Planning A Bridal Shower
By by Laurie Cohen
Planning a Planning a By Laurie Cohen, Former Owner, Kreative Parties, Inc. Are you planning a but want to make it a bit different than the usual shower? . Throwing a is a tradition that is met with both dread and excitement. A Bridal shower is one of those parties that are fun and practical at the same time. But the underlying reason for a is that it's a nice occasion for the close family and friends of the bride to spend relaxed time with her before the big wedding day. A is commonly hosted by the maid-of-honor and bridesmaids or friends and family of the bride or groom. The custom of the a is said to have grown out of earlier dowry practices when a poor woman's family might not have the money to provide a dowry for her, or when a father refused to give his daughter her dowry because he did not approve of the marriage. Another custom is to help the new couple set up a home, or to help the bride get together a trousseau. The Bridal shower is what kicks off the wedding festivities and it is important that just the right one is chosen. In future articles, you'll quickly discover some of the best ideas, concepts, and themes that are guaranteed to have you hosting a once-in-a-lifetime, special event that the bride will never forget. Planning The bride has probably been stressed from all of the planning, and the shower gives her some much needed time to unwind with her friends. The bride is the princess of the day, so be sure that in your planning you don't do anything that will make her feel uncomfortable. Unless you feel it's mandatory to surprise the bride, involve her in the planning. In order to take some stress off of the people involved in the planning of the party, you may choose a location that caters and also has beverages available for the guests. Try to pick a central location for everyone. Begin with the basics, such as planning the guest list, selecting the time and the date, as well as choosing a location. Location The location is important when having a Bridal shower. If the location will be a venue that is a particular size or that needs reservations, make sure to get the reservations as soon as possible to ensure the shower location. Once the location is decided, it is important to choose the date and time for the bridal shower. Be sure to consult the bride before deciding upon a location. A country club where one of the hostesses is a member is an ideal location. The Club Manager and Catering Manager are highly trained in planning your event and their job is to please the member and her guests. They can help you select the theme, décor, food and every other part of the shower. Theme A Bridal-shower theme is a way of designing a party around a certain subject, time in history, or part of the world. themes are as varied as the brides themselves and add a specific ambiance to the party. A theme often makes the rest of the shower planning easier because invitations, decorations, and favors can all be coordinated to fit the theme. . Whether the theme is part of the wedding or unique event that the bride's friends put together, a theme creates inspiration and a more magical environment. There are so many themes from which to choose. Some of the most popular are: kitchen shower, exotic locale, the bride's favorite pastime, using the bride's heritage, plan a shower with her favorite ethnic foods. Stock the Bar: If you're throwing a couple wedding shower, a popular theme is stock the pantry. Pajamas Theme: Have guests arrive in the evening dressed in their PJ's. A Halloween themed can be a fun and inventive way to celebrate the bride-to-be, as long as the event doesn't scare her away from the altar. Bridal Showers can be given with just about any theme under the sun. Another potential theme is a lingerie party. One cute idea for a theme is the "around-the-clock" party. The beach bridal shower theme is a widely popular one because of the year round availability of terrific decorations and the party atmosphere suggested by anything Hawaiian. For a garden bridal shower theme, you can go casual or dressy. All it takes to come up with a great theme is a little imagination and a lot of enthusiasm. Invitations When you're trying to come up with a unique invitation idea, you can drive yourself crazy, but remember the invitation is the first impression of your bridal shower party. The first thing you will want to ask yourself when you are thinking about a unique invitation is, 'What is the theme of the shower. The theme is very important when you're deciding what kind of invitations to send. For example, if the theme of the bridal shower is a 'Cinderella story,' you can come up with a really unique invitation that coincides with the theme. The first thing you will want to ask yourself when you are thinking about a unique invitation is, 'What is the theme of the shower. The theme is very important when you're deciding what kind of invitations to send. For example, if the theme of the is a 'Cinderella story,' you can come up with a really unique invitation that coincides with the theme. Be sure to plan your and order your bridal shower invitations at least 8-12 weeks in advance. If you have many out of town guests attending you may want to mail the invitations as early as 6 weeks in advance so everyone is sure to reserve the date for your party so that they can attend. invitations should not only invite your guests to the event, they should contain clear instructions on the location of the shower, any theme that is being used for the and an RSVP card that can help you determine the number of guests attending you can expect at the bridal shower. You can always find an approach that will fit your budget from basic one layer bridal invitations all the way up to more expensive and higher quality layered approaches. Paying attention to the little details when it comes to invitations can make a nice statement with your guests and provide them with an elegant keepsake of the Bridal shower. Decorations or Centerpieces A Hollywood theme is a fun idea any time of year. Dessert Theme a dessert theme is great for an afternoon or evening shower. The basic premise of the Around the Clock theme is simple. A Halloween theme is a fun way to celebrate the bride and her impending nuptials while showering her with tricks and treats that will last far longer than one scary night. This theme is perfect during the movie awards show season between January and March, or there are a few sprinkled through the summer, like the MTV Movie Awards and Tony Awards in June. Another potential bridal shower theme is a lingerie party. One cute idea for a theme is the "around-the- clock" party. The beach theme is a widely popular one because of the year round availability of terrific decorations and the party atmosphere suggested by anything Hawaiian. Theme for the a popular theme is "Pampering