In today’s world, wedding rules and etiquette are constantly changing. Some traditions remain intact while others are being re-evaluated often. Bridal showers are not immune to these changes. It’s becoming increasingly difficult to determine how much to spend, if you should purchase off the registry, and what qualifies as a “good gift”.
Before we even begin, YES, bridal shower gifts are separate from wedding gifts. You have to buy two.
Follow along and we’ll show bridal shower gift ideas that adhere to expected etiquette.
Bridal Box Subscriptions
To follow the trendiest bridal shower gift etiquette, consider a bride subscription box. Many people would love to subscribe to a bride box, but it just doesn’t make sense to do this the day of the wedding since they are designed to be delivered throughout the months leading up to the walk down the aisle.
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The bridal shower usually takes place a few months before the actual wedding. If you have more time, great! If not, you may want to look into options like the Miss To Mrs bridal box. They provide custom delivery options so that you can deliver more than one box per month, and deliver the entire experience in a short period of time.
If you are not familiar, a bride box subscription consists of a variety of items designed to help plan, celebrate, relax, beautify, and brag. These items are usually curated into themed boxes and are far less expensive than purchasing the gifts individually.
Bridal Shower Gift Style
Your bridal shower gift ideas should conform to a theme if the party has one. For example, if the party is painting and wine, gift something related to crafts or dinner parties. If the bridal shower is a cooking class, purchase flatware or cutting boards. You get the point.
In some cases, the couple will issue a separate registry for the bridal shower. If this is the case, do your best to follow it as they likely need these items. Otherwise, you can refer to the wedding registry as a guide.
In cases where no registry is available, defer to the host. He or she will likely have a few ideas of what would be suitable for the couple.
Dollar Amounts
It’s always difficult to determine how much to spend on gifts for bridal showers. An important thing to remember is that this is not the wedding. You’ll have another opportunity to wow them. The rule of thumb to follow is that the bridal shower gift is a modest version of the wedding gift in a range of $50 to $75 dollars. This can vary depending on the demographics of the wedding, but this is a fair baseline.
Gifts in kind are also acceptable. Helping out with the bridal shower, making a donation in their name, or a DIY gift is following etiquette.
It used to be taboo to send money, but those days are long gone. If the bride isn’t already wealthy, a little spending cash will mean just as much as a new blender.
When not to send a gift
Contrary to receiving a wedding invitation, an invitation to a bridal shower doesn’t indicate that you must send a gift. Similarly, many brides ask guests not to bring a gift right on the invitation.
However, if you aren’t attending and would like to send a gift, contact the hostess. Let them know your plans in advance and find out where to send the gift so that it arrives at the party on time.
There is a gray zone when it comes to the host of the bridal shower. Traditional wedding shower gift etiquette indicates that hosts absolutely should provide a gift. Although they are usually part of the wedding party and commonly make purchases at the top of the registry budget, a unique gift for this occasion is expected.
Author: Svitlana Yefimets
Svitlana is the chief editor and in control of all Wedding Forward content since 2017. She started writing in 2012. She is an expert in details concerning venues, gifts, ceremonies, music, and everything about real weddings. If you want to collaborate with us, send her an email. She spends her leisure tasting dishes, discovering new restaurants, and staying fit through yoga!
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