Bridal showers are a way to showcase the care and creativity of the individuals the bride-to-be has invited into her wedding party. These gals usually know the bride best, her dreams, her passions, her likes and quirky or sentimental side. There's no better time to let this knowledge and love for her show than in carrying out her bridal shower.
Here are five ideas that you can use to create a personalized bridal shower, each with a unique way to serve your party food:
Nature Lover Bridal Shower
This theme works well indoors or out, depending on weather and time of year. Purchase several plastic outdoor bird baths to use as the foundation for the party. Use them in different locations — like serving stations — to get guests mingling and talking. Serve small hors d'oeuvres, finger sandwiches, chips and pretzels, salads or other appetizers, like fruit kebabs from the bird baths. Use small tables to elevate the baths for variety, but be sure they are stable.
Flower arrangements can also be placed in the bird baths or in small tin garden buckets to decorate. Use faux ivy vines to twine around the pedestals. Of course, the bridal cake will take the spotlight when displayed prominently in one of the bird baths. Be sure to place one at the door (or wherever guests will be exiting) and fill it with favors. Bird seed favors are a fun touch that guests can then bring to toss on the newly-married couple at the wedding.
Inexpensive "Spa" Day Bridal Shower
Purchase several inexpensive plastic kiddie pools, locate them throughout the yard and fill with water. Drag those folding chairs from storage or borrow from the neighbors and place four chairs around each pool. Fill small plastic containers (one for each guest) from your local discount or craft store with the following:
- washcloth or hand towel
- pumice brush or stone
- foot cream
- nail file
Keep one pool empty and as guests arrive, have them place their gifts in the empty pool. The give each guest a container and have them take a seat by one of the filled pools. Have them remove their shoes and soak their feet to relax.
Have soft or gentle music playing and keep the blender going with fruit smoothies or whatever beverage you'll be serving. Stay on the light side with finger foods: slices of melon, cubed cheeses, bite-size quiches, and cucumber slices topped with thinly-shaved prosciutto all served on clean white trays with edible orchid blooms among the selections.
"Flower Child" Bridal Shower
This is a great idea to get guests interacting with each other. Set up several small tables (card table size) and drape with cloths. On each table have ready a vase, garden scissors, and an assortment of stemmed flowers, grasses or branches.
Divide guests into teams of 3 or 4, depending on the number of attendees at the party. Give them 5 to 10 minutes, timed, to create the most beautiful wedding day arrangement. Arrangements will be judged by the bride-to-be. Party favors of small bud vases with roses can be awarded to winning team members.
Use a new, clean plastic watering can to serve and pour punch or lemonade as the featured beverage.
Be-Jeweled and Bling Bridal Shower
This is another party idea to help conversation along and make impromptu gifts for the bride-to-be.
Buy pre-packaged jewelry kits online or at your local crafts store in the colors, beads and styles that your bride-to-be loves (many simple designs sell between $5 to $10), and can be assembled in about 30 minutes.
Give a kit to each guest, or have them work in tandem, to assemble the jewelry as part of the party. The bride-to-be will have great, personalized jewelry to take on her honeymoon — a different piece for every day!
Use small glass bowls in jewel-tone colors for your serving dishes.
Pirate's Booty Bridal Shower
For anyone who loves the beach, this is a great party for all ages.
Borrowing from the Spa Day idea, use a small plastic or inflatable kiddie pool (4-ftx4-ft is ideal) filled with sand. You'll need 10-12 50-lb bags of sand to fill it nicely (about $35). If you already have a sand box in the yard, there will be no set-up cost.
Have a preplanned bridal shower gift list made up and include one item in each invitation; these should be items the bride needs to get her household set up (kitchen gadgets, cleaning items, small appliances like timers or alarm clocks, etc.) Ask guests to wrap the items well, and when they arrive have them bury their gifts in the sand fully. Keep items small for this idea to work well. Give each guest a colorful party lei to wear — these come into play during the party.
Serve snacks in brightly-colored plastic beach buckets, using the sand shovels as serving spoons, which you can find at your local discount store. If you're doing this theme during the off season, be sure to plan ahead and buy these items while they are available.
Use plastic coconut cups for drinks while the bride-to-be digs for her buried treasure. As she finds items, she gets to guess who brought it, but only one guess. If she guesses correctly, she gets to take the lei from the guest to wear herself. See how many she can guess correctly, while a bridal party member keeps track on paper, until all gifts are accounted for.
Click to read the article "Elegant Wedding Cakes".
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