The New Way to Send Out Bridal Shower Invitations
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by: ginathompson
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Word Count: 613
I am sure bridal showers served a very noble purpose for a long time. I once read that the bridal shower was began in Holland. A woman fell in love with a miller, who was poor because he always gave to the needy. The father of the woman did not approve and expressed it by not offering a dowry. The couple decided that love was greater than wealth and still wished to marry. All the people who had previously been helped by the miller decided to return the favor. They showered the couple with the things they would need to start their new life together. The couple did not, of course, send out bridal shower invitations. They community was compelled to help. Others say the United States was the birthplace of the shower. An American newspaper article from 1904 implies that the word "shower" originates from a Victorian era practice of putting gifts in a parasol. Regardless of where the custom began, the purpose was to compensate for an absent trousseau (hope chest) or dowry.
What began in the late 1800s, has continued to flourish into the 2000s. It appears that the United States and Canada are the main celebrators of the bridal shower. And here is where I believe the shower has taken a turn for the materialistic worse. If the purpose of the bridal shower is to compensate for the basic things a bride and groom need to start a home, then most couples today do not need much additional assistance. Some couples do not have much, as they are young or recent graduates of college or graduate programs. But the majority of couples that are boosting the sales of Pottery Barn and Target registries are not in that situation. I cannot tell you how many bridal shower invitations I receive for friends who are double income couples in their early 30s. One friend even said, "This is an opportunity to get some new dishes and better stemware." The bridal shower, in its good hearted roots, would shiver to hear those words.
Do not get me wrong, I like a good party. I think it is completely appropriate to get your friends and loved ones together to help you celebrate your bride or groom status. Your friends and family should not, however, feel obligated to buy you new stuff to help you celebrate, though. Usually, the same people who receive bridal shower invitations are the same people who will receive wedding invitations. People want to help the couple celebrate and toast to their future. We should not be on the hook to help the bride and groom redesign their kitchen ensembles.
Bridal showers need to be kept in perspective. For a couple that does not have much, it is okay to have a traditional shower. For couples who are well established and have everything they need, they should not be greedy and want new replacements for those things courtesy of their guests. I am not being a scrooge; remember that those same guests will be buying the couple a wedding gift. Those latter couples should, instead, get creative. Give all your friends and family bridal shower invitations that allow them to help you celebrate with fun and frolic. Have a recipe party, where everyone offers their favorite recipe or signature dish and puts it in a fancy cookbook for you to have, for example. Your prospective guests will be overjoyed to receive bridal shower invitations to help celebrate without feeling the heavy obligation of lots of expensive gifts.
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