Bridal Shower Ideas
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You're planning a bridal shower. What kind of get-together did you have in mind? Our fantastic customers have sent us themes and ideas, decorations, favors and games from elegant to hilarious. We thought we would pass them on.
Decorations, Favors and Food
- Potted plants make nice favors that double as table decorations. Wrap the pot in material or tulle and tie with a ribbon.
- Flowers make nice favors or prizes and look great on the table.
- Frame the wedding invitation and place it on the food table as a decoration with a photo of the couple.
- Something old, something new: Help the bride collect the items for her special day by presenting these items at the shower. Perhaps grandmother could give her something old, and the bridesmaids something new. Mom could provide something borrowed and blue! The flower girl could give her the penny for her shoe.
- Stemware can make an elegant table, especially if you tie the stems with ribbons. Consider using goblets for water or punch. Stemmed and footed dessert dishes make a pretty presentation as well.
- Gift bow bouquet: Bows are collected as the bride opens gifts, with ribbons still attached. Slit a sturdy paper plate from one edge to the center. Slide the ribbons in with the bows on top of the plate. This bow bouquet can be used at the rehearsal as the brides bouquet.
Games and Activities
- How well do you know him? Ahead of time ask the husband-to-be a list of 15 questions like, "what is your favorite color?", "what is your favorite sport?", "what is your dream car?", etc. At the shower, ask the bride how her groom answered the questions. For every question she gets wrong have her chew a piece of bubble gum. Pretty soon she won't be able to talk!
- Bridal gown creations: You divide your guests into two groups by having them count off 1-2. The bride is the model for the #1 group. Then, have a girl who is the approximate size of the bride to be the model for the #2 group. Give each group 6 rolls of toilet paper and scotch tape . They have 15 minutes to make a bridal dress!!! There are no winners ,but, even the older ladies get involved. It's hilarious and they usually do really well!
- Veil craft: Provide various materials, comic, recycled or realistic to your guests and have a contest for the best bridal veil they can create.
- Memory game: An easy party game is to take kitchen or wedding items and lay them on a tray. You make one pass through the room slowly. After you leave, the guests attempt to list everything that was on the tray. The tray items could also be gifts for the bride to keep.
- Stick the kiss on the fiance: This version of "pin the tail on the donkey" requires a blindfold, a photo or cartoon of the groom and kissing lips stickers.
- Gift opening exclamations: Without warning the bride, write down the phrases she uses when opening gifts. Then after the gifts are opened, read the list retitled as "this is what will be said on the wedding night."
- Gift bingo: Before you begin opening the gifts, hand out blank bingo sheets and let the guests fill in each square with the name of a different gift they think the bride will receive. Everyone marks his/her bingo card as the gifts are opened. Whoever gets bingo first, second and third wins a prize. At a couples shower, it's a great way to keep the guys' attention while the gifts are being opened.
- A great social activity for a shower is to supply coordinating fabric squares of the same size to each guest. Have them paint and sign their name on the square. After the shower, you sew the fabric squares together and make a quilt with one square painted with the saying "Friends are the fabric of life". It's a great remembrance for the bride.
- Hand out blank cards to each guest and ask them to contribute a bit of marital advice to the bride-to-be. They can be as serious or funny and will create a fun momento for the couple to read again on their first anniversary or even in years to come.
Themes
- Gardening Theme Bridal Shower
For the gardener bride and groom, decorate with plants and flowers. "Label" the gift table, punch, and cake with signs made to look like seed packets on Popsicle sticks. Suggestions for garden gifts include garden hose, tools, sprinkling can, gloves, rake, hoe, seeds, gift certificate to garden shop, etc. Have vegetables and dip instead of a cake! Check out Naptime Productions Garden Design Morning Star invitation for a perfect match.
- Luau Theme
Pink flamingos, palm trees, and various cutouts and shaped balloons make festive decorations. Don't forget umbrellas for the drinks. Pass out leis and play beach music. Sprinkle tropical confetti on the tables. Grass skirts make great table skirts. Check with Oriental Trading Company for decorations.
- Christmas Decor Theme
Perfect for the holiday-loving couple who does not need household items. Decorate a Christmas tree with wedding bells and white tulle. Give gifts that create the holiday season for the couple's new home.
Couples Shower Options
Showers don't have to be afternoon luncheons! Consider a couples shower held in the evening. From an elegant dinner party, to a backyard bash with gag gifts for the bride and groom, you are sure to make some memories.- Kitchen Shower
This popular theme gives the guests a gift category and makes it so easy to fold in decoration ideas! New kitchen dishtowels or wash clothes can be tied with ribbon to make silverware packets. Mix serving utensils into your flower arrangement. Have guests bring their favorite recipe or kitchen tip on an index card. Give kitchen items as favors or prizes. Make a cake that looks like a tea kettle.
- Time of Day
In each invitation, insert a time of day. Guest brings gift item to be used at that time... i.e. 8:00 a.m. might suggest a breakfast tray.
- Wishing Well
The hostess provides a decorated "wishing well" where the guests can drop their small gifts. Normally these have a theme like kitchen utensils, gardening or bathroom. They are frequently mentioned on the invitation or when the guests RSVP.
- Southwestern Theme
Especially for a bride-to-be who loves southwestern style. For decorations use raffia and form "poufs" by tying leather strips around the raffia w/conchos and green and red chilies. The raffia "rope" can be used as a swag at the main door entrance and/or to lay on the food table, wrapped around the punch bowl and around the various party trays. Terra cotta pots of various sizes can hold the napkins and forks/spoons. Potted cacti can be displayed among the food trays. The cake could be in the form of an Indian pueblo village, decorated with tiny ladders, very small chilies and hand painted pots and baskets.
 Honeymoon Theme
Decorate with items representing the honeymoon destination. Gifts can tend toward romantic or humorous. Each guest could bring a gift to put into a basket to give to the Bride & Groom as a honeymoon basket.
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Floral Designs
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