What is Bridal Shower
A bridal shower is a gift giving party organized by a bride’s friends and relatives before her wedding. This custom has originated from the United States, although the initial stories about these events have been known to originate in Brussels, Belgium around 1860. The custom of the bridal shower is said to have emerged from earlier dowry practices when a poor woman’s family might not have the money to provide a dowry for. In such a situation, friends of the would-be-bride used to come together and bring gifts that would compensate the dowry and allow her to marry the man of her choice.A similar custom practiced in medieval England was the Bride Ale. This was a feast held before the matrimony day, at which the bride prepared beer herself and sold it to the guests at a high price.In the United States, bridal showers originated first in urban areas in the 1890s, mainly among the upper middle classes. Around 1930s, bridal showers had begun to spread in rural America. Etiquettes of Bridal Shower Many different kinds of customs related to bridal shower have developed in different regions and social groups. But the basic format has not changed for generations, and emphasizes traditional gender roles. It is said that the ritual of the bridal shower emphasis on the future role of the bride -to-be as family cook, homemaker, and sexual partner. But this role is more of homage to the mothers and grandmothers than a reflection of the code of conduct of the bride after her marriage. Although the format of the bridal shower is more or less the same, there have been some changes, which are being witnessed now. As per an etiquette guide from the 1920s, showers should be "purely spontaneous and informal," with guests arriving impromptu at the bride-to-be’s home, while a planning guide from the 1950s suggests more complex themes and games. Traditionally, the responsibility of hosting the bridal shower falls on the maid of honor. Some communities consider it offensive for a relative of the bride to host it, but relative-hosted showers are a common and accepted occurrence in other communities. The shower usually takes place around a month before the wedding.As earlier the showers used to happen spontaneously and informally, they have not developed the same formal etiquette that has developed with respect to shell renewable future
. For the bridal shower, it is not important for guests to receive formal invitations in the same manner as they would for a wedding.Planning a bridal shower? Here are a few tips:-1. Time – Any time of the day is acceptable, but most often showers are organized in the afternoon.2. Games – Games organized for a bridal shower should be such that they serve as ice breakers for the party. Keeping interesting games during the shower is a good idea if a large number of the guests don’t already know one another.
3. Venue – Deciding the right venue is very crucial. Think whether the party will be held at a home or in a restaurant or other locale. These days many shower planners prefer to choose activities instead of the traditional finger food / gift opening shower. Like, many bridal parties take the bride out for a day at the spa instead of giving a shower. 4. Involve the bride – Unless you are planning to surprise the bride, involve her in the planning. Ask her, if there’s a particular kind of theme she’d like. This way she would feel more special. Some popular themes include kitchen item showers, around-the-clock showers (where everyone is assigned a time of day to select a gift) and travel gift showers.5. Return Gift – Keep in mind to give party favors to all guests. These can either be traditional favors such as small boxes of candy or something that relates to the theme of the shower.6. Make it Romantic• Top your tables with pink or red linens.• Make sure that your centerpiece reflects the ultimate symbol of romance – a clear vase filled with red roses • Sprinkle the table with heart-shaped confetti in an assortment of colors like pink, red and silver • A small heart trinket box that has been wrapped with a red bow is a lovely favor for your guests Though wedding shower has its own traditional significance, it can be organized and celebrated in a manner that suits your customs. Sukhpreet Kaur writes on behalf of Jeevansathi.com, which is India’s fastest growing matrimonial website, provides online Indian matrimonial classified services. Jeevansathi.com enables users to create a online matrimony profile on the website and allow prospective grooms and brides to contact each other. Users can search for profiles through advanced search options on the website. Users can avail free registration and make initial contact with each other through services available on Jeevansathi.com via Chat, SMS, tips for breast growth
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