To haul out the pedant for a moment, unless the people from the Renaissance are having an "Olden Tymes" party, chainmail is pretty much gone from the armoury by then, depending on where you are and when. Transitional plate and full plate has replaced chainmail almost everywhere by that time (depending on how you define Renaissance and where/when you are). Both would still be reasonably effective at protecting an astronaut suit from swords, to bring the discussion back to the purposeful and sensible origins.

Well, to be fair, the chainmail requirement came before the Renaissance theme. But I'll leave it up to tommyrot which is more important. It's his big day on Mars, after all.

I will buy a present for a shower, but I always give a check as a gift, or part of it.

But that's what the money dance is for!

This is more or less true here, depending on the customs of the families.

That varies widely.

Personally, I wouldn't think very much of getting money as a wedding gift. It seems a little tacky.

From FoxNew's Jon Gibson, "Rove should get a medal". [link]

"Rove should get a medal".

To pin his lips shut. ARGH!

Personally, I wouldn't think very much of getting money as a wedding gift. It seems a little tacky.

It'a cultural thing. Some cultures see it as the best possible gift, as the new couple will probably be putting toward something like a house. In my WASPy family it would be Not Done.

I have been MoH once, for my sister. Never a bridesmaid.

I have been to one wedding shower, for my sister. I threw a Bachelorette Party weekend at Foxwoods for her, along with my cousins. It was on the expensive side, and I hope we weren't assholes about it. Man, I forgot about that. Yikes!

I abstained from all shower and bachelorette party experience with my own wedding, 'cause, eloped.

It'a cultural thing. Some cultures see it as the best possible gift, as the new couple will probably be putting toward something like a house.

Or the wedding.

OK, so do I let my Thursday boss know that I've seen the frantic emails, or do I pretend I don't check that account when I'm not there? WHAT TO DO???

But I'll leave it up to tommyrot which is more important. It's his big day on Mars, after all.

Damn straight!

Also, ice on Mars will need to be melted, or else water brought from Earth, so my sweetheart and I can honnymoon in a nice cottage on the shores of a Martian ocean... We'll sail there in a gondola pulled by a genetically-engineered dragon.

"Rove should get a medal".

Proof that "blame the victim" is always a good defense strategy in the neo-con handbook.

Personally, I wouldn't think very much of getting money as a wedding gift. It seems a little tacky.

I've seen it done a lot -- envelopes on the gift table, not like dollar bills stufed down cleavage or something --, so I imagine it's just one of those cultural/familial things.

Of course, I come from a family where I was pleased and amazed to get new tires for my car one Christmas. Different strokes, you know.

"Rove should get a medal".

The You Succeeded in an Image-Driven Business Despite Being Lumpy and Funnylooking Award? The Whitaker Chambers Memorial Backstab Medal?

This is like that thing where somebody gave Antonin Scalia a Freedom of Speech medal. It is a Missing-The-Point Award unto itself.