A modern bridal shower is set according to the essential rules of this old tradition.Bridal Shower (also called kitchen tea) is the process of “showering” the fiances with gifts while a special party held before wedding ceremony. The difference between modern bridal shower and the traditional one is that some points have been changed while the others remained untouchable.
1. A modern bridal shower’s head is still the Maid of honor. Maid of honor is a helping hand for the bride. She is the person, ready to support and host the party, herself. Actually she should also pay and provide all the necessities. The venue is to be chosen according to the maid of honor’s possibilities and couple’s desire.
It can range from a booked banquet hall up to the living-room of the host. There are no specific rules about the place of the event. The only exception is the house of the bride. On the other hand modern variations do not put boundaries when the maid of honor is a relative. Besides, modernizing old traditions is possible about finance. Today’s world requires friendly and open relationships even when the matter is about old customs. That’s why the couple may take responsibility for financial supplement or collaboration with their host.
2. A modern bridal shower’s queen is still the bride. Though it may seem that in bridal shower brides are present as gift receivers only but in reality, it’s nonsense. Regardless of maid of honor’s hosting and paying for party, bride is the reason of the occasion. There are a lot of cases when bride’s opinion is absolutely necessary to consider. For example the style and general message of the event are things up to bride to decide. The spectacle preferred may vary from a frequent one like a simple kitchen tea up to a charity shower.
3. The bridal shower guests should also be the wedding guests. On the basis of the etiquette everyone invited to the bridal shower is supposed to be a guest of the wedding ceremony. As for old tradition, it suggests all wedding guests to be invited to the bridal shower. And yet a modern bridal shower supposes some kind of intimacy. The thing is that the couple should feel free among their guests without being anxious about telling them what they really would like to receive as a gift.
This is very important, helping and humanistic treatment the family they are going to create. But in case of formal relationship these kinds of acts would certainly be impossible. Besides, it’s an optional variant for so called “formal” guests who don’t stand close to the couple and don’t want to face double expense. Thus the closest friends and relatives only are likely to be present here. Another point concerned with the etiquette is about sending invitations to all those who are older than 16 and giving “Thank you” cards afterwards. A modern bridal shower is lack of obligations and conventions in order to let us act according to our will and conditions set.