PARTY PERIPHERALS: BRIDAL SHOWERS PART II

Last week I began discussing bridal shower elements with a focus on themes, venues, timing and guest list. This week, I'll take it a step further and center on games, host duties, special touches, and favors.

Let the Games Begin

While games are not mandatory at a bridal shower, they can often be great ice-breakers, especially if many of the guests don't know each other. Below are a few ideas to get the party started:

• CLOTHESPIN GAME: Each guest receives three clothespins when they arrive to the party along with a list of words that cannot be said. Generally these words have to do with the couple, their honeymoon destination, weddings in general...you get the idea. Anytime someone catches a guest saying one of the forbidden words, she takes a clothespin from the culprit. Whoever has the most pins at the end of the shower wins a prize.

• MEMORY: Place 15-20 wedding related items on a tray and cover them with a lace napkin. Possible items would be a garter, wedding cake topper, rose petals, clear nail polish, or a votive candle. Place the tray in the center of your guests, and without telling them what the game is, uncover the tray for two minutes. Place the napkin back on the tray and ask the guests to write down as many items as they can remember. The person with the most recalled items wins a prize.

• AGE RANGE: Arrange several numbered pictures of the bride at different stages of her life on a board and provide pens and paper for the guests. Party-goers will attempt to guess her age in each picture. Additional points can be given if the answer includes where she was in the picture as well. This game can be played throughout the shower while guests are mingling.

• WORD PLAY: Give each guest a sheet containing the word "bridal" written vertically down the left margin with the word "shower" directly across from it on the right side. Once the timer begins (no longer than 5 minutes), the participants try to form words using each pair of letters as the beginning and end of the word. For example, the first word could be BouquetS. The second word could be RelinquisH. The longest word for each line is awarded one point, and if it pertains directly to a wedding or shower, the word is worth 2 points.

• PARTY POPPER: Place a strip of paper each containing a different message inside a balloon, blow it up, and tie it. Have each guest try to pop the balloon in any way they can. One strip of paper has the bride's name on it, but the rest of the strips have "Sorry, Try Again" messages. The guest who pops the balloon with the bride's name in it wins.

• WEDDING CHARADES OR PICTIONARY: Create cards with wedding related words before the shower. Have everyone take a card and try to act out or draw the word. Guests can be divided into teams.
  

Host Duties
The host duties do not just end with the planning of the party and sending out of the invitations. It's important for the host to greet all the guests, introduce them to others, and make everyone feel welcomed. The host should also take the lead when it comes to initiating the games. When it comes time for the bride to open gifts, the host should take charge of writing down each gift and its giver so the bride can easily write thank you notes in the near future. She should also delegate duties to others, most likely bridesmaids. Someone should be in charge of disposing of the wrapping paper while another person takes the reigns as the official repackaging queen...making sure all the gifts are put back in their respective boxes.

Special Touches

• SCRAPBOOK: There are two ways to present a scrapbook to the bride. Guests can send a memento to one of the bridesmaids from the past relating to the bride, i.e. a photo, ticket stub, or receipt, along with a written description of the item. The bridesmaid can then compile everything into a scrapbook. Another way to create the book is to give a page to each shower guest and have them personally decorate it with memorabilia. The pages are then assembled into the scrapbook.
  

• RECIPE BOX: Have each guest contribute a favorite recipe for the bride-to-be on a card. If the shower is a pot luck, it could be the recipe for whatever dish the guest brought. Each recipe is then put into a cute recipe box and is then presented to the bride.

• ADDY ADVANTAGE: As each guest enters the party, have her write her return address on an envelope. After the bride has opened her presents, stationary with the self-addressed envelopes are given to her, making her thank you card writing process that much easier.

• HONEYMOON TALK: As the bride opens her gifts, have a bridesmaid secretly write down the bride's verbal reactions to each present she opens. At the end of the gift-giving session, read aloud the comments as though they were what the bride would say the night of her honeymoon.
  

• BOW BOUQUET: Save all the bows and ribbons from the gifts and make them into a bouquet. Traditionally this crafty bundle of faux flowers is used as the bridal bouquet the night of the rehearsal.
  

Party Favors
Guests should never leave the shower empty-handed. It is important to show appreciation by giving a token. Suggestions are listed below:

• Candle
• Candy or Chocolate
• Baked Goods
• Picture Frame
• Small Book
• Gourmet Tea or Coffee
  
• Stationary
• Bath Soap, Bubble Bath, or Bath Crystals
• Flowers
• Hand and Body Lotion
  

Once the last gift is opened, the final game played, and all the commemorative favors have been relinquished, sit back, relax, and look forward to the bachelorette party!

*Photo Credit www.gcdspa.com/cardsfavors.jpg