For some brides, the entire premise of a bridal shower is enough to send anxious shivers down their spine. Whether they loathe the spotlight or simply despise the idea of smiling for three hours straight, the truth is that this outdated wedding tradition isn’t for everyone. If you find yourself dreading the idea of having a bridal shower instead of feeling excited about it, why not consider skipping it altogether?
“[Brides] no longer want to put themselves through the Julie Roberts rom-com ideal of a shower,” Stone Fox Bride founder Molly Guy tells Racked. And who can blame them? Weddings are stressful enough as is without throwing a party you don’t care about into the mix. Some brides don’t want their friends and family to spend the money, others don’t want the gifts, and, still, others don’t feel like they have the time to devote to an afternoon playing games with their mother’s friends.
If you want to get together with close friends and family to celebrate, you should. You don’t have to call it a shower or include any of the normal shower traditions in your event. Consider planning a present-free, tradition-free, and non-obligatory style event like a potluck or spa day. And if that isn’t your style? You could always buy a nice bottle of wine, cozy up with your fiancé on the couch, and watch a movie to celebrate instead.
