Sep 17 2007
I hate (most) bridal showers.
I’m not a friend of the traditional bridal shower. The mere rumor of one being held in my social circle makes me break out in a sweat of dread and dismay. It’s not that I dislike hanging with my pals or that I don’t want to celebrate the bride. (I love my friends and family. Honest.)
What drives me away are those god-awful games. I hate them. Passionately. I think most are embarrassing/dumb/boring. They do not equate fun to me no matter how much I love the bride. And I’m one who loves be silly and who adores kitschy things! There’s just something about showers that I. don’t. get.
And I know I’m not alone. There have been grumblings in my circle about this very topic over the years and I get many requests from DIY Bride readers every year for suggestions on fun showers that don’t dumb it down.
Some ideas I’ve gathered over the years:
- Wine and chocolate tastings
- Spa-theme (at-home spa afternoon or a trip to a day spa for all)
- Stock-the-bar shower for the couple
- Craft day (invite the guests to participate in a crafty activity like a scrapbook for the couple, for example)
- “Small bites” dinner party where everyone brings a fun, exotic dish plus the printed recipe for the couple to include in their recipe collection.
- Casino night. Play poker, offer prizes, serve pub grub … great for a couples shower or even for girls only.
I’d like to elicit from you, my DIYers, some ideas for shower ideas that don’t suck. What are some fun, sophisticated, hip shower themes/activities that don’t involve purse raids or bingo?
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I hate them too!!! That dang toilet paper dress game is the WORST. I almost fear saying that in the field we’re in!
This isn’t a game, but for my sister’s shower, I had everyone write their address on the thank you note envelopes and then used those for door prize drawings. Everyone was SO relieved they didn’t have to play games and still excited that there were gift giveaways. We also did Old Navy flip-flops as the favors for each guest ($2.50/pair, except I got them on sale for $2). Cheaper than a candy buffet or the like and practical. I had everyone rsvp with their shoe size.
I HATE shower games with a passion. They are impersonal, or overly personal, and usually make me feel like I am about 12. an awkward 12.
However! I went to a shower a couple of years ago where the hosts had us to this:
every table got a piece of lined paper and copies of the same six photographs of the couple over the years. One of them dressed as mummies for Halloween, a picture of them at a baseball game, chopping down a Christmas tree, etc… then the tables had to come up with story that went along with the pictures & could order the pictures however they wanted. It was great, because the tables got to know eachother and at least one person at the table felt comfortable talking when we read them out loud. They were hysterical stories. My table won and we got bottles of wine.
I really like cooking demo showers. I work with a couple of personal chefs here in Paris who will come to the hostesses home and lead the group in preparing a 3 course meal. Afterwards, the group gets to eat their creations! A little more sophisticated than the cotton ball game…
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I begged my mom not to give me a bridal shower but she insists. So my way of avoiding the embarassing moment where my 60-year-old aunts give me frilly lingerie we decided to host a “garden party”. Since I have all the kitchenware I need, I’m registering at Home Depot or Lowe’s and everyone must bring things to contribute to my new garden. We’re giving bonus prizes to anyone that actually brings potting soil or fertilizer!
i hosted a friend’s bridal shower at a little tea room. we had afternoon tea, another friend who was selling jewelry for the bride (so she could get the bridesmaids necklaces) came, and set up a table where we all got to wear very pretty, extravagent pieces… and we played a few mad lib games and took polaroids with the guests to put in a scrap book style guest book. she loved it, and it was lovely- not corny at all!
Some bridal shower games are stupid. My idea is to have a sports related bridal shower. I figured, since the wedding usually revolves around the bride, why not have a bridal shower revolve around the groom? So, we’re going to send out ticket-like invitations. The cake will be some sort of sport thing. Everyone is invited to wear attire of their favorite sports team. We will be playing sports related games, not the normal cheesy games. I think it will be a fun twist on things.
Just have lunch and talk to each other. Novel concept.