Bridal Shower Etiquette for a Second Wedding
Individuals getting married for a second time will want to make the ceremony, as well as celebrations leading up to the big day, as memorable and sentimental as possible. Many encore brides choose to have a bridal shower for their second wedding, which is acceptable---when in keeping with certain rules of etiquette.
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Guest List
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The guest list for a second bridal shower should be smaller than the list for the first shower. In many cases, a second wedding is much more intimate, so the guest list for the ceremony and reception are smaller, resulting in a smaller bridal shower crowd. Etiquette suggests that individuals who were invited to the second wedding are not invited to the second marriage ceremony, and are therefore not invited to the bridal shower, unless they are in the wedding party for the second wedding.
Hosting the Shower
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It is improper for the bride to host her own bridal shower, even if she is getting married for the second time. The shower also should not be hosted by family members, unless they are members of the bridal party. The bridal shower should be a gathering of only the bride's closest and dearest friends, and should not be as elaborate as the first bridal shower.
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Gift Registry
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It is perfectly appropriate for an encore bride to create a bridal registry for the shower. Most women getting married for the second time already have the housewares that are commonly listed on a registry for a first-time bride. So the encore bride can request lifestyle gifts from her guests, e.g., designer sleeping bags for her next hiking trip or a new DVD player for the family room. The couple can also request that guests contribute monies to their honeymoon fund or donate to the couple's favorite charity instead of giving a gift.
Maid of Honor
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The maid of honor is responsible for attending to the bride and attempting to meet all of her needs concerning the planning of the wedding and related celebrations, regardless of how many times the bride has been married before. The maid of honor is usually responsible for organizing the second bridal shower, and even though the shower is usually more low-key, the maid of honor should give the bride whatever she requests according to etiquette, which may include a luncheon, picnic or gift exchange and dinner at a fancy restaurant.
Children
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An encore bride can invite her children to her second bridal shower at her discretion. If the children are young and gifts like lingerie or other presents of a sexual nature will be given at the party, this is not a good idea. However, older children whose parents are marrying for the second time may even serve as bridesmaids in the ceremony, which means they are automatically invited to the shower.
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References
- Photo Credit wedding celebration image by Warren Millar from Fotolia.com
