This is the year of the weddings in my family. My sister and my sister-in-law are both getting married in the next few months. While there will probably be more posts in the future regarding the weddings, today I want to talk about the bridal shower. While there are several stories out there about how the bridal shower originated, the most accepted seems to be that the bridal shower originated in Holland when a young Dutch girl fell in love with a poor miller. Her father disapproved of her marriage to the poor miller and refused a dowry. The poor miller had spent his life helping those needier than he and when it cam time to get married their friends got together and showered them with gifts from their new home.
To me, a bridal shower reminds me of an old fashioned quilting bee. It is a chance for the women of the families of the bride and groom to get together and pass wisdom on to the next generation. The thing I love about a "traditional" bridal shower is all the women, from great-grandma to the youngest niece are invited and welcomed to share their thoughts and experiences of life. What a range of perspectives you get when women of all ages gather in support of the bride. To me, the true gift of the bridal shower is the wisdom and moral support that each woman brings. Whether it be fail-proof recipes, tips on getting stains out, or advice on how to keep your your marriage stong, this wisdom that is passed on is priceless, no matter the culture. 
While today's bridal showers take all forms, I believe the intent of the bridal shower is one of support for the new bride. It offers a fun atmosphere for the women of the bride and groom's families to get to know one another and to begin to form strong bonds. I believe it takes so much more than a bride and groom to make a marriage work. The friends and family of the bride and groom will have an impact on their marriage from this day forward. Getting off on the right foot with a bridal shower is a great way to make the impact a positive, supportive one. Do you have a bridal shower coming up? Please take a moment to visit the etsy shops featured in this post. For the vintage shower invitation, please visit Gwen Marie Designs. For the vintage OOAK journal, please visit Stories Divinations. For the beautiful vintage baking dish, please visit Art of LALS.