I am sure bridal showers served a very noble purpose for a long time. I once read that the bridal shower was began in Holland. A woman fell in love with a miller, who was poor because he always gave to the needy. The father of the woman did not approve and expressed it by not offering a dowry. The couple was determined to marry anyway. All the people who had previously been helped by the miller decided to return the favor. They showered the couple with the things they would need to start their new life together. The community did not need to receive bridal shower invitations to know to bring them a toaster; they were all just moved to help. Others say the United States was the birthplace of the shower. Perhaps "shower" refers to the Victorian custom of placing gifts in a parasol, so when opened, gifts would shower down on the recipient. No matter the origins, the shower was a way to replace the dowry or trousseau.
What began in the late 1800s, has continued to flourish into the 2000s. The current version of the bridal shower seems to be an American and Canadian custom. And here is where I believe the shower has taken a turn for the materialistic worse. Most engaged couples today do not need to make up for basic necessities, as in the past. Some couples do not have much, as they are young or recent graduates of college or graduate programs. The people feeding the high end bridal shower frenzy, however, are people who already have the basic necessities. I cannot tell you how many bridal shower invitations I receive for friends who are double income couples in their early 30s. I was astounded to hear one bride explain that this was their chance to get some fancy appliances that they would never buy themselves. That, my friends, is not the appropriate use of the bridal shower.
Please do not misunderstand, I fully support celebrating anything and everything. Having your friends and family celebrate and party with you to commemorate your upcoming nuptials is absolutely okay. Your friends and family should not, however, feel obligated to buy you new stuff to help you celebrate, though. Usually, the same people who receive bridal shower invitations are the same people who will receive wedding invitations. People want to help the couple celebrate and toast to their future. Friends and family should not foot the bill for the newlyweds to outfit their new master suite.
Couples should keep some perspective when planning these things. For a couple that does not have much, it is okay to have a traditional shower. If, however, you are a double income couple with two of everything already, then let your guests off the hook. Remember that those same guests will be giving the bride and groom a wedding present. Those future newlyweds should use their collective imagination and offer something different. Give all your friends and family bridal shower invitations that allow them to help you celebrate with fun and frolic. Have a recipe party, where everyone offers their favorite recipe or signature dish and puts it in a fancy cookbook for you to have, for example. Your prospective guests will be overjoyed to receive bridal shower invitations to help celebrate without feeling the heavy obligation of lots of expensive gifts.

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