Some wedding traditions can be unnecessarily expensive.

The following story involves a woman whose stepdaughter was expected to help fund an expensive bridal shower.

She learned that her stepdaughter would need to contribute $500 for a big banquet party for 50 people.

Compared to the simple, low-cost showers she grew up with, this felt completely unreasonable.

Let’s take a closer look!

Are Bridal Showers a Fancy Mini Reception Now

My stepdaughter is a bridesmaid.

The bride is demanding a bridal shower for fifty people. It will be in the banquet room of a local restaurant, including a full meal and cocktails.

This will cost each bridesmaid $500 each.

This sounds insane to me.

This woman admits that she is an old GenX-er.

I know I am an old fogey Gen Xer.

When I was growing up, bridal and baby showers were almost always held by older friends of the bride and her family.

They were not usually hosted by the bridesmaids.

It was generally accepted that young singles and/or twenty-somethings did not have a lot of disposable income.

Back in her day, bridal and baby showers were so simple.

Food consisted of finger sandwiches or appetizers.

There was “slush punch,” which is ginger ale mixed with sherbet or liquid Jell-O mix.

There was also coffee and cake.

These were usually held in someone’s lovely home or a church fellowship hall.

She had spent less than a hundred dollars in showers she attended.

Mints in the wedding color were an ironclad tradition.

They were, of course, in the shape of something significant to the bride.

Every bride knew which Church Lady had which candy molds.

Your dream wedding included asking Mrs. Smith to make her seashell or whatever mints for your wedding and shower.

I have given showers for less than a hundred dollars. Mine was a cake-and-punch.

Her stepdaughter plans to talk to the maid-of-honor about this concern.

Is this the fashion now? I went to a baby shower that had an open bar.

I would be embarrassed if my shower cost my hostesses thousands of dollars.

My stepdaughter is going to ask the MOH to talk to the bride. She will ask her to scale this back a bit.

Let’s find out what others have to say about this on Reddit.

This user refused to attend a “grandma shower.”

This person shares their personal experience.

Feels like a blatant gift grab, says this person.

Here’s a valid point from this person.

Finally, short and simple.

Some bridal showers feel less like a party and more like a group-funded luxury event.

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