Eight Important Basics to Planning a Bridal Shower

Planning a bridal shower can be one of the most exciting activities you have ever experienced. There is so much joy associated with bridal shower. Everyone is pleased to bring gifts that the bride is excited to see as a sign of the start of her new life. Even though getting ready can be an exciting time, it can also be a very stressful time. There are so many things that you must consider when you are planning your bridal shower.

One of the most important things to first consider is the guest list. You should invite anywhere from five to twenty people. If you invite more than twenty, you risk overwhelming the bride and the guests, as you want it to be a rather intimate affair. When you make your guest list, be sure to consult the bride as to whom she wishes to have at her wedding shower. Female family members of both sides of the wedding party should certainly be at the top of your guest list. You will also want to include the bride's closest friends, and, of course, the wedding party. Be sure that everyone who is invited to the wedding shower is also on the invitation list to the wedding to avoid any hurt feelings.

The second important thing to think about is the invitations. The invitations you choose can have any look or feel that you like. If you wish to have a themed shower, send out invitations that match your theme. For example, if you plan to have a beach party shower, send out invitations that have the look of a beach party. If you are not having a themed shower, you might want to go with something that looks like the bride's wedding invitations. Check with the printer of her wedding invitations, as he or she might be able to cut you a deal if the bride's invitation order was big enough. Whatever type of invitation you go with, be sure to include the guest of honor's name, the time, date, and location of the invitation, the hostess' name and phone number, an RSVP deadline (about two weeks before the shower is sufficient), and the shower theme. If you wish, include a map of how to reach the location. You might also think about including where the couple has registered and the colors of their future home. Send the invitations out about one month in advance of the wedding shower.

Once you've sent out the invitations, it is time to start planning your party. You will want to start with some light appetizers for your party guests. Try to provide a variety of foods, and try to avoid foods that guests might be allergic to. If you intend to serve highly allergenic foods like peanuts, be sure to keep them well away from the other foods you will serve. Don't forget to think about drinks as well. Serve a wide variety, and be sure to include healthy drinks like water and fruit juice. If you also intend to serve cake, try to make it fit with the theme of your party.

Once you've considered the food, you are ready to start thinking about party games. You will want to play two to four games during your bridal shower. These games can serve as ice breakers if you wish. One fun game is to issue a list of common purse items. Whoever has the most items in their purse from your list wins. Another great game is a simple wedding word scramble. Whoever deciphers the most words in the time allotted is the winner.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

Be sure to include time in your shower for everyone to introduce themselves and their relationship to the bride. Remember that several of your guests may have a connection to no one but the bride, so it is important to help them get involved with the other shower attendees.

A sixth thing to consider when you are planning a bridal shower is party favors for all of the guests. While this tends to be a regional idea, offering party favors for each guest is a nice touch. You can do something as simple as a small box of candy or a scented candle. Try to offer party favors that reflect the theme of your shower, if you have one.

An additional thing to think about when you are planning is the decorative scheme. If you are having a themed shower, you probably already have some ideas in mind for decorations. If you are having a fairly general themed bridal shower, you need to think about table linens and centerpieces at the very least.

One final thing you must consider when you are planning a bridal shower is planning for after the shower. Buying some thank you notes for the bride to send that match the invitations is a nice touch. Furthermore, giving the bride a preprinted list of guests with up-to-date address information can also be quite helpful.

Planning a bridal shower is an intensive procedure, but getting the right combination of events will lead to a happy memory.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about bridal showers, the more you will be able to share with others.

Eight Important Basics to Planning a Bridal Shower

Planning a bridal shower can be one of the most exciting activities you have ever experienced. There is so much joy associated with bridal shower. Everyone is pleased to bring gifts that the bride is excited to see as a sign of the start of her new life. Even though getting ready can be an exciting time, it can also be a very stressful time. There are so many things that you must consider when you are planning your bridal shower.

One of the most important things to first consider is the guest list. You should invite anywhere from five to twenty people. If you invite more than twenty, you risk overwhelming the bride and the guests, as you want it to be a rather intimate affair. When you make your guest list, be sure to consult the bride as to whom she wishes to have at her wedding shower. Female family members of both sides of the wedding party should certainly be at the top of your guest list. You will also want to include the bride's closest friends, and, of course, the wedding party. Be sure that everyone who is invited to the wedding shower is also on the invitation list to the wedding to avoid any hurt feelings.

The second important thing to think about is the invitations. The invitations you choose can have any look or feel that you like. If you wish to have a themed shower, send out invitations that match your theme. For example, if you plan to have a beach party shower, send out invitations that have the look of a beach party. If you are not having a themed shower, you might want to go with something that looks like the bride's wedding invitations. Check with the printer of her wedding invitations, as he or she might be able to cut you a deal if the bride's invitation order was big enough. Whatever type of invitation you go with, be sure to include the guest of honor's name, the time, date, and location of the invitation, the hostess' name and phone number, an RSVP deadline (about two weeks before the shower is sufficient), and the shower theme. If you wish, include a map of how to reach the location. You might also think about including where the couple has registered and the colors of their future home. Send the invitations out about one month in advance of the wedding shower.

Once you've sent out the invitations, it is time to start planning your party. You will want to start with some light appetizers for your party guests. Try to provide a variety of foods, and try to avoid foods that guests might be allergic to. If you intend to serve highly allergenic foods like peanuts, be sure to keep them well away from the other foods you will serve. Don't forget to think about drinks as well. Serve a wide variety, and be sure to include healthy drinks like water and fruit juice. If you also intend to serve cake, try to make it fit with the theme of your party.

Once you've considered the food, you are ready to start thinking about party games. You will want to play two to four games during your bridal shower. These games can serve as ice breakers if you wish. One fun game is to issue a list of common purse items. Whoever has the most items in their purse from your list wins. Another great game is a simple wedding word scramble. Whoever deciphers the most words in the time allotted is the winner.

How can you put a limit on learning more? The next section may contain that one little bit of wisdom that changes everything.

Be sure to include time in your shower for everyone to introduce themselves and their relationship to the bride. Remember that several of your guests may have a connection to no one but the bride, so it is important to help them get involved with the other shower attendees.

A sixth thing to consider when you are planning a bridal shower is party favors for all of the guests. While this tends to be a regional idea, offering party favors for each guest is a nice touch. You can do something as simple as a small box of candy or a scented candle. Try to offer party favors that reflect the theme of your shower, if you have one.

An additional thing to think about when you are planning is the decorative scheme. If you are having a themed shower, you probably already have some ideas in mind for decorations. If you are having a fairly general themed bridal shower, you need to think about table linens and centerpieces at the very least.

One final thing you must consider when you are planning a bridal shower is planning for after the shower. Buying some thank you notes for the bride to send that match the invitations is a nice touch. Furthermore, giving the bride a preprinted list of guests with up-to-date address information can also be quite helpful.

Planning a bridal shower is an intensive procedure, but getting the right combination of events will lead to a happy memory.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing--the more you understand about bridal showers, the more you will be able to share with others.

Catering the Bridal Shower Yourself – Ten Easy Tips to Stay Sane

Planning a bridal shower can be frustrating, especially if you are planning on catering the event yourself. When you are getting ready to host a shower, it is important to take some time for planning and relax. Bridal showers should be a fun time to socialize with friends and family and should not cause stress. Here are ten easy tips to keep you sane when you host and cater a bridal shower.

Number of guests: When you get ready to host a bridal shower, the guest list will determine just about everything about the bridal shower. Work with the bride, or if you are planning on a co-ed shower, talk with the couple. Find out ahead of time, before you begin planning, how many guests they want to invite. The number of guests will tell you where you can have the shower and how many you need to plan for. You might find it necessary to rent tables, chairs and serving platters or plates depending on the number of guests.

Time of day: Another tip for catering a bridal shower by yourself is to determine what time of the day the shower will be held. This can be a huge help when you are planning for food. For example, a brunch will be easier to plan than a shower that is held late in the evening when a dinner is expected. In addition, if you hold a shower in the late afternoon, you will not be expected to cater a large meal. You can plan for simple fare, such as fruit and finger sandwiches. Decide in advance what time of day the shower will be held and it will help keep you sane during the planning process.

Budget: Before sending out any invitations, know your budget. If you are on a limited budget, know what you can spend and stick to it. It will not be fun if you overspend and are left with a huge credit card bill after the shower. Let your bride know your budget and work together to plan a shower. It is possible to plan an elegant shower without spending a lot of money.

Plan ahead and ask the bride: Planning well in advance is the key in hosting a bridal shower. After you have talked with the bride and set a date, you can begin making preparations. If you plan on catering the event, never wait until the last minute. Delaying can cause a lot of stress. Instead, use an event planner or a notebook to record all the of the bridal shower details. Remember that a shower usually takes at least eight weeks to plan, so give yourself plenty of time to make necessary preparations. When you cater the event, know beforehand how many guests you will serve and if there are food allergies or other preferences, such as the bride being a vegetarian. Make detailed shopping lists and know what you will need to buy before going to the grocery store.

Make ahead and get help: Catering a bridal shower can be easier if you know what you are serving in advance and prepare dishes ahead of time. If you are serving casserole dishes, look into making them a couple of weeks before the party and then freezing the items. You can also do this for certain desserts and appetizers. The night before the party is a great time to cut fruits and vegetables, decorate a cake and make finger foods. Making food ahead of time will help cut down on the amount of stress on the day of the bridal shower. Also, consider getting help from others when you plan to cater a shower. It is perfectly acceptable to host a potluck style buffet where everyone brings their favorite dish. You can also enlist help from close friends or family members to help you cook and prepare dishes.

Theme: If you have a theme for the shower, such as brunch, co-ed barbeque or girl’s day at the spa, you can prepare dishes to fit the theme. This will make planning easier and everyone will know what to expect. Having a theme can also help you choose decorations and tableware with ease.

Keep it simple and relax: These are two tips you should remember when planning a bridal shower. Most guests will not remember the lavish dishes it took you all day to prepare. Instead, they will remember the time they spent visiting with the bride. Keep the menu simple and everyone will enjoy the shower and you will not become stressed. Last of all, remember to relax. Take a deep breath and have fun. Do not ruin the shower by obsessing over every last detail. Have a good time and your guests will, too.

Bridal Shower Games Ideas

So, your marriage is on the cards? It is time for a Bridal Shower Party! At the bridal shower party, family and friends will give gifts and lots of blessings for you.

The origin of the bridal shower is quite interesting and can be traced back to Holland. It is an old story which states that a Dutch girl fell in love with a miller who was very poor. When she told her father, he forbade their marriage. So the young lady decided to marry the miller and stayed with him, despite his poverty. As the neighbors heard about the news of them nearly starving, they came with help. They showered gifts and money on the newly married couple. From the money and gifts showered to the couple, they set up a good home and a good life for themselves. Since then, this tradition of bridal showers has been in practice. Though, today the celebrations of bridal shower are grand and all full of gaiety.

No bridal shower celebration is complete without bridal shower games. These games will add life to your party and keep the guests entertained.

Bridal shower games really get the party going. You can even be creative while setting the games for your bridal shower party. In fact the more bridal shower games you play the better. With today’s tradition of inviting friends, work colleagues and family members to a bridal shower, games can be great way to break the ice for people who don’t know each other.

Who Am I Bridal Shower Game
The game “Who Am I” adds smiles and vitality to the whole party with the added benefit of being a great first icebreaker.

To play this game, all you have to do is to prepare some index cards. On each card write a name of a famous personality. As soon as the guests arrive, attach a card to everyone’s back. Attach them in such a way that the guest is not able to see it, while the others can. Then start the real test. The guests have to ask each other for the clues, so that that they can know the name attached to their back. The first person to identify the correct name is the winner.

The Wedding Alphabet Game
The Wedding Alphabet Game is really fun. The game involves a combination of wit and intelligence. The game is simple; the host initiates the game by describing a wedding item, ritual or tradition starting from the letter ‘A’. They will include in their sentence the item or the culture starting from ‘A’. The next guest adds another item or anything after that sentence starting from ‘B’. This game continues as the sentences keep on building. If a person is unable to add an item of the letter they get, they drop out. The guest who stays longest wins the game.

Caught In the Middle Game
The bridal shower game “Caught in the Middle” promises to bring loads of laughter and activity to the party. The game is quite simple. Everybody is made to sit in a circle, then a bag is provided to one guest. As the music plays on, the guest has to pass it over to the other guest. This passing goes on till the music continues. As soon as the music stops, the one with the bag in their hand gets caught in the middle. As a penalty, they are asked to perform a dance, an imitation, a mono act or anything. This bridal shower game adds excitement to the party. It also brings out the latent talent of every guest that gets caught in the middle.

Charades 
Charades is widely known and played all over the world. This game can be played anywhere and everywhere. The game involves intelligence and recognition power. There are two teams made out of the guests. One member of each team has to perform a mono act on the name of the actor or a movie given secretly to him. The guest only has to perform and not speak. The name of the character or the movie has to be guessed by his team. Within a time frame, if any team member guesses the correct name, his team gets a point. In the end the team with maximum points is declared as a winner.

These are just a few ideas for bridal shower games to help create a great mood for the bridal shower party. They can add excitement and joy to the whole party and are a good way to get everyone involved, as there will no doubt be guests who don’t know each other. So, get your party started with lots of bridal shower games.

Bridal Shower Countdown

The most important first lesson about having the best possible bridal shower is careful party planning. If your bridal shower is carefully planned, it will be not only more organized but a world of fun. Paying attention to details is what makes a great bridal shower. If you treat your bridal shower just like any other project, you have a good chance of making it a success. Proper planning is the most important first step to take toward a great bridal shower.

The following list can serve as a simple outline for your overall bridal shower planning. Follow the outline to help plan the bridal shower. Be sure to check or underline each completed task, so you can concentrate on the incomplete items. It is also helpful to use actual dates to meet your deadlines.

First steps

· The most important first step is to select the appropriate date and time. Be sure to check with the most important participants, and make sure the date works for everyone.
· Set your budget
· Select the place (A favorite restaurant is a great location, but a friends house works on a limited budget.)
· Prepare your guest list

Five to six weeks prior the bridal shower

· Select method of invitations (You can save money by sending e-invitations.)
· Make a decision about the shower theme

One month prior to the bridal shower date

· Send out the shower invitations
· Decide on food (Select caterer or restaurant if you wish to use one)
· Research bridal shower keepsake favors

Two weeks before the bridal shower

· Based on RSVPs from the invited bridal shower guests make final arrangements regarding food and other planned activities

Last minute preparations

· Contact caterer or restaurant (if you use one) to make sure they are ready for the shower party
· Put together any accessories you plan to use for the bridal shower
· Wrap gifts
· Make sure a video recorder and cameras are available to record the bridal shower

Bridal Shower Attire – What Are You Going to Wear?

If you have ever stood in front of your nicely stocked closet, had a number of discarded outfits beginning to pile up on the bed, and still had no clue what to wear to the occasion that you are already running late for, then you should know that you are not alone!  As a matter of fact, there is not one woman alive who cannot boast the same difficulty at one point or another.  Of course, the other reason why the outfits are piling up could be the fact that a well-meaning spouse or friend took one critical look at the ensemble you were wearing and simply remarked “you’re not wearing that, are you?”.

While this indecisiveness appears to be an epidemic for New Years Eve parties, the company holiday party, and other assorted celebrations of friends and families, thus far a bridal shower has not really ranked as an event that required a special kind of attire.  Nonetheless, don’t you wish somebody would have given you a hint as to what kind of dress would be appropriate? Perhaps it is time for this to change!  After all, you have spent a lot of time coming up with the perfect bridal shower theme, so why not go all the way and choose your bridal shower attire accordingly?

For example, if you are planning a bridal shower for your friend who will be going to Hawaii on her honeymoon, why not make the theme, as well as the attire, a Hawaiian celebration?  Guests could wear Hawaiian shirts, dresses, perhaps even grass skirts!  On the other hand, if the bride will be going surfing, why not dress in the height of California surfer fashion, complete with bleached blond wig and cut out surf board?  As you can see, the possibilities for bridal shower attire are truly endless and guests as well as the bride will be able to capitalize on the individuality of the bride, her planned honeymoon, or simply the interests her and the groom share. If you are more formally oriented, or if the shower will be held at a formal location, you may wish to stay with the conservative ensemble of a skirt and blouse, or perhaps a pair of dressy slacks and a nice blouse.  Depending on the kind of bridal shower you are planning for the bride to be, it is imperative to communicate the propriety of attire to the shower guests.  As a matter of fact, there are actually some commonly understood “buzz words” that get the point across without getting into too much detail.

If you will be having a fancy party at a luxury restaurant, please be sure to include on the invitation that the dress should be “cocktail attire.”  This signals to the invitee that this is the equivalent of a black tie affair, and she will know to get the little black dress off the hanger and pressed.  This is especially appropriate for exclusive restaurants or hotels.

If the party is not held at the ritziest place in town but a close second runner up, please be sure to specify “evening resort attire.”  This simply means an alternative to the little black dress, such as a nice conservative yet festive dress or skirt and blouse.

Once step down from this occasion would be “business casual” or “resort attire.” This is most appropriate if the party is held at the local country club. Shorts, skorts, and even short skirts are appropriate, if they are properly cut and fit well.  This is not the time for the bargain basement mini skirt!

As you can see, questions of fashionable attire are entirely appropriate when considering attending or hosting a bridal shower.  If you are fortunate enough to be hosting one, please take the guests’ guess work out of the equation, and instead let them know how to dress for the occasion! On the other hand, if you are on the guest list of a bridal shower, be sure to ask if there will be a dress code.  Most often you will be able to glean this bit of information when taking a look at the location of the event, but in case you are unfamiliar with the venue, a quick phone call to the hostess will clear up any questions and prevent embarrassing misunderstandings.

Planning a bridal shower is an intensive procedure, but getting the right combination of events will lead to a happy memory.

I hope that reading the above information was both enjoyable and educational for you. Your learning process should be ongoing; the more you understand about bridal showers, the more you will be able to share with others.

10 Exciting Bridal Shower Game Ideas

Have you ever wondered if what you know about Bridal Shower Game is accurate? Consider the following paragraphs and compare what you know to the latest info on Bridal Shower Game.

The bridal shower is an opportunity for the women in the future bride’s life to honor her with a simple luncheon or get together filled with good food, fun and games.  Many bridal showers feature a series of games that are not only a great deal of fun but also allow a bonding opportunity for all of the women at the party and sometimes serve the purpose of completing a task for the bride to be.

A game that encourages the participants to get to know each other is always a fun game with which to start the party.  One game you can play is known as the Name Tag Game which encourages guest to mingle with the other guests.  In this game, the hostess writes the name of each of the guests along with a word related to weddings such as veil, favors, groom, etc on a name tag.  The rules of the game are that you are not allowed to say the word on your name tag or else you lose your name tag to the person who got you to say the word.  If you acquire one or more additional name tags you are tasked with not saying any of the words on either your name tag or any of the other tags.  If you say the word on your tag, you have to relinquish it to the person who got you to say the word and if you say the word on one of the other tags, you also have to give that person the tag plus you have to introduce them to the person from whom you had acquired the tag.  There is usually a pre-determined time limit for this game and the person with the most tags when time runs out is the winner.

The Purse Game is another popular bridal shower idea.  This is a simple game where the hostess draws up a list of items likely to appear in a woman’s purse and assigns a point value to each item ranging from 1-5 depending on how unusual the item is.  For example car keys might be a 1 on the scale, a mirror a 3 and an eye lash curler a 5.  The hostess might also choose to allow 10 bonus points for the woman who can produce the most outrageous item from her purse.  The woman with the most points wins the game.  Another variation of this game is to have a list of items and call out the items one at a time.  The first woman to find each item and hand it to the person judging the game wins one point.  After the entire list has been completed, the woman with the most points is proclaimed the winner.

Another common bridal shower game is the Television Couple Game.  In this game the hostess will read out the first names of a television couple and the guests try to guess the last name of the couple.  A few examples clues along with the answers are George and Jane – Jetson, Al and Peg – Bundy, Ward and June – Cleaver.  One point could be awarded for each correct answer or a point system could be established to award more points to more obscure references.  This game is also sometimes called the Famous Couple Game and includes references to celebrities or political figures and their real spouses such as Bill and Hillary – Clinton.

Bridal Shower Bingo is another simple bridal shower game.  This game is played just like regular bingo except that instead of using letters and numbers for the spaces, each space is filled with a word or words that relate to weddings, love or marriage such as wedding dress, favors, eternal, true, rings, etc.  The host makes up the bingo cards ahead of time and puts a piece of paper with each word used on the cards into a large bowl.  During the game, the hostess will draw out a word and read it allowed and each participant will mark that square on their card.  The first person to complete an entire row, column or diagonal wins the game.

One bridal shower game that can be a real benefit to the bride to be is a simple drawing.  The hostess may purchase a few inexpensive gifts for the drawing and ask each participant to fill out an envelope with their name and address to enter the drawing.  The hostess then picks out a name for each prize.  This is a fun game because it offers the participants a chance to win a prize plus it really helps out the guest of honor because she can use the envelopes to send out her thank you cards after the party.

You can see that there's practical value in learning more about Bridal Shower Game. Can you think of ways to apply what's been covered so far?

The Who Am I Game is another bridal shower game that encourages guests to interact with each other.  In this game, the host prints out pictures of characters from romantic books or movies and tapes one character to the back of each guests so that other guests can see the picture but the person wearing the picture cannot.  The point of the game is to ask other guests questions where the answer is either yes or no to try to determine who is on the picture on your back.  At the end of the party, each guest takes a guess at who is depicted in the photo on their back.

The Wedding Jumble is another fun bridal shower game.  For this game the hostess will prepare a list of words related to a wedding day such as toast, limousine, receptions, and vows.  Next the hostess will scramble each word so that the letters are out of order and provide each guest with a copy of the scrambled words.  The guest will be given a set amount of time to unscramble the words and the person who unscrambles the most words wins.  If more than one person gets all of the words correct then the person who did so in the fastest time is the winner.

The Wedding Day Obstacle Course is another game that can really help out the bride.  In this amusing game each guest is timed individually on how fast they can complete a series of tasks such as wrapping a wedding favor, addressing envelopes, filling out a place card,  assembling a centerpiece, or whatever other projects the bride has in progress that can be incorporated into the game.  Not only is this a game that is both fun to watch and participate in but it also helps the bride to complete some of the tasks on her list.

The Bridal Shower Memory Game is also very popular.  The typical way to play this game is to have a tray filled with various household items.  Bring out the tray and allow the guests to study the items for a few minutes and then take the tray away and ask questions about the items such as, where the spoon was and what color was the spatula.  This game could also be modified to have one of the guests bring the tray out and then leave the room to take the tray away.  You could then catch the guests by surprise by asking questions about the person who carried the tray such as what color shirt were they wearing or on which finger was she wearing a ring instead of asking questions about the contents of the tray.

The Price is Right Game can also be a great deal of fun at bridal showers and can serve to benefit the bride as well.  For this game the hostess will purchase about 10 different items that will be useful for the couple such as towels, soap dispensers, household cleaners, etc. and have the guests try to guess the price of either all the items combined or each item individually.  This is not only a fun game but the bride also gets to keep the items which makes it useful for her.

All of these games are a lot of fun to play at a bridal shower and they encourage the guests to get to know each other in a casual atmosphere.  Some of these games even serve the purpose of helping to complete some of the bride’s last minute projects.  The fun of these games is that they help people to get to know each other better which is helpful especially if the bride and grooms’ families don’t know each other well.

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