Planning
A Wedding Shower
Most Brides will have the opportunity of having
a wedding shower (also known
as a bridal shower) thrown on
their behalf. It is a wonderful opportunity to visit with friends
and family and to get a feeling for being in the spotlight. On
her wedding day the focus will be mainly on her
for the entire day and if your not use to it, it can be a little
uncomfortable for some people. Wedding showers
are actually a great way to get use to being the center of attention,
receiving gifts gracefully, giving a speech, having pictures taken
of you and having everyone making a fuss over you. It can also
be a good opportunity for the Bride to do some
inner soul searching and discover how she reacted at the shower
and to see if she feels she could have reacted differently to
make the experience better. The attention and stress will be similar
on her wedding day, but magnified 100 times.
If the Bride finds herself feeling awkward, shy,
uptight, weepy or fidgety, it can be a great opportunity to work
on handing the situation better next time by coming up with some
strategies on how to counteract these feelings on her wedding
day. She may want to do deep breathing and other relaxation techniques,
arrange for rides and not drive on the wedding
day if she's distracted, practice talking in large groups or to
strangers to get more comfortable talking to people or think of
some things she can delegate throughout the wedding
day to take up some of the work load and to relieve some of the
stress.
Wedding
showers take many forms these days. Traditionally showers
would be held only for the Bride, but more showers
today are taking the form of Jack and Jill showers. These are
a shower for the Bride and
Groom with both men and women invited. These usually
take on more of a party or barbeque setting and can be a lot of
fun.
Wedding
showers can take place in many places including in the
home of the hostess, in a rented hall, outdoors and even in a
restaurant. Usually the people invited include the Bride's
friends and family members. Some Brides will
have a few smaller showers to include the different circles of
people in her life like her friends at work, other circles of
friends, her side of the family and the Groom's
side of the family. Sometimes these groups will get together and
have one large shower. The Maid of Honour and
mother of the Bride should be invited to all
the bridal showers. Small or
large, showers can be a lot of fun and can take on any theme.
Bridal showers should never be hosted by the mothers of the bride
and groom.
Themes
of Bridal Showers
The theme of a bridal shower or wedding
shower should depend on the number of guests
invited to the shower and should consider if
the couple is just starting out in their first home or if they
are already established in a home. Sometimes showers take on the
theme of the gifts given and sometimes it's the theme of the party.
It is usually best if specific gift theme showers
are used in the case of a smaller intimate shower so the couple
doesn't get too much of the same type of item. Also, if a couple
is just starting out in their first home, they will need a wider
variety of items for their home so larger showers with general
gifts may be more practical. Here are a few ideas for themes.
Kitchen Party Wedding Shower
The guests give useful items used in a kitchen. This is especially
practical if the couple is starting in a new home and they like
to cook. Items can include unique cooking utensils, small kitchen
appliances, dishes, cookware, decorative items, fine herbs and
spices, cutlery, cleaning supplies and dish clothes. Some company's
specialize in cooking items and will come for a shower and let
the guests choose the gifts at the party so there is no doubles
given.
Linen
Wedding Shower
A linen shower is particularly beneficial for couples starting
out in a home or couples in a second marriage
that need items replaced after several years of use. Items can
include sheets with a high thread count, comforters, monogrammed
pillowcases, fine soaps and towels, pillows, and bathrobes.
Sports
Wedding Shower
If the Bride and Groom are sport enthusiasts
and they don't need a lot of household items, you may want to
throw a sports shower for them. This is more appropriate for small
intimate showers with guests that know the couples' sport interest
and what items they need.
Holiday
Wedding Shower
Holiday wedding showers are a great idea for
couples starting out. You can assign guests a different holidays,
keeping in mind that some holidays like Christmas will need more
consideration. Items can include platters for Thanksgiving, Christmas
dishes, decorations and ornaments for Christmas, picnic baskets
and blankets for Canada Day. These items take on great meaning
when they are given by love ones and will become part of the couple's
own family traditions to use throughout their life together.
Stock
the Bar Wedding Shower
If the couple are wine enthusiasts and they seem to have everything,
small intimate wine tasting shower maybe appropriate. The couple's
wine cellar and bar can be stocked up and it can also be a lot
of fun. Please be sure that all the guests drink responsibly.
Western
Jack and Jill Wedding Shower
Both the women and men are invited and it usually takes place
outdoors. Everyone 
can
dress in denim and cowboy hats. You can even cook over an open
fire. Always take the usual safety precautions with open fires
and check by-laws within city limits. Usually this type of party
doesn't take on the usual format of a shower,
it's much more casual. It's more of a party with gifts
and you can still incorporate some fun games for entertainment.
The Bride and Groom open the
gifts together and should still their thank you speech.
Pig Roast
Another variation of the Western Jack and Jill is the Pig Roast.
This is usually a large party and a pig is roasted to feel the
large group. Both men and women are included and it again takes
on more of the feel of a large party celebrating the couple's
forth coming wedding.
Your
Thank You Speech for the Wedding Shower and Gifts
It's proper etiquette for the Bride to make a
short but sincere speech usually after the last present has been
opened. The speech should thank the guests for coming to her bridal
shower and also thank everyone for all the wonderful
gifts she received. If your shower is a Jack
and Jill for the Bride and Groom,
the Groom can just say the speech on the behalf
for the Bride as well or they can both say a
brief thank you speech. It
might be a good idea to take a few moments and think about what
you might say at your shower as a thank you speech incase someone
catches you off guard with a surprise shower.
Surprise
Bridal Showers
Sometimes people try to throw surprise showers.
If you're going to try to get away with an event like this, be
kind and try not to plan it when the Bride won't
be at her best. I've heard stories of Brides getting home from
exercising or coming in from working in the garden to be taken
back by "Surprise it's your wedding shower!" Showers
can be a little uncomfortable for some Brides
at the best of times. It's really hard to deal with the surprise
of the shower, seeing old friends, being the focus in the room
and at the same time being dressed in old clothes with no makeup
on and your hair a complete mess.
Wedding
Shower Games
At the heart of every shower
are usually the games. Games are a way of entertaining the guests
and bring out a little fun. Some people prefer the more traditional
wedding shower games that have
been done for many years. We're going to shake things up a bit
with some newer games.
Bride
Bingo
Instead of the traditional Bingo cards, make up cards with the
Word B-R-I-D-E at the top. In stead of numbers, make up words
to do with love, weddings or marriage to put in the squares. Keep
a list of the words you use. Play with the same rules as Bingo,
but the winner yells "Bride" when they
win.
Guess
the Scent
Give each of your guests a sheet of blank paper and have them
put numbers down the page to correspond with the number of candles
you have. Usually 10 to 12 scented candles. Walk around the circle
of guests and let each of them smell each of the scented candles.
Have them write down what they think each of the candles' sent
is. The guest with the most right wins. Try to find unique scents
to throw people off a bit. You can include a candle holder and
give the scented candles to the Bride as a bonus gift.
Best
Advice
Give each guest a pencil and piece of paper. Have each guest
right down a short piece of advice for the wedding
day or married life afterwards. Have the Bride
read out load each piece of advice. Have a judging panel of three
people to judge each piece and pick the best piece of advice.
You can even choose two prices, one for the best piece of wedding
day advice, and one for married life advice.
Wedding
Pictionary
A head of time write down a bunch of items that are wedding
related on small slips of paper. Divide your guests into two teams.
Have one person from each team choose a slip of paper. They take
turns drawing the item on the paper on a large easel and trying
to get their team to guess the item in the best time. The person
with the best time wins a point for their team. There is now talking,
sound or hand gestures allowed. Then another person from each
team takes a turn. The team with the most points wins the game.
Give
Me Your Clothes Pin
At the start of the shower give each of your guests a clothes
pin to clip onto their clothing. Explain to the guests that if
they catch someone crossing their ankles or knees they can steel
their clothes pins or all their clothes pins if they have already
taken them from others. At the end of the shower, the guests that
has the most clothes pins wins.
Don't Say Wedding
This is very much like the game above "Give Me Your Clothes
Pin", but instead of not crossing your legs, you are not
allowed to say the word wedding throughout the shower. Give each
guest a bead necklace or dollar store party lay. As people catch
others saying the word wedding, they can steel their necklace.
Again, the person with the most necklaces at the end of the shower
wins.
Name the Wedding Song
Have a CD with different well know wedding songs from different
decades, depending on ages of your guests. Then play each song
briefly and see who can name the title of each song the quickest.
The person that names the most songs wins.
Guess the Number of Pins
Before the shower count out an odd number of ball-headed pins
or safety pins, and put them in a clear jar and have the shower
guests guess how many pins are in the jar as they arrive at the
shower. The person that is the closest to the number, without
going over wins.
Last Shower Gift Wins
As people arrive to the shower give them each a number starting
with 1. Then place a sticker on the bottom of each gift with the
corresponding number. When the Bride-To-Be opens the last gift,
have her look at the number on the bottom of the gift. The person
with the same number wins a prize for waiting patiently.
Memorize Game
Put different small household items that on a platter or tray.
Cover the tray with a cloth or foil so people can't see the items
unit it's time. Then when the game is ready, give each of your
guests a piece of paper and pencil. Explain to the guests that
they will need to try and remember as many items as possible.
Have someone walk around the room slowly to reveal the tray to
the guests. Or place the tray in the middle of the room so everyone
can see it at the same time. Then cover the tray and have people
write down as many items as they can remember. The person that
remembers to most items correctly wins.
Write
Their Story
The host of the shower makes up a story about the couple getting
married. The subject can be as crazy as you want. As you write
the story leave blanks for adjectives before nouns in the story.
Explain to the guests that they will be expected to come up with
a descriptive adjective as you move around the room to each guest,
starting with A and moving through the alphabet. Then read the
story out loud to the shower guests. As you come to each blank
let them fill in the word before you read the word they are describing.
This can be absolutely hilarious.
Purse
Scavenger Hunt
Have a list of items that you would like to see if guests have
in, and can retrieve from their purses. Name each item one at
a time. The first person to retrieve that item gets a point, and
the person that retrieves the most items wins. Be creative with
the items, some of the things you may want to ask for are a shower
invitation, utility bill, key chain, flashlight, grocery list,
grocery receipt, calendar, picture of a pet, a form of birth control,
scissors, lipstick, chap stick, Band-Aid, cell phone, notepad,
high lighter, pen, hand cream, measuring tape, pencil or even
a paperclip. You'll be amazed how crazy women can get as they
madly look for items. Sometimes it pays to be a packrat.
Wedding
Shower Game Prize Ideas
Game prizes make winning a game a little more exciting. They don't
have to be expensive at all. People will be thrilled just to have
won the competition and have a trinket to show it. It's helpful
if it's an item that almost anyone will use. Here are a few ideas.
Pen
and Letter Stationary, Magnets, Candle Holder and Candle, Small
Plant, Hand Lotion, Small Vase, Bath Oils, Shopping List Pads/Pencil,
Mug, Glasses, Coasters, Sugarfee Gum, Mints, Chocolate, Pens,
Pencils, Notebooks.
