A wedding shower, is a gift giving party where a bride is given gifts before her wedding. Popular in U.S. and Canada, the party is conducted by the bridesmaid and the gifts are household items for the couples new home. In earlier times when the father of the bride refused or could not pay dowry the brides friends were sent wedding shower invitations to gather gifts and from this the tradition the concept of a wedding shower grew. It is also conducted to prepare the bride to start a new household.
The maid of honor is generally required to host the shower and send out the wedding shower invitations. Though if the maid of honor is a part of the brides immediate family she generally does not host the wedding shower. A wedding shower is generally conducted 4 to 6 weeks prior to the wedding. For convenience of the outstation guests a bridal shower should be conducted close to the wedding. The brides maid or the couple if involved in the organizing decides the number of wedding shower invitations to be sent and which relatives need to be invited to a wedding shower.
Primarily to begin inviting people, a guest list is required which can be arranged from the bride or her mother if it is a surprise. Another important factor is that only people invited to the wedding should be invited to the bridal shower as otherwise the bride might get into an awkward situation. Around 4 weeks before the shower the wedding shower invitations should be sent so they are not too far in advance or too late.
If you are considering a themed bridal shower then it is preferred if special instructions for the same are sent with the wedding shower invitation. Directions to the shower and contact numbers are generally provided in the wedding shower invitation for an additional information which is required. Generally people known personally to the bride are invited to the wedding shower.
General tradition is to send one invite per person and not one invite for two people unless it is a couple shower where couples are invited. Wedding showers can be more than one as well in which case the same person should not be sent a wedding shower invitation twice. The wedding shower invitations are issued either by mail, telephone or in person.
Though these wedding shower invitations can be written by hand as well, it would be preferred if professional help is sought for arranging the wedding shower invitations. Once a professional is employed for invites to the wedding shower they are in charge of the whole process from designing, printing till the distribution.
Before the wedding the bride is required to send “thank you” cards to all the guests who attended the wedding shower. It should in the brides maiden name as before the wedding, stationary with the married name should not be used.
August 5, 2009





