What’s the etiquette with destination bridal showers?
Question by sleepless1084: What's the etiquette with destination bridal showers?
I'm having a destination wedding and couldn't invite a lot of ppl I wanted to. I realize it's tacky to invite guests to a shower who aren't invtied to the wedding, but a neighbor of mine wants to throw it and invite others who aren't invited. On of my best friends who's invited also wants to throw a shower and invite a bunch of friends not invited. Should I let them throw the shower and hope everyone realizes I didn't ask for this? Should I tell them no? The wedding is costing us a TON already so we can't afford to pay for a party after the wedding. Could we somehow get them to have a "shower" after the wedding?
I feel like I made myself sound worse than I am. I'm OK not having showers. When I chose my location I accepted that. It was hard cutting people from the list and I had to cut a lot of people I'm pretty close to but I had to draw the line at only immediate family and the best friends. I really want some others to be able to share in it with me b/c i feel like I'm hurting them when I have to tell them it's an intimate wedding and I couldn't invite them. I had hoped to have party after, but the wedding quickly added up to more than we had planned. Perhaps we can try the house party. The neighbor has asked my mom twice about the shower and both times she has expressed we feel it's tacky, but she says since it's a destination wedding people are more relaxed about the etiquette. While I feel bad inviting ppl, I also feel bad turning her down when she really wants to do it. Perhaps if we keep it to just the very close neighbors? and that recipe idea sounds smart.
Best answer:
Answer by Emily Dew
By "letting them" throw these showers, you ARE agreeing to them. Of course you should tell them no. It's very rude to invite people to a shower when they aren't invited to the wedding. It's your choice to have a destination wedding ... not something that's being foisted upon you. The cost of your wedding is also not your guests' problem. Once again, you chose this. You're supposed to have a wedding and honeymoon that you can afford. Perhaps someone will offer to host a reception for you two after you get back for those who couldn't attend and then, if any guests feel so inclined, they may decide to give you a gift. If not, that's their choice. You sound very greedy and materialistic and it sounds like you're fishing for ways to justify it.
EDIT: If people are asking about a shower, why not just register somewhere and give them that information. That way, if they want to send a gift (considering they asked first), fine ... it will be their choice ... and you won't come off looking like you're gift grubbing.
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