Double shower invitation wording?

jrdelar

Hello all! Both of my brothers are getting married within a few months of each other, so my mom and I are planning a double shower for their fiancees. Due to the fact that there will be some guests who are there for only one of the brides and other guests who will be there for both brides, are there any suggestions on how to word the invitations regarding presents? We don't want all guests to feel obligated to bring presents for both brides if they are only attending for one of them...if that makes sense! TIA!

Avion22

I've never heard this one before.  Honestly, while I think combining showers is good idea, as a guest, I would still feel obligated to bring a gift for each bride, even if I only knew one of them.   

achiduck

Ditto Avion, while I think it's a very practical suggestion for the hosts I would feel obligated to purchase a gift for both brides.

kcscejal

I'm not a fan of double showers because I think no matter what you do some guests will feel obligated to buy for both.

Kate61487

Yeah I'd probably feel obligated too.  How many guests would be overlap vs how many would be seperate?  I can understand wanting to do this for your family to only travel once; but it could be a little awkward for the brides and the other guests.  If it's 95% your family and otherwise it's just the brides' moms, sisters, BMs then I'd count on them to verbally explain.  If it's really 50% your family 50% the brides' then I might consider maybe two showers in one day?  start one brides' at 11 and the other at 1 or 2?  Makes for a long day, but at least it saves on travel....

mica178

In that situation, I would only invte people connected to both brides.  There's no polite way to tell people to only bring a gift for the person they know.

bmoruzzi

I've never heard of this but I don't think it's a good idea.  It opens up the possibility of one bride getting more gifts than another.  How awkward would that be?  They're opening gifts at the same time and then one finishes and the other is still opening for like 10 more minutes.  Weird.  Don't do it.  

kate2188

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_etiquette_double-shower-invitation-wording?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:9Discussion:556fd5ba-93a0-4053-a658-9b236e2d948fPost:8162733a-b759-4dfc-88fa-b4f026f66245">Re: Double shower invitation wording?</a>:
[QUOTE]In Response to Re: Double shower invitation wording? : Exactly.  <strong>Just throw a shower for the women in your family.</strong>  The brides' families can throw them another shower for their sides if they want.   I honestly wouldn't feel super comfortable in this situation - my FMIL and FSIL throwing me a shower for my FBIL's FI and me - with only FI's side of the family.  If you're going to throw this shower, make sure that both girls would be okay with this idea.  
Posted by yaga13[/QUOTE]

<div>This. If the girls' families want to attend a shower for them, they can throw a separate one. If my friend or family member was only one of the brides and I got an invitation to this shower, I would feel like I was being asked to bring another gift for someone I didn't know, and I would probably decline.</div>