No Gifts to Open at the Shower

[Deleted User]

I live in another state and my wedding and shower are taking place in my hometown.   Everyday I come home from work, I have tons of boxes sitting on my front porch with gifts.   I've peeked at my registry and it seems like most people are sending everything to my house.   I'm worried it's going to be very awkward at the shower with no gifts to open up.   

Has this happened to anyone before? 

southernbelle0915

A lot of people send gifts early. Especially if you're out of state. The vast majority of our boxed wedding gifts came in the mail, with mostly checks/cash being given at the wedding itself. 

Just write thank you notes as you receive gifts. Don't wait until after the shower or until after the wedding. If you get something, promptly write a TY note. 

And be aware that you're not supposed to USE the gift until after the wedding. We broke this rule on a few things (ahem, our vacuum), but try to be better than we were.

MobKaz

Knottie29408529 said:

I live in another state and my wedding and shower are taking place in my hometown.   Everyday I come home from work, I have tons of boxes sitting on my front porch with gifts.   I've peeked at my registry and it seems like most people are sending everything to my house.   I'm worried it's going to be very awkward at the shower with no gifts to open up.   

Has this happened to anyone before? 

I have attended showers where I know the bride lives out of state.  I will often ship my gift to her home to keep her shipping costs down.  However, I still gift a little something at the actual shower for her to open.  If I ship bath towels, the bride may open a small "spa" package of lotion and loofahs.  If I ship a crockpot, I might wrap a ladle and serving spoon to correspond to it. If there are few actual gifts to open, you can still acknowledge the thoughtfulness of the gifts as you see the guests.

lachattefatale

MobKaz said:

Knottie29408529 said:

I live in another state and my wedding and shower are taking place in my hometown.   Everyday I come home from work, I have tons of boxes sitting on my front porch with gifts.   I've peeked at my registry and it seems like most people are sending everything to my house.   I'm worried it's going to be very awkward at the shower with no gifts to open up.   

Has this happened to anyone before? 

I have attended showers where I know the bride lives out of state.  I will often ship my gift to her home to keep her shipping costs down.  However, I still gift a little something at the actual shower for her to open.  If I ship bath towels, the bride may open a small "spa" package of lotion and loofahs.  If I ship a crockpot, I might wrap a ladle and serving spoon to correspond to it. If there are few actual gifts to open, you can still acknowledge the thoughtfulness of the gifts as you see the guests.

-------------------------------------

That's pretty much how my future-sister-in-law's baby shower worked, too. She flew back to her hometown and was given heaps of gift cards and a few small squishy easy-to-pack baby items, while larger things guests mostly had shipped directly to her house.

charcoalandblush

MobKaz said:

Knottie29408529 said:

I live in another state and my wedding and shower are taking place in my hometown.   Everyday I come home from work, I have tons of boxes sitting on my front porch with gifts.   I've peeked at my registry and it seems like most people are sending everything to my house.   I'm worried it's going to be very awkward at the shower with no gifts to open up.   

Has this happened to anyone before? 

I have attended showers where I know the bride lives out of state.  I will often ship my gift to her home to keep her shipping costs down.  However, I still gift a little something at the actual shower for her to open.  If I ship bath towels, the bride may open a small "spa" package of lotion and loofahs.  If I ship a crockpot, I might wrap a ladle and serving spoon to correspond to it. If there are few actual gifts to open, you can still acknowledge the thoughtfulness of the gifts as you see the guests.

Several of my guests did this too. Like one friend mailed a crock pot to our house, but then gave me a cute apron at the shower. I verbally acknowledged the gifts I got in the mail at the shower when I opened the corresponding gift too.

KnottiePine

I'm sure not everyone is sending them to you,

[Deleted User]

What about having FI make a video or take photos of you opening the gifts at home & then doing a slide show/video at the bridal shower so that those guests can see you opening their gifts. Plus it will kill some time at the reception.

justsie

Erikan73 said:

What about having FI make a video or take photos of you opening the gifts at home & then doing a slide show/video at the bridal shower so that those guests can see you opening their gifts. Plus it will kill some time at the reception.

Are you suggesting that they show the video of her opening gifts at the reception? I hope I am reading that wrong, that sounds crazy gift-grabby..... of course, so does showing that video at the shower. I know that the shower is meant to give gifts but I think people who send a gift ahead of time will realize that they will not get to see you open it unless where they send the gift is where the shower is taking place.

[Deleted User]

Erikan73 said:

What about having FI make a video or take photos of you opening the gifts at home & then doing a slide show/video at the bridal shower so that those guests can see you opening their gifts. Plus it will kill some time at the reception.

NooooooOOOOOOO!  That sounds boring as fuck.

Jen4948

Erikan73 said:

What about having FI make a video or take photos of you opening the gifts at home & then doing a slide show/video at the bridal shower so that those guests can see you opening their gifts. Plus it will kill some time at the reception.

If you have to "kill time" at a reception then you've poorly planned it.

I accept shower invitations to socialize and watch gifts being opened in real time, not to look at photos or videos of this being done. So do most other people who attend showers.

The solution is to bring the gift with you to the shower if you receive it in advance at home. If that's not logistically feasible, just open the gift at home, but thank the giver in person at the shower.

AddieCake

Ugh. Erikan, I expect better from you.

chicky1988

I'm wondering if Erikan meant showing a slide show at the shower rather than 'reception'?  I still wouldn't do a slide show for the shower.  Plus *and this could be just me* for most showers I attend I would rather just have the shower end earlier rather than stretch the time out.  If people want to stay and chat they will but lives are busy and my time is valuable!

I do like the idea of taking pictures of you smiling with your newly received gifts at home.  I have lots of friends and family out of state and if we receive something we usually take a selfie/photo w/ the gift and text/email it to the gift giver as an immediate thank you before sending the snail mail one.  It's fun to see them excited about the gift you gave. ***With this being said please don't post the pics to Facebook, that seems tacky IMO***

[Deleted User]

chicky1988 said:

I'm wondering if Erikan meant showing a slide show at the shower rather than 'reception'?  I still wouldn't do a slide show for the shower.  Plus *and this could be just me* for most showers I attend I would rather just have the shower end earlier rather than stretch the time out.  If people want to stay and chat they will but lives are busy and my time is valuable!

I do like the idea of taking pictures of you smiling with your newly received gifts at home.  I have lots of friends and family out of state and if we receive something we usually take a selfie/photo w/ the gift and text/email it to the gift giver as an immediate thank you before sending the snail mail one.  It's fun to see them excited about the gift you gave. ***With this being said please don't post the pics to Facebook, that seems tacky IMO***

I did that with a hat my cousin knitted for me.  She sent it in the mail unexpectedly.  So I took a selfie wearing it, sent it to her, then got the snail mail TY note in an envelope.