Comments on: What is the difference between bridal shower and just getting gifts at wedding?

By: MrsRoberts8808

MrsRoberts8808 — Fri, 22 Aug 2008 02:11:53 +0000

I looked at my bridal shower as sort of a coming together of women on both sides–aunts, cousins, grandmas, etc. We played little games (each person wrote one memory with me and they were read aloud and I had to guess who wrote it. Lots of laughter). We had good food and cake. My aunts paid for most of it, so they were listed as hostessess. A lot of people chipped in on something (3 people and a 30 dollar gift card) and then gave a larger monetary gift at the wedding. For me, my wedding gifts were mainly monetary, not gift cards or items. I would have preferred it all to be that way, as we live in CA and had our wedding in MI and still haven’t been able to ship all of our gifts home!

Regardless, it is not double dipping. It is part of the fun and exciting wedding process. Oftentimes, it’s more of an occasion for the FAMILY to celebrate becoming whole!

By: Bride to Be

Bride to Be — Thu, 21 Aug 2008 08:04:33 +0000

I think the term is used kind of loosely for a few different things, from what I’ve seen. Sometimes the bridal shower is just for the girls, and they give her personal gifts, like lingerie and things for the wedding night/honeymoon. Other times, it’s more traditional gifts like things for the house. And sometimes it’s even a “Jack and Jill” shower, where the men are invited too, and the gifts can be either household items or personal stuff. And other times I’ve heard that the bridal shower is synonymous with the bachelorette party! Anyway, no, I don’t think it’s considered double dipping. The showers I’ve been to, not everyone brings a gift, so they just save their gift for the wedding I suppose. Personally I would feel bad going to a shower and bringing a gift. Even though it’s not necessary, it just seems like the right thing to do!

By: Sandy Ego

Sandy Ego — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 17:26:52 +0000

Bridal shower is like a party that people come to and (usually) bring gifts; it happens before the wedding. Wedding is yet another party people come to and (usually) bring gifts. So yeah, if someone comes to your bridal shower AND your wedding, this person will most likely be getting you two separate gifts. Bridal shower is just a tradition here in the US (don’t know about other Western countries), and it’s up to you whether you want to have one or not. I never had one as it always seemed tacky to me to have a party with the purpose of asking for gifts (yes, technically someone else “hosts” it for you, but it’s pretty clear that they have to have your consent to do so). But I’m from a different country, too, so my perception is different from most people’s. I don’t think most folks have a problem with bridal showers, even though it is double-dipping in a sense.

By: Amie87

Amie87 — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 06:35:46 +0000

Well technically the bridal shower is meant for the purpose of “showering” the couple with gifts. The wedding on the other hand it isn’t mandatory to bring a gift though almost everyone does anyway. So I guess it winds up being like double dipping, but it’s a pretty normal occurrence. I don’t think I’ve been to a wedding yet where there wasn’t a bridal shower…

Also I do have to add the second person is correct in stating a BRIDAL shower is geared toward the bride. Plenty of people are having joint showers now but they are not called bridal showers they’re called Jack and Jills or something else of a similar nature.

By: flutterbye71108

flutterbye71108 — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 23:08:39 +0000

A bridal shower is similar to a baby shower.It is thrown for the bride to be by a family member or close friend. It is a chance to celebrate the pending nuptuals and for the bride to be to receive gifts such as household items, honeymoon accoutrements, or items for the wedding such as engraved cake knives, bride and groom toasting goblets, or signature books. Bridal showers started back when brides and grooms did not live together before the wedding and most lived at home with their parents until they were married. A bridal shower was an opportunity for the bride to receive needed items to funish their new home with their husbands. Since most gifts given at the actual wedding are monetary there is nothing wrong with having a shower. Bridal showers have changed over the years though. SInce many engaged couples live together or have at least lived outside their parents home prior to getting married, many couples already have everything they need to furnish a new home so many shower gifts now are geared towards other things. It is becoming a trend now for shower guests to pool their money and pay for the couples flight for their honeymoon, or pay for the hotel, or even the entire honeymoon. Also many showers don’t include gifts at all, instead of being a party in someones home they are day or weekend trips to a spa or resort allowing the women a chance to be pampered and relax shortly before the wedding. Either way it is prefectly acceptable and a tradition to have a shower.

By: ManDidMeWrongButGodMadeMeStrong

ManDidMeWrongButGodMadeMeStrong — Fri, 15 Aug 2008 18:13:23 +0000

No its not.Its for you and the presents at the wedding are for you and your husband. And mainly the gifts given to you at the shower is stuff for the honeymoon.

By: jayndee13

jayndee13 — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 20:14:47 +0000

No, not double dipping. The girlfriends of the bride usually give sexy things for the bridal shower. At least I did. You cannot give p e n * * shaped candles at the wedding. I think it should be raunchy and fun. But some people (hotsy totsy) may be offended.

I am laughing because I went to a shower for someone that I worked with. Her family hotsy tots and I gave the candle shaped like a you know. I didn’t put my name on the box or nothing. When they pulled it out, everyone was looking around to see who sent it, I never said a word.

(I gave a negligee too) and the mother was like who gave this RED negligee? Like her daughter wasn’t screwing everything that walked. HA.

By: SChi25

SChi25 — Sun, 10 Aug 2008 12:45:32 +0000

IS it double dipping? Yeah. I mean, let’s face it. The sole purpose of having a shower is to get gifts. And that’s fine because it’s a tradition and everyone accepts it and usually has a good time (unless those lame games are played, then I want to shoot myself).

However, it’s not CONSIDERED double-dipping, for the reasons I mentioned above.

It’s also completely optional and someone hosts it for you. One never hosts her own bridal shower.

And the second answer is wrong. While yes, the bridal shower is usually geared toward the bride, joint showers are growing in popularity. Guys will register for tools and other such manly things, and the girl will receive something off the registry. We’re having a Jack and Jill shower (as they’re called) and while some people say that’s weird, I prefer it. The guys are all looking forward to BBQ and a good time, and we’re both looking forward to seeing everyone.

By: Nicole Lynn

Nicole Lynn — Thu, 07 Aug 2008 07:29:42 +0000

In my circle, generally our bridal showers consist of lingerie and things that would be of use on the honeymoon. No one really gives practical gifts. The favorites are usually Victoria’s Secret or Frederick’s of Hollywood gift cards, nice underwear, stuff like that.
Then at the wedding people bring sensible gifts.
Have fun!!

By: PugMom

PugMom — Wed, 06 Aug 2008 02:49:47 +0000

No, the shower is meant for gifts to “shower” the new couple with gifts for their home. A wedding usually brings monetary gifts.