MaidofHonor.com

To Theme or Not to Theme

Theme showers can require more planning on the part of the maid of honor and can certainly make a difference in the gifts the bride receives.

If the bride is young and just starting out, a traditional shower with a registry of household basics may be what she exactly what she needs. This shower may also support the “princess complex” that many brides have, providing them the opportunity to be the center of attention of the traditional games and activities. She may have been to a dozen of these in her life thus far and been looking forward to her own just like it!

But if the bride and groom have been out on their own for a while, or older and combining existing households, a themed shower may be a perfect fit. The theme should reflect their lifestyle while also respecting the guests’ sensibilities.

Lingerie shower

If a bride comes from a conservative family, you don’t want to have her only shower be a lingerie party. If, however, you’re showering a bride away from home and someone else will be doing a traditional shower in her hometown, and she wants one, a lingerie party can be a real kick!

One friend’s shower featured a fabulous lingerie game. Each guest was asked to bring a pair of panties that somehow reflected the guest giving them or her relationship with the bride. The bride received panties with designs of her alma mater, various colors and designs, and even long johns and a bikini! This was a great party including mostly women of the bride’s own age, all of whom knew the bride quite well. Lingerie parties are not appropriate if elder members of the couple’s family are present, if there will be any men present, or if the attendees don’t all already know the bride well. Lingerie is a great gift for bachelorette parties, and should be saved for that occasion if the shower is a traditional one.

‘Round the Clock Shower

A fairly standard theme, and one that works well for most brides, is a “round the clock” theme. Each invitation indicates an hour of the day, and the guest is to purchase a gift the couple might use at that time of day.

This theme also provides party planners with more options for the decorations and menu, using whatever is handy to reflect different times of day. Have some fun with it! How about a breakfast-ish appetizer (muffin tray or mini quiches maybe?), a lunch-like main course (a favorite regional soup and salad?), and a favorite late-night-snack for desert!

The ‘Round the Clock shower can be done without a bridal registry, which is great for those brides personally uncomfortable registering for gifts (and yes, they’re out there). Guests, on the other hand, may or may not appreciate having to get creative in coming up with a gift for their appointed hour. When opening gifts, the bride can work her way through the gifts chronologically, providing a fun structure for what some find to be an awkward process.

Couples Shower

Established couples may enjoy a “couples shower,” a kind of party that indeed benefits from a theme. While men may be miserable at a traditional shower, they can enjoy one with an entertainment, bar, or hobbies theme:

A “stock the bar” shower is fun, but could be more expensive for the hosts as there will be more people present and they’ll be expecting drinks to be provided. Where there’s drinking, there really needs to be substantial food. Make it a barbeque, and if it’s casual party, make it “BYOB .. and one for the B&G!” At least you’re less likely to have to pay for a catered affair if you can do a casual party at someone’s home. While traditionally bridal showers are not held at the home of a family member, this shower idea is far enough from tradition to work around that rule, too.
For an entertainment shower, invite guests to share an activity they enjoy with the couple. This can include things such as board games, movies, music, or tickets for various kinds of events.
Inviting guests to support or suggest hobbies for the couple can result in a wide variety of gifts and encourage a lot of interaction among guests as they discuss various hobbies.

Any of these themes can incorporate a registry, but they are not necessary. Couples parties also provide an opportunity for the spouses and significant others of the bridal party to meet and mingle in advance of the wedding.

Next.......Planning The Party