Bridal Shower Confusion.

At my bridal shower I got all presents from my registry.

I've never heard of two different types of showers. It's always been a bridal shower, and it's gifts off the registry given

Where I'm from a bridal shower is gifts from the registry. A lingerie shower is separate and should indicate via the invite appropriate sizes, etc.

How it's been done with all the weddings I've been to is the Bridal/Wedding shower is for the couple and the gifts given are off the registry. The bride receives the "sexy" gifts at the bachelorette party if those kinds of gifts are given at all. Something that has become popular in our social circle is something called the "underwear/panties game", where each guest buys the bride a cute/sexy/whatever pair of panties and she tries to guess who they are from.

*This may be entirely social circle related or regional so don't take what I say with more than a grain of salt*

How many showers have you attended?

Showers are traditionally intimate affairs with the bride's nearest and dearest. They started as a way for the women of the community to help the bride prepare a home for herself and her FI.

Gifts were smaller items like kitchen things, tea towels, bath towels, etc. Shower gifts have become more elaborate and expensive over time.

Some brides still have a lingerie showers, but I don't see them being that popular where I live. It's a rather awkward situation with the bride's mother, FMIL, perhaps even grandmothers present.

I've only seen ever seen registry gifts at bridal / wedding showers (those are interchangeable terms. They don't mean different things). There are sometimes lingerie showers but that would be specified on the invitation. Traditionally it is for household items.

My MOH did a shower theme of "Pamper the Bride" so I got gifts/gift cards for manicures, pedicures, Sephora, lotions, makeup, etc. A couple of people got me things from the registry. All were appreciated!

Showers are for registry gifts, bachelorette parties are for lingerie & lady stuff

I can say that I got no lingerie at my shower. A bridal shower is for gifts off your wedding registry. Any lingerie gifts have been at separate events, at least that's how it's done where I'm from.

It's different for everybody.

My bridal shower was also called my wedding shower. Me and FH both attended. I've seen the bridal shower done for just the bride though, like what you're speaking of...maybe it's a southern thing?

Now. The party specifically for me where I get my lingerie is going to be referred to as my bachelorette party.

In your case, I'd decide what you want your shower to be about and let the people attending know.

I had my shower today and I got both!! I got a few registry items, a couple bottles of wine, a gift card, lingerie and a few people just gave me cash. Have the host of your shower give out registry info and people can choose to use it or not.

At my bridal shower I got mostly lingerie but some items were off the registry. If you're doing a wedding shower (with spouse) I think everyone would get something from the registry

Every shower I've been to was gifts off the registry, mine included. I got 2 gifts that were just for me, a necklace and a robe. Everything else was from our registry.

Where I grew up, the registry was for the bridal shower and people didn't bring physical gifts to the wedding.

I don't know if maybe it's different in different regions.

A bridal shower is usually for gifts to set up your home. You don't usually have a registry if you're not having a shower. In my area, people don't bring physical gifts to weddings.

A bridal shower is hosted for only the bride and there are only female attendants, and a wedding shower is a co-ed party hosted for both bride and groom. Both showers are gifted from the couple's registry. Makeup and lingerie would be given at bachelorette parties, which is a much less formal affair, however, it's not a traditional gift.

I received a combination of gifts for myself and for the home, although it could be because my Man of Honour didn't really understand the difference between a kitchen tea and a bachelorette.

Most kitchen tea / bridal showers (is there a difference?) that I have been to, you give gifts for the kitchen. One that I went to, we were asked to give recipes and a (non-perishable) ingredient for the recipe. For a bachelorette, you would give more personal items.

I've never seen makeup or gift cards at a shower. I've seen lingerie sparingly (there's always that one aunt...)

In my experience / in my social circle, bridal showers are for house hold items like tableware, linens and small appliances.

I am telling my host to use my wedding registry. One of my sister in laws has said she wants to get me lingerie or "something fun". I would prefer she just pick something I actually want off the registry so I don't have to have my mother and siblings think about my bedroom activities while at my shower.

My mom totally got me lingerie for my shower.

I also got stuff from the registry and other cool gifts.

Unless there's a theme -- love the pamper the bride theme mentioned by PP -- you'll probably get some of everything. And that's fun.

(Also co-ed showers are becoming more and more popular, which makes sense to me. Most of registry stuff is for the couple, so why not shower the couple together?)