Bridal Shower Themes

Are you searching for a unique shower idea for a friend or relative? There are many creative possibilities.

For starters, it's a good idea to match the shower to the bride. In other words, is she conservative and traditional, or more unconventional? Would she be happier with a small, intimate group of five, or thrilled with a room full of thirty? Either way, theme showers are popular and make planning the event much easier. With some imagination, you can throw a shower which will be remembered long after the wedding.

Ordinarily, showers are given a month or two prior to the wedding, but they can be up to six months before. Traditionally, the maid of honor has been financially responsible, but today there's room for flexibility on that issue. In order to keep the financial burden to a minimum, two or three people may host a shower together.

During the shower, one bridesmaid should keep track of which guest gave what present, and another should make sure cards stay with the right boxes. Thank-you notes will be simpler for the bride, if this is handled that day.

Here's a few ideas to consider:

Happy Memories Shower: This is a great event for close friends and family of the bride. It works best with a smaller group of 8-10 people. All guests are asked to bring old photos of the bride from her childhood or teen years. They should also bring a short anecdote or funny story in writing, recalling the happy times they've spent together. As each person shares their special memory, the photos and written material are placed in a decorated scrapbook for the bride as a keepsake.

International Flair: This shower has themes within a theme, as each guest is assigned a country and asked to bring gift items pertaining to their country. England could be a tea set, or selection of fine teas, for instance. Italy could be a pasta maker or an Italian cookbook. Refreshments can mirror the international flavor of the day with egg rolls, Scottish shortbread, pita bread, etc. The hostess can "assign" herself a country and decorate accordingly. Guests can make a game of guessing what country the gifts represent.