Woman urged to snub baby shower as mum-to-be charges her for attending

22 September 2023 , 11:36

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She's been sending out 'mass invoices' (Stock Photo) (Image: Getty Images/iStockphoto)

A baby shower should be a cause for celebration, but for one woman, the event her pregnant cousin is about to hold has turned into a bit of a headache. According to this baffled guest, the mum-to-be will be charging family and friends £25 a head to attend her catered unisex shower and still expects them to lavish her with gifts.

The distant cousins aren't particularly close, but the guest says she'd feel bad declining her invite, as they've always supported each other's events in the past. However, she just isn't comfortable with being charged to attend a baby shower, which will cost even more given that she's also bringing her girlfriend along.

The astonished relative recently took to Reddit with her dilemma, writing: "My distant cousin (who I'm not close with) is having a unisex baby shower at my aunt's house where she is charging $30 (£25) a person to attend. She's choosing to have it catered. I do not want to pay $60 (£50) to attend a baby shower I'm also expected to bring a gift to."

The woman went on to argue that she herself had previously hosted multiple parties, but had never charged guests for the food or drinks she'd served. She added: "Not only is it a stipulation, they are hounding people for it. Am I the a**hole for thinking this is odd, or not wanting to pay?"

At her own recent baby shower, her cousin had chosen not to bring a gift with her, instead handing over a $50 bill (£40) before making her exit. Reaching out to fellow Reddit users for advice in a now-deleted post, she continued: "I appreciate it but it feels like an afterthought. We're not close at all and didn't grow up around each other. We have nothing in common but we always try to support each other's events but it's sometimes awkward. So I feel bad not attending but also, it just rubs me wrong to be charged to attend a baby shower. I RSVP'd before realising the fee and now they're sending out mass invoices not to forget the $30 (£25)."

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One person commented: "Is it not the point of hosting to provide the venue and food? That is the 'throwing a shower' bit? Otherwise, you're just an events coordinator." Another said: "I would just decline. It's ridiculous to expect people to pay (beyond the expected gift). If they can't afford to have it catered, they could have just asked everyone to bring an item to contribute to a potluck."

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Julia Banim