Display Bridal Shower

I have never heard of this. Interesting concept though.

I've heard of this, but I've always wondered how one would word the invitations without sounding rude, as you said. Plus, what happens with the guest who couldn't afford much?

The intention to promote socializing is great, but personally I feel like you'd be risking a LOT with hurt feelings or silent snubs at the open display of who-got-you-what. Unless everyone is super wealthy....I wouldn't risk it.

If she still wants just unwrapped gifts, maybe make a fun little note like, "don't worry about giftwrap, she'll break a nail if she tries!" or something along the lines. But then I'd just set them in a separate room for her to enjoy later and if guests INSIST they can be brought out. Best of both worlds, and no hurt feelings

I've never heard of it either. I like the idea because I hate being bored out of my mind watching people open gifts that you know they received because you saw it on their registry. But at the same time I know there are some people who love watching the gifts and I worry she's going to offend those people. Or, more specifically, we, the bridesmaids are going to offend those people when we write it on the invites.

Thanks Nikki...interesting. I guess I never thought about snubs or hurt feelings if someone couldn't afford much. At most showers I've been to, the bride opens all her gifts for all to see anyway and announces who they're from so I didn't think this would be much different. I was more worried about people feeling like "who are they to tell me what to do with a gift *I* purchased?"

The last couple of wedding showers (baby showers also) I've been to they didn't open any of the gifts at all. We spent more time on games and food. Plus, I attended a bridal shower of about 70 people and they were moving tables to place gifts I HIGHLY doubt I would've stayed around while she opened gifts

Why not just have the shower and open the gifts @ the end of the night that way if someone wants to stay and see what you got they could or if others didnt want to stay they are welcome to leave?

I like Kimberly's idea! And I forgot about how the bride opens and announces anyway, lol. I was thinking more on how they'd be out there, in-your-face.....there is a slight, albeit very slight, tension on whether or not the bride will like your gift. Watching her unwrap your gift and her face light up (even if she's faking it) with a grateful smile is just magical Having it sit out for all to see long before she takes a look is just too much stress for me! lol

I've never heard of it either. FH and I are doing a couple's shower and probably won't open presents. We're registered so we know what we're getting. Everyone else knows what we're getting. We just want our families to hang out and have a good time. We'll probably play some games, show some photos, and eat lots of food

I've been to a few showers and as a guest I was completely bored watching someone open presents they already picked out. Maybe if there are a few "surprise" presents, that could be fun to watch someone open.

I haven't heard of this but it would have been great at one of my baby showers, I had three picnic tables (tops and benches) full of gifts and it took forever! As soon as the last gift was opened I was almost pushed over by people giving me hugs and telling me bye. But at my smaller baby shower it was nice to open the gifts and share ohh's and ahh's with people. So I guess I'm kinda 50/50 on this.

But if someone couldn't afford much, it's going to come out anyway if the bride opens gifts in front of everyone.

I would prefer to open the gifts because I like to see how everyone wraps and I like the element of surprise, but if I had a lot of people I would probably like this idea, too.

I have heard of this once. I am going to do this!! I have planned a bunch of showers & gift opening is so boring, even with the games. It is funny, people keep telling me they get bored at about the 3rd gift - if they can see at all - but they all say, but others like gift opening. I keep asking & keep hearing, yeah gift opening is boring but someone else will care. WHO?? LOL I have heard of doing it this way: gifts are unwrapped with only a bow & tag & displayed in a single location & a Poster Board on a isle is also set-up for pictures of gifts that were shipped rather then brought to the shower. The bride will acknowledge all the gifts at once & make a heartfelt thank you speech & then it is done. This is also a GREEN shower - so that is a good angle too. Google it, there is tons of info on how to do it and wording for invites. Plus this keeps showers on time and the Bride will actually be able to mingle & eat.

I have been going to "display showers" (DS) for years. It started in my hometown (near Scranton, PA) in the early 2000s and I was at first very skeptical. I, too, thought it was "inconsiderate" for brides to not open the gifts from their guests, but then I attended my first DS in 2005 (age 19) and I fell in love! I honestly cringe at every bridal and baby shower I have to attend that is not a DS. Who wants to sit there an watch a woman open gifts--which are things she asked for anyway--and read cards from almost 100 people?

Also, I have been at showers in people's home and not everyone can even see the gifts as they are being opened because there is not enough room for everyone to gather around. When done correctly (we hired people who do display showers professionally for my sister's wedding, and plan on doing it for my own) it is a very elegant addition to the shower. Gone are the days where the bride holds up a comforter in a bag and says oohhhh ahhhh--by having it displayed, guests can walk around and feel the fabric, see it up close, and also see who gave what by the little cards next to it. The women who did my sister's shower also asked her to provide pictures of her and my brother-in-law to make it more personable and gave her a place to put all of the extra engagement photos! And as for the invitations--just put on the bottom "This is a display shower. Please do not wrap gifts." No one will be offended. If anything they're thinking YES!

Trust me, you will never want to sit through a shower where hours are spent opening gifts ever again once you discover the DS. As mentioned above, that time can be spent chatting with friends, playing games, or just wrapping up the whole event in 2 hours rather than making it a 4+ hour ordeal. Cheers!

I recently went to a bridal shower and the invitation said "Please be a dear and wrap in clear". It was great!

I went to a display bridal shower and they had hired a firm to handle the gifts and displays. They met you at the entrance to the room (a formal banquet hall) ask your name and if you brought a wrapped gift, they would unwrap it, add their nametag with your name and put it on their display table. They had a computer at their table and registered all gifts. The bride never acknowledged the gifts. The bridesmaids were not involved at all. As a guest who took time to purchase a gift (and I did not wrap mine) these outsiders felt cold to me. It made me think the bride and bridal party were really kind of lazy as they got to chat with all their friends, and not even acknowledge many people they invited, who came to the event. This is not a family who is famous or royalty, just a middle class family. Oh, if your brought a card with a gift of money, your name was tagged on their box. (Personally, if I had known all this, I would have just written a check.) I know this is new for the young folks, but many older people were very offended. I would love to hear your thoughts on the practice of an outside gift management firm?

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This is an 11+ year old thread. You’ll get a lot more replies if you start your own thread.

But for the record I think a display shower where the bride does not acknowledge gifts is tacky. Showers are by definition about the gifts. If it’s a cocktail party you want throw a tea or a cocktail party FOR your guests. Having nametags attached would absolutely rub me the wrong way, too, as it’s much more obvious and open to comparisons than opening briefly in real time,
If so many guests are being invited that it’s such an onerous task to open them then IMO the shower was way too big in the first place. And an outside “management” firm? Give me a break.