Difference Between Wedding Shower and Bridal Shower

jaimechristena

I have a question:

My fiancé's mother and sister (who is my Matron of Honor) have offered to throw me a Wedding Shower.  According to my fiance that means that he can attend and that males can be invited.   I was looking it up online and it seems to be the same as a Bridal shower.  

Can anyone tell me if there is a difference between the two?

rknox88

Traditionally, Wedding showers were coed and Bridal showers were just for the bride.

I think the terms are used pretty interchangebly now though.

If they are willing to throw a coed shower and your FI wants to attend (I would have to drag my fiance kicking and screaming to go to something like that) go for it!

hlq2011

Ditto PP.

My FI keeps asking me if he HAS to come to my showers; he's been delighted to hear that they're (I think) meant to be female-only.

MairePoppy

This may be a regional thing. Around here, the terms are used interchangeably.

SuMmErKuTiE

Ditto pp's I've always thought of wedding showers as co-ed and bridal showers as females only. I've never actually been to a co-ed shower, and if I were invited to one, I'm sure I'd be going by myself because DH would have zero interest in going to a shower.

But as pp's have mentioned the two shower names have been used interchangably over the years. I would check with the hosts and see what they're planning. If they're planning on a co-ed shower, check with your FI and your dad and FFIL and see if they even have interest in attending the shower because if not, it really should just be a bridal shower for the ladies.

nurse.misty

I think of a wedding shower as co-ed and bridal shower as just female. My sister had a co-ed shower and I loved it. We are doing a DW with just us so a shower is out, but if we were having one FH would definitely want to be there, but he's been very into the whole planning process.

deb84

Usually the coed showers are not the same as female only showers.  At least the ones I have been to.  The coed showers seem to be a lot more casual and laid back.  Usually a BBQ type meal and few to no games (And the games were geared towards male guests-like a newly wed type game with the couple getting married, brides parents and grooms parents for example).  But that is just my experience.

RebeccaB88

They're interchangeable terms around here.  I'd actually never heard they could be different things until I came here.

heinz11msw

I am calling mine a wedding shower because to me, it is not only about the bride... it takes two to marry!

My fiance is coming to ours but no other guys will be attending.

doeie04

Just ask them if boys are invited too!

imisscinci

I guess things are very different for different people. Where I'm from...or perhaps where my families origins are from...who knows...A bridal shower is absolutely girls only but the big difference really is what gifts are brought. A bridal shower is usually more intimate gifts for the bride only. Traditionally this is where the bride to be would receive advice about what to expect from married life (very 1950's!). I will have one coming up pretty soon and we are likely going to just add it on to the bachelorette night. That's how we did it for my last friends wedding. Gifts should be either themed (i.e. everyone buys one piece of the crystal the bride wants or some naughty lingerie) or at least somehow geared to something the bride wants or needs.

A wedding shower is about the couple and what they need. It's purpose is for the two families to become better acquainted and to help the new couple succeed by furnishing them with things that will make the transition a little easier...especially financially. This is usually where all the toasters, can openers, dishes and towels are delivered. Those who can't attend the wedding shower usually bring these gifts to the main event. Okay...at least the difference where I'm from...hahaha