Is it just me, or have you noticed that bridal showers are becoming larger and larger? Today, I advised a concerned hostess on how to handle a ballooning guest list. Read on for my tips and the etiquette behind why showers shouldn’t feel like mini-weddings. Dear Cheryl, I’m co-hosting a bridal shower for my niece… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: How Many Should Be Invited to a Bridal Shower?
Author: Cheryl Seidel
Cheryl is a happily married mom to two adult children and has recently enjoyed being a mother-of-the-bride. Her background in product development and marketing led Cheryl to create RegistryFinder.com, a search engine for gift registries, in 2012. Long considered a gift-giving and gift etiquette expert, her firm belief is that gifting should be fun, easy, and stress-free! Readers regularly write to Cheryl about their etiquette questions and she answers them here on our blog.
AskCheryl: How Late Can I Send a Baby Gift?
Today’s reader is embarrassed because she is late sending a baby gift. We’ve all been there – maybe we forgot, procrastinated, or had an excellent reason. Read on for my advice to her. How long after a baby’s birth can we send a newborn gift? We intended to do so and even bought the gift,… Continue reading AskCheryl: How Late Can I Send a Baby Gift?
Ask Cheryl: My Husband Invited to a Wedding Without Me!
My husband received a wedding invitation via social media from his stepdaughter (from a previous relationship). In the online RSVP process, only his name was found. He said he would contact her and straighten it out. I think this was intentional and disrespectful, even though we have been married for almost fifteen years. How do… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: My Husband Invited to a Wedding Without Me!
Ask Cheryl: Do the Groom’s Parents Give a Gift to the Bride’s Parents?
Hi Dana, It is rarely “wrong” to give someone a gift, but it might be awkward in this case. It’s not customary for the groom’s parents to give the bride’s parents a gift at either the rehearsal dinner or the wedding. Traditionally, the groom’s parents host and pay for the rehearsal dinner. I don’t recommend… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Do the Groom’s Parents Give a Gift to the Bride’s Parents?
Ask Cheryl: How Do I Tell My Bridesmaid that her Boyfriend is not Invited to the Wedding?
Dear Cheryl, I’m getting married next year and a very good friend of mine is a bridesmaid. We have been friends for over 20 years. She has already bought her dress. My question is how do I tell her that her boyfriend of over 2 years isn’t welcome? He has a drinking problem and we… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: How Do I Tell My Bridesmaid that her Boyfriend is not Invited to the Wedding?
Ask Cheryl: Is a Honeymoon Registry Tacky?
Dear Cheryl, My daughter was considering her wedding registry options. She asked me if including a honeymoon registry was tacky. What do you think? Jerri Hi Jerri, Before electronic transfers became the norm, many wedding guests enjoyed giving cash or a check as a wedding gift, hoping the couple could use it on their honeymoon.… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Is a Honeymoon Registry Tacky?
Wedding Etiquette Question: What Costs Should the Bride Cover for Her Bridesmaids?
Being asked to be a bridesmaid for a friend’s wedding is exciting. But when the questions of travel, lodging, the bachelorette party, and the wedding day itself arise, the bridesmaid may wonder, “Am I supposed to pay for that?” Money conversations are always awkward, but before you say yes to the honor of being a… Continue reading Wedding Etiquette Question: What Costs Should the Bride Cover for Her Bridesmaids?
Ask Cheryl: Are Aunts Expected to Host a Bridal Shower?
Hi Cheryl, I am officiating my niece’s wedding and am wondering if it’s appropriate, or expected, for me to help pay for the bridal shower? I already donated $100 toward the shower and bought a gift. There are only a few bridal attendants: 2 bridesmaids, a junior bridesmaid, and a flower girl, so expenses for… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Are Aunts Expected to Host a Bridal Shower?
Etiquette Guide: When Are Baby Gifts Required?
A baby’s entry into the world is definitely a cause for celebration, but with all the different parties and occasions, it’s not always clear when you’re expected to give a baby gift. You may be invited to multiple gatherings, so when should you bring a gift? And what is the etiquette of baby gift-giving? Below… Continue reading Etiquette Guide: When Are Baby Gifts Required?
Ask Cheryl: Does My Bridal Shower Gift Have to Be From the Registry?
Hi Marcy, To rephrase your question, you are asking if it’s OK to buy a wedding or shower gift for a couple that they didn’t include on their wedding gift registry, and the answer is yes. Gift registries exist for guests’ convenience, and the gift registry is a list of suggestions, not a mandate. As… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Does My Bridal Shower Gift Have to Be From the Registry?
Ask Cheryl: Should I Send a Gift to the Shower if I Can’t Attend?
You’re invited to a baby or bridal shower but can’t go. What are you supposed to do? It’s a common question from our readers and website users wanting to know if they should send a gift to a shower if they cannot be there in person. Dear Cheryl, Can I send my gift directly to… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Should I Send a Gift to the Shower if I Can’t Attend?
Ask Cheryl: Wedding Invitation Not Specific, Can I Bring a Guest?
Today’s question is from a wedding guest who is confused about whether she can bring a “plus-one” to the wedding. Dear Cheryl,I am a single woman who received an invitation to a friend’s wedding. The wedding invitation came addressed only to me. There was no inside envelope which usually states Karen and Guest. In addition… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Wedding Invitation Not Specific, Can I Bring a Guest?
Ask Cheryl: Travel, Hotel, and a Wedding Gift Too?
Wedding guests often wonder if they should give the couple a gift even if they must incur travel expenses to attend the wedding. Dear Cheryl, I am going to my nephew’s wedding celebration out of state. The couple is already married. I have to purchase a flight and a hotel room, so I’m wondering: am I expected… Continue reading Ask Cheryl: Travel, Hotel, and a Wedding Gift Too?
Baby Shower Etiquette – Rules to Party By
Baby Shower Etiquette for All Involved I love baby showers. I can’t get enough of those cute baby clothes and practical gadgets – not to mention the champagne and girly foods. But I know some of you may not be as excited when a baby shower invitation arrives in your inbox or mailbox. Whether you… Continue reading Baby Shower Etiquette – Rules to Party By
AskCheryl: 1st Time Bridesmaid Asks, “Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?”
Hello Cheryl, My best friend is having a destination wedding and asked me to be a bridesmaid. I generally do not like the idea of traveling internationally for a wedding, but I agreed to go and be there for her. This will be the first wedding I have ever attended. It’s the first time I’m… Continue reading AskCheryl: 1st Time Bridesmaid Asks, “Who Pays for the Bachelorette Party?”
AskCheryl: Etiquette for a Second Wedding – Anything Goes?
Today’s letter comes from a bride who has been previously married. She wants to know whether the etiquette for planning a second wedding differs from when planning the first wedding. Read on to find out! Dear Cheryl, What is the best way to handle a wedding when it’s the bride’s second wedding, but the groom’s… Continue reading AskCheryl: Etiquette for a Second Wedding – Anything Goes?