KissMeGoodnight eRomance Series:
Throwing a Bridal Shower

Avoid Bridal Shower Gift Giving Mistakes

Buying gifts for a bridal shower is always a challenging exercise. It is hard to know what to buy that will make the bride happy in her new life. There are, however, a number of things you should avoid in terms of gift-giving at a wedding shower.

First, don't spend too little on a gift. Remember that everyone will probably be watching as the bride opens all of her gifts. If you have simply gone to a dollar store and picked up one item, the other guests will notice and so will the bride. Chances are very good that they will think you don't care about the bride or about her union with her partner. Choose something that is nice, possibly off of one of her registries, and spend as much as you feel the other guests will be spending.

Conversely, don't spend too much on the gift. Again, everyone will be watching, and if you have spent a lot, people might think you are showing off instead of purchasing the bride things she will need in her new life. Moreover, spending too much might make the other guests feel bad. A wedding shower is not the time for a lavish gift. If you feel the need to purchase the bride and groom a gift that doesn't fit in with the wedding shower price range, you might try giving that gift as a wedding gift instead.

It is a poor idea to give a gift that might embarrass a bride during her wedding shower. For example, if the bride's family will be in attendance, it is probably not a good idea to give her a box of sexy lingerie. You risk an awkward moment for you, the bride, and the other guests. No one wants to feel awkward during a wedding shower. Wedding showers are designed to make the bride feel good about starting her new life with the groom, and giving gifts that make her feel awkward about the whole process is just poor manners.

Don't include a copy of the receipt for the gift. You run the risk of suggesting that the bride would want to take back your gift. This might embarrass or offend her. The last thing you want to do during a wedding shower is offend the bride. If you are worried that the bride might not appreciate your gift-of-choice, get something that is on one of her registries. This way she gets what she wants and if there is some sort of problem with the gift, the store where she registered will take it back.

Don't give cash as a wedding shower gift. Offering cash is rude. It suggests that the bride cannot handle her own expenses. It also suggests that you don't value the shower enough to put the time or the effort into getting a gift that the bride will enjoy and use in her new life.

If the wedding shower has a theme, and the hostess has requested that you bring gifts that fit that theme, it is poor etiquette to ignore the hostess' request. Don't go out and get something completely off topic if your hostess has requested something specific. For example, if the hostess is giving a kitchen shower, bringing bath towels because you didn't want to put the time into a more suitable gift is a bad idea.

If you plan to order the bridal shower gift, don't have it shipped directly to the bride. It is tradition that all of the gifts will be opened in front of the other guests. If you have it shipped to the bride, not only will you not have a gift to give directly to the bride at her shower, the bride will also not have the pleasure of having everyone else see the gift you have given her.

There are a number of serious errors to avoid when you get ready to purchase your bridal shower gift. Making sure you steer clear of these problems can help to ensure that the bride has the smoothest happiest shower she possibly could. For best results, stick to the shower's theme and the gift registry, and you too, can make the happiest possible bride.

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KissMeGoodnight.com : 2006

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