Money Shower

Q: My fiancé is Italian and his family are throwing me a money shower. Do I open the envelopes like a gift shower while everyone is there? I am not sure if this is right. I've only ever gone to gift showers.

A: I can certainly appreciate your situation. I would suggest that you accept the envelopes but that you don't actually open them unless someone prompts you to. Generally speaking the etiquette rule is that the envelopes remain sealed. However, if your fiancé's family has a different tradition and they insist on you opening the envelopes, than follow their cues and go ahead and do so. However, in order to ensure that nobody is left feeling uncomfortable, assume that you will NOT open the envelopes unless several people begin to tell you that you should. That way, you can't go wrong.