The Legend of the Bridal Shower
As with all traditions, bridal showers have a long standing history behind it. This can be a fun and charming story to tell the guests at your bridal shower.
Legend tells us that the long tradition of the bridal shower originated in the Netherlands. According to popular belief, a young Amsterdam girl fell head over heels in love with a good hearted, but penniless mill operator. The miller had spent most of his life helping those needier than himself, which had left his life full of friends and loved in the community.
Because of his generosity, he had few material things to offer his betrothed, at the time they were ready to be married. When the bridge’s father heard that she intended to marry the poor mill operator, he was furious and to dissuade her, the girl's father refused to give her the customary bridal dowry. He believed that this would encourage her to wait for a suitor with more money and higher social standing.
The young bride to be decided that the threat of poverty did not matter and proceeded to marry her warm hearted miller. Without a dowry, the couple had very little was nearly penniless. As one might expect with a strong reputation in the community for helping others, the community came together to show appreciation for the miller's kindness to others over the years. With the help of many kind townspeople, the groom's friends "showered" the new bride with necessities for the couple's home. Despite her father’s short sighted ill will, the bride was able to acquire what her father had denied her - everything she needed to set up her new home.
From this lovely story a long-standing tradition of a shower of gifts and guidance from the bride’s family of friends has stood the test of time. Withering at the same time was the old-fashioned dowry a young woman had received from her family to set up her home. It has been said that early bridal showers focused on strengthening the bride's friendship with her community who offered personal support and assistance in the wedding preparation. These traditions are often forgotten at modern bridal showers, where gift giving tends to take center stage. Bridal showers can be thrown by friends, members of either family, co-workers, bridesmaids, business associates, or church groups, accordingly, it is not uncommon for a bride to have more than one shower before her wedding
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