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Tuesday 2 November 2010
Throwing a Bridal Shower for the Young and Old - Easy Boredom-Free Ideas
The truth is that if you're a woman, there's a good chance that at one point or another you have been invited to a bridal shower that left you scratching your head or ready to gnaw off your arm just to get out of the room. Remember the dreaded bridal shower game of dressing up one or more of the ladies in the room with a mock wedding dress made from toilet paper?
Or perhaps you are more familiar with the embarrassing questionnaire that the guests were to fill out, only then to have to stand up and read answers to questions you wouldn't even spell out in the Sunday confessional. Perhaps it is for this reason that bridal showers have become a bit of a bad reputation, and why so many invitees are sending their regrets and a gift certificate. Fortunately there is a movement underfoot to breathe some new life into the borderline dead radition of the bridal shower that has so many women roll their eyes at the thought of actually attending.
The times of embarrassing games and activities are coming to an end and instead new and improved activities ensure that the bride still receives her shower, guests still bring lots of presents to help the new couple start out their life together in style, and games are still being played - but with new twists! Follow these easy tips and you too will be able to throw a bridal shower for a young or more seasoned bride with easy boredom-free ideas!
Decide on a theme and run with it. Just because presents are involved, this should not make everything else about the occasion melt into the background. Instead, you may wish to contact your local jewelry sales lady, candle gal, or make up aficionado and see if their companies offer some kind of party package. Most of them do, and this will go a long way to allow the girls to sample some make up, try on some jewelry, and sniff the soothing smells of sweet candle wax.
You may want to serve some finger foods so that nobody will be stuck in the kitchen, and everyone will be able to participate. Maybe a student masseuse could be hired for a couple of hours to give foot massages or a student cosmetologist for manicures and pedicures. Food should be kept simple if at all possible. Nobody should be in the kitchen cooking, heating up, or assembling, while at the same time a mess for the hostess should be avoided altogether. A good idea is the potluck, or if you have the funds, have some finger foods catered.
Gourmet cheeses and crackers, some wine, canapes, petit fours, crab cakes and grilled vegetable foccacias make for a wonderful spread that is easily put together and does not require much in terms of reheating. Advice is a big part of the party. Especially if the bride is walking down the isle for the first time, many well-meaning ladies have oodles of ideas and tips on how to keep the marriage blissful. Usually a book is sent around to capture those pearls of wisdom, but how about trying a new twist? Instead of putting together a book, why not all each guest to write out their advice on a piece of parchment paper and then affix it to a bottle of wine. Both the wine and the advice can then be enjoyed together by the married couple and make for great conversation starters.
If the bride or groom happens to be teetotalers, the paper can easily be affixed to chocolate bars or any other food or drink item the couple will be able to enjoy together. So go ahead and allow yourself to enjoy the celebration of the bridal shower again. Revel in the changes, and allow your ideas to roam free, and no longer feel the obligation to follow in the footsteps of boring old games that are long past their prime. Have fun with the shower and during the shower! The bride will thank you for years to come for the thoughtful afternoon or evening you put together for her.
The Bridal Shower Center [http://www.focusdot.com] offers great ideas for making the most out of your next bridal shower, with informative articles from a variety of authors and tips for great bridal shower gifts [http://www.focusdot.com/bridalshowersarticles/gettinggoofyhowtogivegreatbridalshowergaggifts.html].
Bridal Shower Activities - And The Best Bridal Shower Games
So, you either volunteered to have the wedding shower, or you were elected by your friends. So what kinds of things can you plan for the bridal shower to keep everyone busy for a while?
Food always works. Even if your budget is small, you can plan to have some food. Typically, the minimum food to serve at a wedding shower would be a cake, nuts, maybe some mints, and a nice punch, coffee, and maybe tea. If you cannot afford to supply food for several guests, one way to have a nice buffet, is to ask all the guests to bring a dish. It is nice, if when sending out the bridal shower invitations, you include this information. You can send a separately typed note that you insert into the invitation, asking that all guests bring a dish. You can even request a particular item from a guest. You could type up something like the following:
Dear Guest,
Please bring one of your favorite dishes to the bridal shower. We would like to have a tasty buffet,
so we are asking that everyone bring a dish. You are asked to bring some kind of salad. It can be
a Jello salad, green salad, mixed bean salad, potato salad, or whatever kind of salad you feel
would compliment our buffet.
Along with the dish, please bring several copies of the recipe. We will be leaving copies out for
anyone who might want one. The bride-to-be will be given a copy of each recipe brought to the
shower!
Drinks, plates, utensils, condiments, etc., will be provided.
Please R.S.V.P., to Jane, at phone number: 111-111-1111, by Saturday, June 12.
Thank you, and be sure to come hungry!
Sincerely,
Susan
Or, you could have catered food, if your budget is not something to worry about. Food allows everyone to enjoy some time to sit and get to know each other. If nothing else, they can usually enjoy talking about the food.
The other thing besides food, to occupy everyone for a while, should be some shower games. There are many kinds of games available. You can purchase game pads, with ideas, at places like gift shops. You can print games and game information from the internet. Most games are easy to set up by yourself. Following is a list of some games that are fun, will get everyone talking to each other, and won't cost very much.
First, you will need a list of some items you will need at the bridal shower if you plan to play games. Don't forget the following:
Note paper
Pencils and/or pens
Small prizes or gifts
One note about the prizes; many people like to purchase more gifts for the bride-to-be, instead of giving the prizes to the guests. Others would rather that the guests receive the prizes that they win. This is personal preference. But say you would like to purchase more gifts for the bride-to-be, and, you are having a kitchen themed bridal shower. You might want to purchase gifts like kitchen towels, potholders, kitchen decorations, etc. On the other hand, if you are purchasing gifts for the guests, you might want to purchase items that are more generic, like candles, chocolate, etc. If you plan to give the prizes to the bride-to-be, you may want to be sure all the guests have been informed of this before you begin playing games.
Here are some games you may want to explore for your bridal shower.
The Gift Basket Game: For this game, place about 20 items into a basket. Let's stay with the kitchen themed wedding shower here, so you would want to put all kitchen items into the basket. Things like utensils, potholder, kitchen towel, packets of sweetener, etc. You let everyone view the items in the basket for thirty seconds. Then, have each guest make a list of all the items they can remember from the basket. The person with the largest, correct list, wins the prize.
Bridal Word-Scramble Game: Give all the guests some paper and a pencil or pen. Have them write the bride-to-be's full wedded name across the top of their page. Give them five minutes to see how many words they can make from her name. The guest with the most correct answers wins.
Wedding Advice Game: Have everyone write down two or three pieces of advice for the bride-to-be. Have each person sign their sheet. Then collect all the sheets, and save them for the bride-to-be. These can be added to a scrapbook that is made about her bridal shower too!
Who Am I Game: Pin the name of a famous person on the back of each guest. They have to find out who they are by asking questions to the other guests. Set a rule before you start, for example, the tenth person to figure out who they are wins the prize. This will cause a lot of interaction and fun. You can stay with the theme for this also. If you are having the kitchen themed shower, you could use names like: Emeril Lagasse, Rachael Ray, Paula Deen, etc. Be sure to throw in a couple of names that have nothing to do with food!
The Can't Do or Say Game: The hostess gives each guest a clothes pin when they come to the shower. Let the guests know, that there are three words than no one can say during the bridal shower. For example, "bride", "wedding", and "groom". Then, if someone hears another guest use one of the words, they can take their pin. The person at the end with the most pins wins. Another variation of this game can be, to let the guests know that no one can cross their legs at the ankles. Then, if a guest catches someone crossing their legs like this, they take their pin. Again, the person with the most pins will win.
Famous Couples Game: Prior to the day of the shower, make some lists of names, which will be half of a famous couple. For example, you list the names: Popeye, George Bush, Angelina Jolie, etc. Make a list of about fifteen to twenty couples. Then, have the guests complete the list by entering the other half of the famous couples name. For this list, they would enter: Olive Oil, Laura Bush, Brad Pit, etc. The person with the most correct answers wins. Be prepared for a tie. You may want to have extra names for a tie breaker!
How Well Do You Know the Bride Game: This is a fun game to see how much each guest knows about the bride-to-be. Make a list of ten to twenty questions about the bride. Ask the guests the questions, one by one, and let them write down their answers. The person who answers the most questions correctly wins a small prize. Make up your own questions, or use the examples listed below:
What is the Bride-to-be's favorite color?
What is the Bride-to-be's middle name?
What's the bride-to-be's shoe size?
What was the bride-to-be's first job?
What's the color of the bride-to-be's eyes?
What's the bride-to-be's favorite band or solo singer?
What's the bride-to-be's favorite TV show?
What's the name of her favorite film?
What's the name of her favorite book?
What's the name of the bride-to-be's favorite shop?
What's the bride-to-be's favorite food?
What's the name of the bride-to-be's favorite actor?
What's the name of the bride and grooms favorite restaurant?
What month of the year did she meet the groom?
Herbs and Spices Game: This is a fun game too. Using paper cups, place an herb or spice into each one. Cover with paper or foil, mark each cup with a number, and punch a small hole into the covering. Have each guest sniff the cup, then write the name of the herb or spice, identifying it by its number on the cup. Whoever gets the most answers correct, wins.
Bridal Shower Bingo Game: This is a fun game but takes a little more planning and organization to play. You will need to print out some Bridal Shower Bingo cards. (You can find these on the internet for free.) You will also need a list of the words that are on these cards. Cut up the list of words so that they can be pulled from a hat or a bag. Give each guest a card. The cards will have words which are associated with weddings, romance, gifts, etc. The hostess usually acts as the bingo caller, and pulls the pieces of paper with the words printed on them, from a hat, or a dish, or a bag. Then she calls out the word. When a guest has the word on her card, she marks it off with a pencil or pen. The first guest to mark off a line, horizontally, vertically, or corner-to-corner, calls out "Bingo" and wins that game.
The Bridal Shower Raffle Game: At the end of the game session, have each person write their name on a piece of paper, and place all the names in a basket. Have the bride-to-be pull out a name. You can give away a small gift, or the table centerpiece!
Other than games, there are still activities you can plan for the bridal shower. First on that list of course, is opening gifts. Be sure to allow enough time after games so the bride-to-be can take her time and enjoy each gift.
Another nice activity for the wedding shower that most people don't think about, is if the hostess, or the maid-of-honor, or the mother of the bride-to-be, puts together a video of the bride-to-be's life, up to the present. It can be a fun way for guests to remember things about her, and it can be very sentimental for the bride. A person's life changes so much when they marry, that it is fun to have a "documentary" of life before marriage, with the bride-to-be as the star, with her friends and family all there with her. If someone is good with a PC, a CD can easily be made from home videos or from still photos. If the CD is made from photos, it can be set to music. If you don't know anyone that can do it for you, ask around. Many people know other people who do this on the side, as a hobby. If you still can't find anyone, look in the phone book for people or small businesses that make CD's, call around, and then, check on line. You will most certainly be able to find someone to do this and it is a great way to make it a day to remember for the bride-to-be!
Give a great wedding shower and have fun!
For planning, organizing, and giving the perfect bridal shower, visit: http://www.BridalShowerThings.com
Need Ideas for Bridal Shower Games?
The bridal shower game you choose should add to your guests' enjoyment. Bridal shower games help to get the conversation flowing, and make guests feel relaxed. The number of activities used will depend on the length of the shower, and sometimes the type. For instance, a sit-down meal will keep your guests occupied for a longer period of time than simple snacks. Generally speaking, two to four games is plenty.
Are there any main rules to follow?
Consider the ages of your guests. Then, choose appropriately. Never make anyone feel uncomfortable. Keep it light and simple. Try to do something that includes everyone.
*** Have a favorite bridal shower game? Share it!
What kind of games are there? There are all type of activities. Some have questions and answers. Some require active participation like Charades or dancing, while others are sedentary. Some theme based ideas use props. You need to consider the atmosphere you're trying to create and whether you are trying to coordinate with a particular theme.
? Bridal Shower Games AtoZ is a great source for over 40 printable games, including themes, that you can download immediately. You can print as many as you need. This is a fast convenient way to organize this area of your planning. Use as is, or personalize the words and headlines, as an extra special touch.
? Bridal Bingo: Guests are given a bridal shower bingo game template upon arrival. The spaces may be preprinted with wedding related words, or gift choices.
? Bridal gift bingo is played as the bride opens her gifts. She announces each one, and the guests check their cards. You can have them fill one row or the whole card to win.
If you are using wedding related words, it is played like regular bingo, with the spaces being filled on each guest's card as the word is called.
? Who Really Knows the Bride? Prepare 10-15 questions ahead of time, that relate to the bride. For example, what is her favorite food, color, movie, book, etc. The guest wih the most correct answers wins.
? Bridal Shower Scramble: Mix up twenty words associated with brides, and have guests unscramble them. For example, church could be "urcchh", and groom could be "oomrg". The guest who unscrambles all the words first, wins.
? Who's That Girl? Have the bride leave the room, then ask specific questions about her. What type of shoes was she wearing? Did she have a sweater on? Was anything in her hair? Be creative. It sounds simple, but many guests will have been busy chatting, and will have to give some real thought to the answers. The guest with the most correct, wins.
Make sure to visit Diva Girl Parties and Stuff for fun, interactive and relationship-building games and activities to add lasting memories to your next bridal shower.
Are you planning a couples shower?
? Read about coed bridal shower activities.
Prizes given are usually decided by the host. There can be one or more prizes awarded per game, depending on the number of guests and type of activity being played.Prizes that coordinate with the theme are also a great Bridal Shower Idea.
? Do you need some wedding shower prize ideas?
This is a fun way to add personality to your party.
Monday 1 November 2010
Fishing Tackle Salt Water Fishing Sports
Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.
Sorry, I could not read the content fromt this page.Bridal Shower Games Liven Up a Party!
Are you hosting the bridal shower and want to really liven it up? There are some hysterical bridal shower games that you should definitely take a look at. Some of these games are for mature audiences so be careful if your old Aunt Sophie is attending. You know what? Never mind. She probably knows more than all of us combined!
A great way to get the party started is to get your guests involved in the party fun as soon as they walk in the door. The perfect way to do this is to hand out the Helpful Hints cards! Do you remember way back when every kitchen had a recipe box? These cards are kind of like a recipe for a happy marriage. Each guest writes down a "hint" or advice for the couple. This is definitely not only a fun way to start the party, but will also be a treasured keepsake for the couple in years to come.
Instead of the bridal shower bingo that every one plays at the party, how about a contest to see who can navigate and complete the heart maze first? Each guest is given a card and a pencil and gets ready to go when the whistle blows. The first guest through the maze heart wins! You can give the winner a heart bridal shower favor as the prize.
Trivia! Who doesn't love to test their knowledge with trivia? This fun bridal shower game is contains 52 questions about wedding customs, relationships, etiquette and more. A sample question is what is the cost of a wedding? (Do we really want to know? It's the price of a good down payment on a house).
Looking to spice up the night? Then the bachelorette's naughty scramble game is perfect. Your guests will have a blast unscrambling these naughty words. The guest that figures out the most words wins. Make it a double contest with each guest voting on the guest they think will the game. Come on - we all know one of us is a little bit more knowledgeable than the rest of us! Which one of you is it?
Another great risqué game for a bachelorette party with some real scratch off party fun. This party game is all about the sheet on the handsome bachelor. Give a card to each guest as they arrive at the party for some hard core party fun. The guest that scratches off the sheet to reveal the "jewels" wins. Now this is a game I'd really enjoy playing.
No matter which type of party you plan to have - calm or rowdy - selecting a few fun bridal shower games will definitely put the fun into the party. Enjoy yourself.
Denise Sanger is the owner of BuyWeddingFavorsOnline.com which has a diverse catalog of Bridal Shower Favors and Bridal Shower Games along with a library of party planning resources.
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