Bridal shower with no registry?

I do not understand this. What is up with people these days just wanting cash thrown at them left and right? I had my shower this past weekend and it was such a blast opening gifts - both on our registry and off our registry. I was a big ball of tears the whole time because of how thoughtful people are. How lame to just open a bunch of cards with cash. What's the point? I don't get it. Definitely get them something they can't return.. lmao.

I find it in poor taste to not have a registry for a shower. It leaves guests in a difficult position. I would buy a random gift as I just can't get behind the idea of cash for a shower. Definitely include a gift receipt.

I would never go to a shower without a boxed gift. I would give something that I thought that the bride needed. I went to a shower like this where the bride had a minimal registry (less than 20 items). She got a lot of kitchen items and cookbooks because people knew she and her FH didn't cook. She was fishing for money and was really disappointed that she didn't get it.

My fiance's grandmother MADE me a quilt with our wedding colors and all the aspects of our wedding (mountains, sunflowers) and I was a blubbering mess. We'll have that forever and will always cherish it when she's no longer with us.

Also, it's definitely possible someone was insistent on having the shower for this bride. My mom was very adamant about throwing a shower for me despite the fact that we wanted to have either a very tiny registry, or no registry at all. We live in 500sqft and have literally no more room for anything. My mom offered to store anything we received at her house until our house was done being built, so our registry turned into a large one.

Yeah I think she definitely should have made a registry for this shower, especially considering no one knows her well enough to guess what they might want.

I guess I would do a gift card. I have never been to a shower where the bride did not have a registry. I just had my bridal shower and had a small registry at Target. Just about all of the gifts I received were from my registry. I got a couple Target gift cards, which I will use to purchase larger gifts I may not get, and one check.

Geez, the judgment here is off the charts. Really, those who rush to judgment should check yourselves. You don't know anything about the person getting married. You don't know she is fishing for cash. You don't know if the host forgot to add the registry to the invitation. There's absolutely nothing wrong with getting someone a gift card. This whole boxed gift vs. gift card is ridiculous. I had a registry and 3 people decided to give me gift cards (2 to Lowe's and 1 to Amazon). There's was nothing awkward about opening a card. I most certainly didn't announce the amounts (they were all very generous). Watching someone open gifts is boring for everyone, including the bride. Welcome to the silly rituals of bridal showers.

To answer your question, yes, you bring a gift. Why would you consider going empty-handed? Call the host, ask if there's a registry. If not, ask where the bride likes to shop (if you don't already know) and get a gift card. Yes, it's that simple.

With no registry, I'd just decline the invite, especially for a distant relative