Help! I really need some advice. A really good friend is getting married in a few weeks. I'm her maid of honor and I'm assisting with all of the festivities as well as being responsible to host one of her five showers. Am I expected to bring a gift to each event?
Signed, Feeling the Pressure in Jersey
Dear Pressured,
Wow, you sound like a very good and loyal friend, but you've got a lot on your plate. The job of the maid of honor is to take over many of the tasks so the bride is not overwhelmed, but it's ideal to find the line where you're helpful but not completely weighed down either.
While I'm sure the bride does not expect you to bring a gift to all five showers, if you wanted to, there are ways to do it affordably. Due to the number of showers along with the wedding, try the theme route. Create a theme for the happy couple based on their interests and/or needs. Are they sports lovers, game lovers, book lovers, or travelers? Do they need supplies for laundry, cooking, grilling, or cleaning? For each shower bring a part of your selected theme - five new games to add to a growing collection, a couple of book lights or a gift card to Amazon.com, Borders or Barnes and Noble to readers, a can of golf or tennis balls or matching bowling balls for the sports lovers, or gift certificates to anywhere to suit any interest. You're only as limited as your imagination and you can select your gifts to accommodate your budget . . . awonderful way to maximize your budget while keeping the bride and groom guessing as to what the next piece of the puzzle will be.
