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Pampered Chef bridal shower?

Amymarie_MILLERAmymarie_MILLER
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in Pre-wedding Parties
My stepmom is throwing a bridal shower for me & said she's doing a pampered chef party. Im just curious if anyone has attended one? Whats it like? Im very excited, because I love to cook. But neither she or I know anything about it, or how they are ran for bridal showers. 
She has asked me to list who I want to come, and there info...I have no idea who to invite other than my bridesmaids & close family. I want my future MIL to come,  should I ask her if she wants any of her close friends to come? If I dont than is this rude?
 
 Thanks for the help!
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Re: Pampered Chef bridal shower?

  • banana468banana468 member
    First Answer First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    PLEASE decline this.

    Pampered Chef parties are money making parties for the hostess and the sales person.  The idea is that you'd either register there or the guests would show up and then they'd be put on the spot to buy you items.

    This sort of party might work when it's a round table of ladies who are buying the items for themselves but when you factor a wedding into it, the feelings can just get mixed and many find them tacky.

    When it comes to showers, moms are invited as a courtesy, but I'd honestly tell your stepmom, "This sounds like a lot of fun to do after the wedding but I just don't feel OK about it as a shower."


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  • Amymarie_MILLERAmymarie_MILLER
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Oh no! This makes the situation even harder because my stepmom doesnt like to have ideas shot down. But after reading what you said, I have no choice! I dont like that idea AT ALL. Dont people usually just bring gifts if they choose to. I dont want anyone to feel obligated to buy a gift.
    Oh boy. I know this is going to piss my stepmom off. I'll talk to her today & see how it goes. Thanks for the advice! Wish me luck!
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  • danieliza1127danieliza1127 member
    5 Love Its First Comment Combo Breaker
    edited December 2011
    Yeah banana is right, unless this is really common and accepted in your crowd, it's not really the best idea.  The whole point of a shower is to "shower the bride with gifts" so all of the guests will bring a gift for you, but the problem with a Pampered Chef shower is that not only do the guests buy you a gift, they will probably feel some obligation or pressure to buy something for themselves as well.  That's not cool.

    As far as who is invited to a shower, it should be the women that you and your FI are closest to and everyone invited to the shower must also be invited to the wedding.  You don't have to include every woman that is invited to the wedding though.
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  • Amymarie_MILLERAmymarie_MILLER
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks=) I talked to my stepmom & were not doing the pampered chef party(thank god!) I think her feelings may be a little hurt. I feel really bad, but I was very nice about it, I told her it was a great idea & Im appreciative that she wants to throw my bridal shower, I just dont think its something my friends would be excited to attend.
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  • awollakawollak member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I completely disagree, but this could very well depend on the area you are from.  I'm from the midwest and a small town.  We had a pampered chef shower for my sister and EVERYBODY LOVED it!  People still talk about how great it was.  She registered, they passed around boards with all the stuff on her registry and people just pulled the tag off for what they wanted to purchase for her.  They could also do giftcards. The consultant then would put the picture of the item in a little bag and give the person who bought it a little note card to attach to the gift.   It was a laid back environment and nobody had to worry about buying a card, wrapping, and my sister didn't have to worry about duplicates or having to return anything!  Then after everybody was done looking at stuff, she opened all the gifts and when people left, she got to sit down and show even more because she got all the hostess perks and everything that was purchased for her counted towards her sales to get more FREE stuff!  Just another opinion to throw out there.
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  • banana468banana468 member
    First Answer First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Awollak, if the entire group knows in advance that this is what the party is going to be then maybe it could work.

    But in general, these parties are rather poo-pooed and rather anti-etiquette.
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  • duckie1905duckie1905 member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I am so sick of the midwest being used as an excuse to do whatever-the-hell you want at your wedding.  I'm from a small town in the midwest and this type of shower would never be appropriate. We also had an open bar and no dollar dance but if it was up to some of the ridiculous posters on TK, all of that would be excused because I'm from a small midwestern town.

    Pampered Chef showers suck because there is always pressure to buy.  I also find it hopelessly ridiculous that the rep is making money off a bride, probably a close relative or friend.  Or, even worse, that the bride is using it as a way for free stuff and perks.  Nothing like using your friends and family to make a buck or get some free swag.

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  • kathatsmekathatsme
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    i have attended a pampered chef party.  i thought it was a different idea.  there are good things and bad things for me. 
    good things
     
    all i had to do was show up with a check.  i spent exactly what i would have spent on  her if i had gone to a store. (i live in a small town walmart is a once every 2 weeks thing bc its 25 miles away and target or bed bath and beyond or a mall is 45 miles away) 
    i know she got exactly what she wanted and she didnt have to worry bout gettin duplicates
    i am also helping out a local.  in the end yes someone will make money but i'd rather it be my mol's sister then some ceo in new york
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    bad things

    your are under pressure to spend more money but when i go to a store to by a gift i always end up walking out with "other" stuff that i didnt need
    i may not get a whole lot with 30.00
    (example)
    a set of pampered chef mixing bowls is 24.99 a small melon baller 9.99> oops already over budget
    a set of mixing bowls from large retail store 14.99 a set of melon ballers 9.99 and how about a set of hot mits 4.99> looky there  


    so i guess it just depends on who you are and your friends and family
    i never once was insulted. i personally didnt choose to have one or give one but will always attend them 
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  • bablingbrookebablingbrooke member
    5 Love Its Combo Breaker First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I've been.  It's nothing but a sales pitch.  It's not fun.  

    I've also been to a passion party bach party (pampered chef with sex toys).  Guests want to attend a party, not listen to a sales pitch and feel compelled to buy things.
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  • MeschneiderwindMeschneiderwind
    First Comment
    edited June 2013
    My sister was thrown a pampered Chef shower and got well over 700.00 in products, she loved every minute of it!! I'm sad to see all the negative comments cause her response was "I can't wait to be able to return the favor to someone and have a Pampered Chef bridal shower for them"!
    I did not feel one ounce of pressure to spend more then what I would have from any store. And since she enjoyed it so much we are having one for my sister in-law in a few weeks!
    She got all the gifts that's people bought PLUS all of the free products and discounts to use as well if she wanted.
    If you know that the Panpered Chef consultant is not a pushy or rude person this should never be a problem:) hope this helps!
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  • schellzinatorschellzinator member
    First Anniversary 5 Love Its First Comment Name Dropper
    Disclaimer: I used to be a Pampered Chef consultant. I do really like Pampered Chef products (hence the reason I thought becoming a consultant would be fun) and as a result, I was my best customer. 

    BUT - I personally wouldn't do a Pampered Chef Bridal Shower and I also wouldn't advertise them as a consultant. I hate making people feel like they need to buy stuff and I think that is why I was so awful at it.  

    My suggestion - if the bride would like any Pampered Chef products - just work with your consultant to see if they can post a "registry" on their website that can be linked to from the couple's wedding website.  That is what I did for my cousin and it worked out well. We just listed the products she wanted - and then if someone wanted to purchase them - they went through me for an individual sale. No party was set up and no one felt obligated to purchase. 
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  • GB520GB520 member
    First Anniversary First Comment 5 Love Its Name Dropper
    I don't think think this is a good idea. The shower shouldn't pressure  people into spending more money. I have been to a few pc parties and they are fun but the shower should be about you not a consultant explaining and demo-ing products.
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