]

I''m having one. I just got the invitation to it over the weekend.

For me, the reason''s twofold.

First, my MOH and her mom really really wanted to throw me a shower. I think that my MOH''s mom would like to plan my whole wedding if she could, so at this gives her something to do.

Second, our families and close friends all live in the area we''re getting married. Having moved away, I rarely get to see them and spend time with all of them anymore. It''s going to a fun way to reconnect with them before the wedding, and for the ladies on each side to get to know each other better.

I''m not sure what we''re doing there, but it''s going to involve a luncheon. The hostesses are completely in charge, and while they''ve asked me to tell them if there''s anything I''d particularly like, I just can''t think of anything at the moment.

 

[KristyDarling]

I didn''t have one. I moved to San Francisco less than 3 years before I got engaged, and all my close girlfriends were back home in Chicago. So, instead of a bridal shower, I flew back home to Chicago for a girls'' night out, which was a G-rated version of the traditional bachelorette-with-stripper party. (I''m SOOOO not into sweaty naked hulks gyrating their junk 2 inches from my nose)

We had tapas at a local restaurant, went to a comedy show at Second City, and then went dancing. They gave me cute little gag gifts (only ONE lingerie gift....and it was a pair of ginormous granny underpants, pretty hilarious). It was one of the best nights of my life!!! I was totally fine with not having a traditional shower with tea, miniature sandwiches, and champagne -- I liked our night out a lot better!!!

 

[IndiBlue]

I don''t really like the idea of bridal showers- I''m not very good at those hooky kind of games and on top of that absolutely HATE opening presents in front of other people.

With that said, 3 of my FI''s Gma''s friends want to give me showers and I feel obligated to accept although I''m not to keen on it On the slip side though, I feel really blessed that people want to do for me.

So, we''ll see.

 

[FireGoddess]

I had one. It was Friday before the wedding (wedding was Sunday) so that out of town guests could meet and mingle before the big day. It was also nice to be able to catch up with everyone before the hectic-ness of the wedding day!

 

[TravelingGal]

Date: 2/13/2007 5:00:16 PM
Author: IndiBlue

I don''t really like the idea of bridal showers- I''m not very good at those hooky kind of games and on top of that absolutely HATE opening presents in front of other people.

With that said, 3 of my FI''s Gma''s friends want to give me showers and I feel obligated to accept although I''m not to keen on it On the slip side though, I feel really blessed that people want to do for me.

So, we''ll see.

I hate these things for the exact same reason. I have opengiftaphobia. I open, act surprised and smile and *snap*, they take a picture where my strain shows through.

My MIL did throw an afternoon tea (which interestingly didn''t have any tea...mostly champagne and wine. There were still gifts, etc and I had to go through the opening of them. I really didn''t love doing this, but my MIL is the sweetest lady in the world and it made me happy to make her happy to do something nice for me.

 

[sumbride]

My girls are working on one but I don''t know yet when and where it will be. I did ask them not to "surprise" me with it, but they don''t have to tell me about it until they''ve made all the decisions.

I''m not so much into opening presents in front of people, but I do love parties! I''m thinking of it as a party.

 

[ephemery1]

Date: 2/13/2007 5:10:33 PM
Author: sumbride

I''m not so much into opening presents in front of people, but I do love parties! I''m thinking of it as a party.

Same here... HATE the present-opening thing, but love having an excuse for all the girls (my friends, mom''s friends, relatives, etc) to get together!

Mine is actually this weekend... it will be a tea party at our country club, since my MOH and I are obsessed with Jane Austen and we thought that would make a fun theme.

She has promised no annoying games, so I''m really looking forward to it... plus I have a new dress to wear!

 

[Blenheim]

Date: 2/13/2007 5:10:33 PM
Author: sumbride
I''m not so much into opening presents in front of people, but I do love parties! I''m thinking of it as a party.

Same here.

 

[labbielove]

I am having one, although not sure how we''re going to register, because there isn''t really anything we need.
We''re trying to get rid of stuff!!

My 3 older sisters are chomping at the bit to throw one for me, and my mom lives in a beautiful apartment community with a party room opening onto a patio, so we''re having a laid back, 25 person max shower.

For me it will be an opportunity to introduce the most important women in my life to each other, prior to the wedding day. I have 3 older sisters that live in different states, I have a bf from childhood, my friends from college and from work. So I''m looking forward to getting them all in one room, introduce them and just enjoy.
I also think with so many different "factions" of friends (from different stages in my life) it will make the wedding day that much more enjoyable for them as well, i.e. they will know more people.

 

[anchor31]

I''d like to have one, just to get some fun people together, but my mom says I probably won''t have one since most of our guests are out-of-towners. Kinda makes me sad.

 

[RoseAngel04]

I'm having multiple! FI's family just started planning for ours in the last few weeks! I'm super excited. I'll end up having around 4 or more I'd imagine. 1 given from FI's family, 1 given from my family, 1 given from our church, 1 given from my co-workers, possible from sorority sisters, and possible from my bridal party.

Bring on the showers!

ETA: I don't know if it's a regional thing or what, but everyone I know has at least one. There will be cake, snacks, lil cutesy games, and opening presents.

 

[fisherofmengirly]

We had several, and called them all parties or get-togethers. The one at work was cool; everyone loves a reason to bring in food and basically snack all day long. We had one that my sister-in-law surprised me with when I went home to see my dad when he got out of the hospital. That one rocked because it had friends from college and high school, some of whom I''d not seen in years. There was one with my side of the family, really fun. The one with Paul''s side of the family was the closest to *fancy,* but it was still fun. I tend to get really silly and giggly when the spotlight''s on me, so everyone enjoyed watching us open gifts while I tried to decide where we''d put them in our as of then, unseen home. I''m a nut like that.

*Beware of this, I just heard about showers and all the silly games they play: We just learned at the last shower that they say for every bow you cut from a gift, that is one child you''ll have. I *hate* those kinds of sayings and games. It can make a fun situation *very* uncomfortabe.*

Stay away from the silly/gamey atmosphere, and you''ll have fun!!

 

[tiffanytwisted]

My MOH (my sister) is planning one. I think the girls at work are having one also. I also have opengiftaphobia, I have suffered from that since I was a child. I actually used to HATE my birthday parties because I didn''t want to open gifts in front of everyone. I was terrified they would think I didn''t like it.

 

[Scooba]

I''m having one, I guess because it''s tradition, and I like parties and spending time with people I care about, and because it is being thrown for me, I just got a call asking about the date.

 

[sumbride]

Oh yeah... we always have them at the office! I work with about 50 women so it''s almost a requirement. And they do the stupid bow thing too, plus they take those bows and put them on a plate and make the groom wear it for photos. I told him about it before we even got engaged... he''s kind of dreading it, but I eased his fears by telling him they always give lots of presents! He''s excited about presents.