Not all are. This is a choice the the party-giver; whether to surprise the bride (or it can also be said the same for baby showers too). This can be tricky however; what if the guest of honor is not looking her best / feeling her best at party time? Somebody has to be in charge of this person to make sure all is going to work out smoothly. Have fun. Always remember, those invited to the shower should be invited to the wedding - tacky to invite someone to the shower when they aren't invited to the wedding.
There is nowhere in the Bible that it talks about bridal showers. Bridal Showers were invented by society.
You can find many ideas for bridal showers at www.bridalshowerday.com or other related sites that you can search. Also you can watch E! channel to find great ideas, [they have a lot of wedding and bridal shows]. And you can ask friends who have been married what they did for their bridal showers!
They are ok, but the gift opening part is always pretty boring.
Yes, it is generally a western tradition. However, Germans also partake in this tradition of bridal showers with pretty significant regularity.
At special occasions and bridal showers
It is in poor taste to have a bridal shower at the home of the bride's mother. The bride's aunts or friends host showers.
A bridal shower is, indeed, the same as a stagette - also known as a stag party for the bride. Bridal showers, though, have a less raunchy connotation compared to Stagette.
There are many things to do for fun at bridal showers. I would say to have some games for everyone to participate in. For more ideas you can visit the bridal shower website.
Ladies Room Diaries - 2011 Bridal Showers Bring Crazed Flowers 1-2 was released on: USA: 9 October 2011
Unless the bride/couple has specifically requested that there NOT be a bridal shower, they are always acceptable. Attention should be paid to holding the shower in a location and with a theme with which the bride will be comfortable.
Yes, it is completely appropriate for a mothers friend to host a bridal shower. Bridal showers are not to be hosted by a mother, sister, or other immediate family member of the couple due to it looking as though they are asking for gifts.
Bridal shower is usually for the bride-to-be and her friends, Mother and Mother-in-law by specific invitation only. No one wants to do all the silly girly stuff in front of the Moms.