Baby Showers
kkss357
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Inviting out-of-town guests to the shower
kkss357
member
in Baby Showers
DH has a large family and they all live out of state. Recently, one of his sisters told me that I "better invite her to my shower!" I hadn't even thought of inviting her or any of the other people that live out of state. She would have to drive almost 8 hours or fly here for the shower. Is it normal for out-of-town people to travel like that for a baby shower? I would not expect anyone to make that kind of trip for a shower!
I love DH's family and would be delighted to have any or all of them join us at my shower but I hadn't planned on inviting them because of the distance.
What is the etiquette for this type of situation?
What are you all doing?
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Re: Inviting out-of-town guests to the shower
Immediate family like moms and sisters? Sure, invite them. but I wouldn't invite "everyone". It's a shower, it's not a wedding, it's not meeting the actual baby.
Dh's family is huge and all over the States. out of town family doesn't get invited to showers and this is fine. If people want to send a gift, they still do.
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
I didn't because most of our family lives in town and the ones that live out of town wouldn't come.
Maybe once the shower date has been picked (because out of towners need more advanced notice) send out a family email telling DH's family that you are having a baby shower on this date and if anyone would like to come to please respond with their mailing address and you will be happy to send them an invitation.
That way you are only sending them to people that have expressed interst in coming, but you aren't leaving his family out either.
I think it depends on the person you're talking about. A friend who lives 8 hours away? Maybe not. A sister? Yes.
ETA: I have a cousin who lives in TX and a good friend who JUST moved to CO... I am having my hostess invite both of them because I know they would want to be included. I e-mailed them in advance and gave them the date, and I explained that I didn't expect them to make a long-distance trip just for a shower, but if they happened to maybe be in town around that time, I wanted to include them.
some people just like to be invited so they feel included. I already had this happen to me twice- my shower is not planned yet, but one of my hubby's cousins who lives in South Carolina (I'm in New York) said something like, "I'd better get a shower invite! I might not be able to come, but I'd love to send a gift."
I also neglected to invite one of my friends to my wedding shower because she lived in North Carolina and she was pretty upset to be left out - I never expected she would even care because she lived so far away.
My little man at 0-1-2
I think it depends on a few things. If it's immediate family, sister, mom, SIL, etc. then yes, they should be invited. Second cousins, great great grandparents etc?? Then no. Unless, of course, you are super close to them. As for friends, well I think it all depends on how tight of a relationship you have.
I invited my sister-in-law and my niece to my shower and they live in Cali, I live in Jersey. IMO, it was the the right thing to do,.