Hosted shower took lots of time and effort.  2 meetings, restaurant lunches.  cost $200,my share ,of the 14 hostesses cost.  Did a MAJOR part of the decorating and set-up ,and helped with cleanup.  Gave $100. gift at that time I had intented for the wedding, along with the joint hostesses gift.  Now today I receive an invitation to a Champagne Gift Brunch.  Do I have to come up with another gift to attend.  I am a friend of bride's mother but not intimate--mainly contacted when there is volunteer work for me to help with.
206081
No.   Stop the madness.  Don't give any more gifts.  It's a crock.
15360
This is her special day, and she wants you to be a part of it. The Hostess is a big role! There could be a number of reasons why you were not asked to be a part of the wedding party (Bridesmaid/maid-of-honor). It is only right for family to be chosen BEFORE friends. Some brides go against that, but truly, that is the proper way to handle choosing your wedding party. Don't take offense.\n\nYou should not confront her. If you are that upset about not being chosen to be in the wedding party, you can always decline being her hostess and just go as a regular guest. No matter what, the fact that she thought of you to have a role in the wedding shows she thought of you. Nothing starts up comotion like having to choose your wedding party. Your friend needs your support, ESPECIALLY DURING THIS CRAZY AND HECTIC TIME!
113175
it depends on how many people are coming! if its a small group, then they will most likely expect you to open them. if there are 30+ people, they might cut you some slack.\nI went to a bridal shower where the bride didnt open her gifts, and nobody really cared. she wrote thank you notes expressing her excitement, so it was fine.\nHave lots of games to keep people busy (or suggest that to the hosts) and by the time they are done, everyone will be ready to go home rather than watch you open presents.
38075
I think it is very appropriate.  Even more appropriate in this case.  It gives those people who won't be attending the ceremony an opportunity to share their wishes with the bride to be.  Plus, it's not like the bride has the shower for herself...!  Others who love and care about her have decided to honor her by having a party to celebrate the fact that she is marrying.  I say go for it, and have a wonderful time!
267439
I was in exactly the same position about a year and a half ago. I didnt know what his fiance was into but I knew my friend quite well. So I just went to the dept store and looked around for about 2 hrs, asked the assistants what people generally like to buy for wedding gifts, and finally i picked out a 4pc set of original design beer glasses and a 2 pc crystal ice cream bowls (dont know why but they were crystal and I wished someone gave me something like this). The set of glasses and the bowls cost me a total of about $150.
272649
What about the Wine Tour and then home to have a lingere party or something like that? Doing this can kind of incorporate a bridal shower in to it. Get all he girls around,have some nice food and some wine that you may have picked up on the tour and then kick back, make some noise and have fun while gossiping and buying some beautiful lingere. That way, no one needs to drive, you dont have sleezy guys that think "hens night...Im in!" and no worries about spiked drinks or anything...just an awesome girls night in.
517468
My cousin had two maids of honor and it worked out great! They had a great time planning the bridal shower together. It was nice because all of the planning and work was not put on just one person.
132355
The wedding should work with what she has in mind and who she really wants there as guests. If a lot of her guests are old or need handicap access, she should keep that in mind picking a site they would be comfortable at.  If she must have her favorite band playing live, she needs to make sure the site would be able to accomidate them. If she wants a huge guest list, then she has to have a site that can handle that many people. And of course, consider if the date is available, the site affordable, and any decoration ideas.
646218
Congrats on engagement!!!  A nice wedding for 100, can run from about $8000 to $60,000. Look for wedding dress sales or eBay for bride who changed mind - remember dresses run really small most of time. You can take it in but it is hard to let out. My daughter is a 2 & we bought a 8 to fit bustline & altered. To save money have buffet, sit down meals are pricey. Start looking for place to hold it, reasonably price ones book up a year to 2 yrs in advance. Good luck! It was fun helping with both of my daughters, I did not enjoy paying for them but they were beautiful.
664426
1. For a unique party favor my groom and I are giving out lottery tickets. Only $1 each.. I will have a note in the program stating the tickets were chosen because we are so lucky to have our family and friends with us on our wedding day.\nI will also add a line that all winnings will need to be split with the bride and groom!\n\n 2. Instead of having an ordinary guestbook, that you hardly will look at again, I am going to create a photo guest book.  My guestbook attendants will take polaroids of each guest... either individually or in a group, however they come, and put it on the pages of the guestbook/scrapbook.  The guests will then sign on the bottom of their picture.  My fiance and I will then have a photo album of all the guests at our wedding! :) GST\n\n3. We are getting married next year and instead of the traditional wedding we have decided to go with a "rock-n-roll" theme. We are going to have records displayed around the hall with our names on them and a picture of the two of us. Our colors are navy blue, black and silver so there will be plenty of those colors…from the silver glitter on the black tables cloths to the silver spray painted roses.\n\n 4. Since this is a second marriage and there are children that will be blended into a new family, we are decorating the tables at the reception with photo trees holding photos of my future husband and I and our children doing things together. We feel it shows that this marriage is not the union of just two people, but the formation of a new family.\n\n5. We had a shortage of single men and women invited to our wedding, most of our friends and family were already married.  So we needed to come up with something different to replace the traditional bouquet and garter throwing.  We invited everyone to the dance floor and the dj played several lovely, slow songs.  First the dj told all couples married two hours or less to sit down (everyone got a kick out of that).  Then a few moments later, any married a year or less, than five years, ten years and so on, until there was only one couple left.  They were neighbors and friends of my family and had been married for fifty years.  We asked them to stay on the dance floor while I took a seat and my husband made a big show of removing my garter.  We then faced the winning couple, congratulated them on their fifty years and asked them for their best marriage advice as we presented them with the bouquet and garter.  They were very touched and it gave us a great feeling too.
493814
Congratulations on being accepted!!!! i've been on these trips before and let me tell you, the fundraising, is gonna be tough. \n\ni didn't raise ALL of the cost, but i did raise enough spending money for like souveniers and stuff like that.\nas far as fundraising, you can try having a garage sale, which is what i did. \nand you can also make flyers and hand them out around your neighborhood asking people to donate things they don't want anymore, this stuff will go towards your yard sale. \nyou'll be surprised at the stuff some people will donate to you. \nand also on the flyer put that if they need any dish washing done, or if they need help with cleaning their garage, or ask them if they need their leaves raked or baby sitting. things that THEY don't have time to do, but that you'll do for pay. you know? stuff like that.\nyou'll be surprised at the calls you'll get from people. \nthere ARE kind and generous people out there who will try and help you out.\ni've been doing this and i'm trying to raise money as well and so far it's been working for me. well, raising money for another trip outside of p2p. \nif you also go on the p2p website, there are also other fundraising ideas you can do. \nyou can also contact the program office by telephone, and the website has the number to the program office and you call, and they'll send you a handbook on fundraising ideas as well. \nthe booklet is supposed to be free once your a p2p member. \ni hope it all works out for you. good luck.
464392
75- 100 per guest is the "going rate"... but circumstances can make it different.  \nIf you don't feel you are close to this person to be able to celebrate the marruage with 75.00- perhaps you should decline the invitation?  Not like it's a birthday- it is a wedding.
411185
You should include  your BF in the number of people coming from your family in the  RSVP.  I think I would have been offended  if my good friend  invited my sister but not me personally  in the invitation. why did'nt she send it  to you and  include your sister in the "  rest of the family"?  I'd just let it slide though and just wish your friend and her hubby wishes for a long life together.  This is'nt  bad enough to ruin your friends day over.Yes,you should buy them a gift too.
238365
Nope, the bridal shower is traditionally given for the bride by her bridesmaids.  Not the future mother-in-law.  \n\nYou also should be have a say in where the rehearsal dinner is at.  A BBQ, with lots of icy' buckets of drinks...do it in red and white checkered.\n\nShow her fun and family don't have a price tag.
124103
I am not sure if this is the same thing as a "come and go" event, but we have a very large family and often hold what we call "open houses".  I advise a 2-3 hour time frame for the event.  Refreshments can be very simple, especially if you hold the shower during the afternoon hours of 2-5 or 1-4 since this is after lunch and before dinner.  Use small plates, 6 or 8 inch and provide finger foods - fresh veggies with dip, cut-up fresh fruit, small appetizers such as little quiche or little sausages wrapped around crescent roll dough.  Dessert can be sugar cookies made in hearts with the wedding date or bride and groom's names written on them.  Miniature cupcakes would be cute, too.  Provide something that will "unite" all the guests since they won't all be there at the same time.  Maybe provide a recipe card and a 3x5 card in each guest's invitation.  Have them bring a favorite recipe on the recipe card and some "advice" for the happy couple on the 3x5 card.  Have a pretty basket available to put the card in.  As each guest leaves, give them something small as a momento since you won't be able to do much in the way of games.  Perhaps a small votive candle or a little potpourri wrapped in tulle and ribbon that match the colors of the bride's colors.  After the party, as the bride-to-be unwraps each gift, take a digital or poloroid picture of her with the gift and send it in the thank-you card to the giver.  Make sure everyone has a name tag since the guest list is large.  Another option may be to consider a different venue for the party.  A church social hall, a school gym or cafeteria, a park with a gazebo, someone's back yard, may be possibilities to allow all guests to be there at the same time.  Also, if you have anyone nice enough to ask what they can do to help, be sure to accept their offer and see if they can either help set-up or clean-up or perhaps bring a veggie tray or make cookies.  This will help financially and will be less stress for you.
557538
Try buying a less expensive gift off the registry. That way it is thoughtful, useful and sensible. You can find out where they are registered by asking around to other guests you know who may be closer to her. Generally I think $50.00 is a minimum gift but it is based on your conscience and ability really.
277753
Happy Anniversary! My husband and I just had our 1st, we went to a bed & breakfast and it was absolutly wonderful. I think what made it so great was that we didn't have our days packed with stuff to do, we were treated like we were the most important people it the world and every thing was slow paced so we could enjoyed every moment of each others company. Maybe you can find one in your area and don't forget to ask for the rose petals: )