Creative Bridal Shower Themes

The main reason for throwing a wedding shower in the first place is to help prepare the bride, and the groom, for the beginning of their new lives together. Wedding showers serve as the perfect event for friends and family to provide the happy couple with the appropriate accessories and items they will need in their home. However, the venue to which this will all take place can be enhanced with bridal shower themes and party tips to help make the wedding shower almost as memorable at the wedding itself.

Best Laid Plans

Some useful tips for throwing the most memorable bridal shower include the timing, hosting, venue, guest list and theme. It is important to consider the timing as it is considered normal to throw a shower about two months prior to the wedding as the bride may have several showers to attend. Most of the time, the bridesmaids all come together to plan the wedding shower, but mostly the maid of honor will plan the event and pay for the festivities.

When choosing the location of the shower it should cater to the personality of the bride. Such locations may include a formal event hall, a botanical garden, hotel suite or private home. The guest list could depend on who is throwing the shower, for example the bride's boss may throw a shower consisting of co-workers or a sorority sister may throw a party inviting all college friends. The bride may experience many different showers with many different people and themes.

Popular Bridal Shower Themes

Whatever the idea behind the festivities, it is important to consider the personalities of the bride and groom. Their hobbies and backgrounds should be used to cater to their needs. Some popular bridal shower themes include:

- Lingerie showers: One of the most popular bridal shower themes is the Lingerie Shower. Have guests come dressed in their pajamas, serve food that would resemble that of a slumber party and of course every guest brings lingerie as a gift.

- Honeymoon showers: If it is a honeymoon shower, have the theme of the party resemble the location of the honeymoon with food served in that particular area. For example, if the couple is going to Hawaii, create a luau and have guests bring gifts such as sun screen, sun glasses, beach towels and bathing suits. If the couple is going somewhere in Europe, have guests bring gifts such as travel journals, cameras, alarm clocks, translation booklets and serve food reflecting the culture of the country being visited.

- Making Memories showers: For a making memories shower, popular gift ideas include picture frames, photo albums and scrap books. Close friends of the bride and groom can bring framed pictures of the happy couple to help decorate their new home. The bride's and groom's favorite food can be served to enhance the personalized theme on behalf of the couple.

- Spa showers: The spa shower includes the bride and guests meeting at a local day spa or bringing a mobile spa to the shower venue to treat everyone to massages, manicures and facials. Gifts can include nail polish, at home manicure and pedicure sets, at home facial products, towels and flip flops. Food served can include chocolate covered strawberries and champagne.

- Kitchen Showers: Another one of the popular bridal shower themes is the kitchen shower. Guests bring kitchen and cookware items for the bride to stock her kitchen. For food purposes, this party is treated as a potluck as shower guests often bring over homemade dishes and recipes for the bride to use.

- Stock the Bar Showers: This type of event is also another great couples bridal shower theme. Guests can bring various types of beer, wine and liquor. Glassware, blenders and other bar equipment is also good. It goes without saying that the party will include various cocktails and spirits chosen among the bride's favorite drinking pleasures.