Good morning, dear readers! I hope everyone’s week is going smoothly and quickly…we’re speeding toward Friday! I’m so incredibly forlorn today. The posts I’ve been crafting…a from-scratch lemon buttercream cake, DIY hairstyle, calligraphy and invitations…have all been thwarted. My apartment has opened up and swallowed my digital camera cable, so I have about 45 pictures that I can’t upload! I’ve turned everything upside down in search of it, to no avail. I’m considering splurging on a new digital SLR with my tax refund… but I dream.
So this week, I thought I’d address something more personal: the bridal shower.
Let me start out by saying…I’ve never liked showers. I love getting together with girlfriends, eating great food, sharing belly laughs. Never (personally) enjoyed games, quizzes, the opening (and forced oohs and aahs) of dozens of gifts, or holding up skimpy lingerie in front of grandmothers. In my mind, the women in my life are already doing so much for me…helping make decisions, pick music, let me lean on them when I’m feeling a tad stressed, flying in for my wedding, buying gifts… I mean, do I really need more? Especially considering that our wedding is a destination wedding…the only night we’d be able to throw the shower is the night before the rehearsal dinner, which is also the day our flowers will be arriving and needing to be prepped. Not to mention, I don’t need any more things to bring back with me halfway across the country! It all just seemed like a bit too much for me.
Needless to say, my decision was met with quite a bit of indignation. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard “you’re not having a shower? But this is your only chance!” Sigh. This was taken to the point where my future mother-in-law decided to throw one…with or without me. Don’t get me wrong, I love my FMIL. We get along great, and she is simply awesome. I know she had my best intentions in mind. But the thought of it just makes me shudder and shrivel up in stress. I’ve been trying to come up with alternatives all week, and got this great idea from IndieBride...
From Simon and Ruby’s Etsy Shop
to throw a blue bead party. This is just such an amazing idea. The women all get together, and in lieu of gifts, each brings a single blue bead. Sometime during the course of the shindig, everyone sits in a circle, and each goes around and gives their one major piece of advice or words of wisdom, as they add their blue bead to the string. At the end, you have a string of beautiful blue beads to wear on your wedding day (and beyond!), and a bunch of wonderful advice.
So we’ll still be having a get-together for all the women…because I have some amazing, strong women in my life who I really want to spend time with! But it will be on my terms, which is such a huge relief.
Did you have a traditional shower, lovely readers? Did you enjoy it? Or will you be heading off the beaten path a bit?
-B