How long do bridal showers (NOT bachelorette partys) usually last?
351551
All of the ones I've been to, including my own lasted at least 3 hours.  People usually get there, eat lunch, open gifts, play some games and talk a bit.  It takes a while but if the party giver is any good, there is always something to do.
129119
You can do all the flowers yourself. You can make the cake yourself. You can make the invitations.  These three things alone will save you hundreds of dollars.  A wedding is not "made" by how much money is spent.  What matters is that the bride and groom are happy and everyone had a good time.  If you know anyone with a nice sound system of their own you could ask them if they would be willing to do the music.  Why hire someone that will charge you an arm and a leg when you can just use a nice stereo system and ask everyone you know for different CD's.  Depending on how many women are in the wedding party you can either make the dresses if you know anyone that sews, or ask them to pay for half the dresses themselves.  Depending on location and if you want alcohol instead of having an open bar have it so that they have to pay. That way only the people who want to drink can and you are not paying for drinks that are not going to be consumed.  Small Weddings are great because you can limit the amout of people.  I hope some of these tips help.  Good Luck
1144151
It is proper ettiquette to put it in only once a wedding date has been set.  After that, anytime up until the wedding is fine.
1132562
A bridal shower is NOT for things a bride will need on her honeymoon, unless the invitation clearly states that it's a lingerie shower.  The purpose of a bridal shower is to "shower" the couple with things they will need to equip their new home.  Showers and weddings are two separate events so that means two separate gifts.  Just get what you can afford, no one expects you to bankrupt yourself over gifts.\n\nI got a copy of The Joy Of Cooking at my shower and it's still one of my favorite gifts 12 years later.  I use it weekly.  Paula Deen on the Food Network has a really good gift idea.  She recommends that you give your favorite recipe and get everything together that you need to make the recipe including the pan.\n\nIf you have someone that you can go in on a gift with, I highly recommend a KitchenAid KFPW760OB 700-Watt 12-Cup Food Processor. It's about $200 at Amazon. I use this all the time.\n\nSome other things I use all the time are my crockpot and toaster oven. My husband and I use our toaster oven literally every day. Get the Black and Decker that holds a 12" pizza. I recommend a Versaware Crockpot.
390574
If you are worried, don't call it a bridal shower. Just ask the women to come along to a women's night of celebration for the bride. Women love any excuse to get together and have a great time. I wouldn't worry too much but if you want to be safe rather than sorry, just call it something else.\nHope you have a great time!
1041466
You know, many of our wedding traditions come from strange things.  Originally weddings took place in June because that is when most people took their yearly bath and that made the wedding party more attractive by being less stinky (also easier to assemble a large group without folks fainting from stink).  The wedding bouquet also was related to our hygiene - the bride and brides maids would carry very aromatic flowers to camouflage any odor they would have due to infrequent baths.\n\nWhat I am trying to say is that many of the old customs don't really apply today, though they are still nice to observe.\n\nHaving said that, in all the weddings I have attended, I never heard that a veil indicated virginity - only the color of the wedding dress.  Pure white implies pure and virginal (which mean hymen membrane in tact - no intercourse i.e. penetration) Off white implies less than pure and darker than that implies previously married (my mother wore a light blue dress at her second wedding).\n\nSo where a veil if you want.  Where white if you want.  Your Virginity is your own private business.  Peace!
298249
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.
435494
Do you mean like an open house type thing?  I think that would be fine.  High-school graduates to it, why not an expectant mother?  I would actually like showers like that.  Then I could dictate how long I stayed rather than feel pressured to stay through the entire thing.\n\nI would have the mom to be open gifts as they come in so that the giver could see her open theirs and share the excitement.
825848
My ceremony was @ 4pm and my reception @ 6. I got hair and makeup around 10 am, and by the time I was dancing my first dance my hair was l-i-m-p!!! But my makeup was still in place because I used Benefit's Shelaq-it's a humidity-resistant makeup sealant that keeps your face looking perfectly bridal :) My advice for the hair is have your bridesmaid's hair done first, and wait to do yours until around 3pm. After all, your hair does take precedent! And make sure your hair is "dirty", or hasn't been washed in a day. It will hold a style much better than hair that is freshly washed and set. And LOTS of hairspray like Redken 23 spray that is humidity resistant and doesn't make your hair all crispy. Hope this helps and congratulations!
698944
Well, it might be a bit expensive, but you can throw rose petals. My friend did it at her wedding and it was SO pretty.\n\nI don't think you want to throw whatever you are going to throw after the ceremony. What you can do it the "fake" farewell. At some point into the reception, have the couple walk out, throw the rice or whatever, have them get in the car, take pictures, etc. After about 20 minutes, the couple can come back and party with those that stay, and those that need to leave early, can go home without missing the fun. \n\nOf course, the key is to let the people who are likely to stay (like your daughter and son-in-law's young friends) that the reception will continue shortly after they depart, but that this interval is for those who wish to leave early. My cousin did that. She and her friends ended up partying all night, but her aunts, uncles, grandparents, etc still got to wish her well in departing.
333438
No it is not rude. In this case it is reasonable weddings can have rather strange time frames. early wedding reception later? wedding immediate reception? pictures? cocktails, food, receiving line? it could take hours with set times between or not. But it is not bad manners to ask when any party is expected to end, especially if it is not stated on the invatation. It allows not only for the guest to plan for themselves, but it insures that they do not overstay their welcome. After all we all have had the "GUEST THAT WOULD NOT LEAVE". you know the one that thinks you  could not possibly be tired, have other things to do and so forth.
516184
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.
604303
I like it after the first 2 days. I just do it in the shower. No messy clean up
692378
I know people that have had baby showers and bridal showers at Belmont Hall in Manchester.  It's not the Ritz Carlton, but it was pretty nice.
138252
I just went to a bridal shower and they had some cute activities that were fun -- and not embarrassing for anybody.\n\nBuy some cheap plastic wedding rings (the kind that are sometimes used to decorate favors). Give each woman a ring when they arrive and tell them if someone catches them saying the word "love" during the shower, they get the ring. At the end of the shower, whoever has the most rings wins a prize.\n\nBefore the shower, ask the bride for a word, associated with wedding, that starts with each letter of the alphabet. At the shower, give each woman a piece of paper with the letters printed down the side (and a pencil/pen). They are to write the word that they thought the bride said. Whoever has the most correct words wins.\n\nThis activity was a lot of fun, if you have enough women to participate. Divide them into groups of 4 or 5 and separate them. Then give each group 4 rolls of toilet paper, some ribbon, and some elastic bands (or anything you have handy). Each group is to pick someone to be the "bride" and dress her (using the toilet paper and ribbons) as they think the bride will look on her wedding day. The bride picks the team that she thinks did best and each member of the team gets a small prize. This is a great one as an icebreaker. Lots of fun. Be sure to have a camera ready!
329428
Is it similar to a wedding ceremony? If so then just go by that. If it is different you could still use one of them. I think that is really nice.
849577
I think it was not very courteous of the maid of honor to go ahead with the invites before checking with you. \n\nYes, I think the mother of the bride will normally give a gift at the shower if you are there. If you are not able to attend then it does not matter when you give it to her.