Three Things You Should Never Do at a Wedding Shower

Just as there is common wedding day etiquette, there is also wedding shower etiquette that every attendee and host should be aware of before the occasion. Here are three things you should never do at a wedding shower, no matter what!

Whether you’re about to attend a wedding shower or you are hosting one for a good friend, there are some things you just shouldn’t do—ever. Wedding shower etiquette is important because it impacts everyone who is attending, and most importantly, the bride.

While some wedding shower etiquette has evolved over the years and many traditional rules no longer apply, there are still some don’ts that you should be aware of that still generally stand. They all boil down to good manners and common sense.

Invite someone without asking first—This should be a no-brainer, but sadly, there are many wedding shower guests who find themselves bringing an uninvited guest anyway. Even if the shower is going to be small or if you are very close to the bride, don’t assume you’re automatically entitled to bring whoever you’d like. This can be an inconvenience to the maid of honor or the person hosting the shower, who is likely financially responsible for the catering and other elements.

Assume your gift is also a wedding gift—Just because you bring a gift to the wedding shower doesn’t mean you don’t have to buy a wedding gift as well. Ideally, you should give a smaller, less expensive gift at the wedding shower and reserve the main gift for the actual wedding day. This avoids the need to spend a lot of money for both the shower and the wedding day, and it also prevents you from accidentally staging up the other wedding shower guests with an elaborate gift.

Use the shower as a personal Q&A session—There’s nothing wrong with talking to the bride-to-be about the wedding day at the shower, but don’t corner her and bog her down with nothing but wedding-day related talk, especially if that talk centers around questions you have. Reserve questions for what you should wear, what you should bring, what time you should get there, etc. for a chat on the phone or ask one of her bridesmaids before the occasion. Let the bride enjoy her wedding shower and refrain from wearing her out with loads of wedding talk.