Shower Advice: Dealing with the Presents

If you have never been a bridesmaid before or attended a bridal shower, you will be in for a surprise.  Did you know that at a bridal shower, typically the bride does not open her own presents?  This is actually the job of the bridesmaids.  If a bride were to unwrap and show off all of her gifts, it would take way too much time and the audience will be bored.  Today, I am going to explain the entire gift opening process and the different jobs the bridesmaids have.  

The goal of this job is to have the gift completely ready to go so all the bride has to do is take it out of the tissue paper or box etc.  Depending on the number of gifts there are needing unwrapping, up to four girls may be assigned to this task.  In the past I have heard it is bad luck to actually cut any ribbons so this means you must untie everything.  However, you are allowed to cut wrapping paper.  All ribbons and pretty bows must be kept to make the ribbon bouquet (see job 6).  I find it really helpful to even take the card out of the envelope and place it on top of the ready to go gift.  (Helpful utensils: scissors, razor blade)

When the bride is ready for a gift one bridesmaid will be waiting to hand her a new gift. Since the card is sitting on top of the gift the bridesmaid should tell the bride who the gift is from.

When the bride is finished with a gift the bridesmaid collects the gift.  She will hand the card to the bridesmaid writing a list (job 5) and hand the gift the the repacker (see job 5).

The collector hands over the gifts to the repacker and she safely repacks the gift so it will not be damaged when the gifts are brought home. I think this task may take up to four girls in order to assure everything is repacked with care. One time in the past I saw the repacker using a sharpie to write who the gift was from and what was inside of it.  I think this is such a brilliant idea because when the bride is unpacking she will immediately know what is inside. (Helpful utensils: Sharpies)



As the bride opens a gift she will announce who it is from and what it is, whoever has good handwriting (this has never been my job) will make a list. 

As the pretty ribbons are taken off the gifts they will be brought to the bridesmaid in charge of making the ribbon bouquet (my specialty). I have so much advice for making this AMAZING, but I am going to save it for a different post. I have a shower coming up for my friend Lisa, my bestie and roommate from college, and I am going to make her a mean ribbon bouquet. I will document the entire process and share all my secrets. Once the bouquet is made the bride will take it home and she will use it as her bouquet during her rehearsal.

I have seen a book be made out of all the cards given to the bride at the shower.  I have never actually made one, but I have seen it done and it is pretty special.  I will look up ways of doing this on Pintrest and share some time soon.   

With all the pretty wrapping paper comes a lot of trash. Make sure a few girls are picking up the trash so the hosts are not left with a huge mess.

 

As the bride and groom it is your responsibility to share with the guests the different gifts you receive.  Remember you may have picked these out when registering, but the guests haven't seen them in person!  My sister told me of a fun idea to keep the guests interested, she has seen the bride and groom tell the group how they know each guest as they share the presents.  It helps introduce everyone and keeps things interesting.  If you plan to do this you may want to ask the hosts for a guest list so you can think of what you will say beforehand!

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As you can see there are a lot of jobs for bridesmaids and many girls don't have twenty bridesmaids (yup I have 20 and I couldn't be happier with my decision) so it is a nice honor for the bride to ask friends and family members not in the wedding to help her with gifts at the shower.

Am I missing any other jobs?