Scarlet Swirls by Amanda Zoss
Are you involved planning your own or a friend’s upcoming wedding shower? Here’s three common dilemmas with some helpful advice. Whether you are the bride, a bridesmaid, Maid of Honor or other friend or family member involved, read on before sending out the wedding shower invitations to see if any of these situations apply:
- Are you planning the shower without the Maid of Honor? While not uncommon, no hard and fast rule dictates the bridal shower must be hosted by the Maid of Honor. Circumstances may prevent her from hosting, such as distance, financial limitations, or perhaps not feeling up to the task (e.g., sickness, disability, etc.). Being chosen to be a MOH is an honor–not necessarily a nomination as party-planner-in-Chief! At the same time, beware of overstepping your bounds if you are not the MOH. But if you’ve somehow been appointed, always recognize the MOH in some way, such as a special task or recognition of some kind.
- Thinking about inviting someone to the shower who won’t be invited to the wedding? Don’t! Anyone you invite to the shower you must also invite to the wedding. Common to smaller-sized weddings, financial constraints of the shower planners, or extra large families or large circle of friends, this issue may require additional diplomacy with vocal and enthusiastic wanna-be guests. Explain the wedding will be intimate and therefore the shower guest list is limited to family and close friends. Graciously accept any unsolicited gifts, and always send a thank you note to the well-meaning gift giver!
- Do you change anything for a shower for a co-habitating couple or second marriage? First, don’t assume anything. Second, ask them. However long they’ve lived together, they may or may not have acquired wedding-grade household items. A 2nd marriage could be a fresh start for them, and they may not even want or have anything left from the previous marriage. Otherwise, ask them to suggest gift ideas of interest to them as a married couple. Contributions to a honeymoon? New luggage? Sporting equipment? It’s okay to explore beyond the bounds of china, crystal and kitchenware!
Visit www.looklovesend.com for a beautiful array of unique wedding shower invitations. Shower invitations also have coordinating wedding thank you notes, which make a beautiful gift for the bride or couple. If the wedding date is set for 2012, don’t forget to enter the 2012 Wedding Invitation Sweepstakes for the chance to win a complete wedding invitation suite valued up to $1500!
