Post # 1

Member
68 posts
Worker bee
My Maid/Matron of Honor is throwing my a bridal shower, and we are both struggling with the wording. Not on the invitation so much, but moreso as far as gifts are concerned. She wants to politely ask people who can’t come to mail any gifts they might be sending to her house, so that she can bring them all to the shower for me to open at once, vs my receiving them in the mail and opening them one by one. I think that this is a great idea, however don’t want to seem as if I am being a gift grubber at all.
One thought is to put a little card in the envelope when she sends out invitations that says something along the lines of “Anyone who wishes to give a gift to the happy couple but can not make the shower, please send them to *MOH name and address* to be presented to the bride on the day of the shower”…however in a manner that doesn’t sound greedy. I think that the way I wrote it just now sounds greedy, however I can’t come up with a softer way to say it…and I am in the marketing/public relations field so I am used to sugar coating things 🙂
Any suggestions would be appreciated–thanks in advance!
Post # 3

Member
369 posts
Helper bee
I’m not sure I’d put any wording in the invitation related to the gifts. Does she have a number (or email) on the invite to RSVP? If so, when people call her to express their regrets on not being able to attend, she can explain “if you’d still like to send a gift, feel free to send it to me for Linda to open at her shower.”
You could also change the shipping address on your registry to hers from now until the shower is over.
ETA: As an edit, instead of her saying ‘if you’d like to send a gift…’ she should just mention that information if someone asks. I feel like most people, if they want to send a gift, will ask where the best place to send it is.
Post # 4

Member
511 posts
Busy bee
i’ve never heard of asking people who can’t attent sending a gift, so I have no clue what ettiquet would be used except maybe.. not including it? *shrugs* I dunno.
Post # 5

Member
68 posts
Worker bee
@vabride2011 thank you. that is a great suggestion and I have no idea why two seemingly smart women couldn’t come up with it on our own… perhaps because we are blondes? 🙂
@lilubird — i wouldnt have thought people who wouldnt attend would send a gift either, but some older family members have already started asking for a way to send a gift to the shower even though they cant come. I figured perhaps it was a generational thing?
Post # 6

Member
369 posts
Helper bee
@LindaD76: I’m a blonde too.. we all have our moments 😉
Post # 7

Member
3265 posts
Sugar bee
No mention of gifts on invites is the way to go. If someone is set on sending a gift (though I wouldn’t hold my breath) they will find a way to get it to you.
I don’t know anyone who sends shower gifts to showers they cannot attend.