Planning a bridal shower can be a bit intimidating! You want to give the bride – perhaps your sister, best friend, or cousin – a great day to remember. But, where to start?
Here are three ways Hitch can help:
- Decorations (centerpieces, backdrop for cute photos, room décor, etc.)
- Hosting and planning (food, venue, cake, etc.)
- Shower invitations (help with wording, printing, designing, mailing, etc.)
South Dakota brides often end up being showered with multiple bridal showers. There could be one with her college girlfriends at a local restaurant, another at her church full of relatives, and one in the groom’s hometown at the Legion Hall.
Shower Theme Ideas
So, what’s the best way to make your shower unique? We love themed-showers. This can be a fun way to make each event special and a theme can provide guests with gift-giving ideas.
Here are a few shower theme ideas:
- Gardening and Canning: Ask guests to bring gifts for a bride with a green thumb. Seed packets and homemade jam make wonderful party favors.
- Couples shower: It’s not just for the girls! Invite couples and opt for man-friendly gifts – toolboxes, power tools, garden hoses, camping/outdoor equipment and flashlights!
- Stock our liquor cabinet shower: Speaking of couples showers, how about each guest bringing a bottle of liquor for the couple’s future entertaining! Or a wine swap includes guests bringing two bottles of wine – one for the engaged couple, and one to trade with another guest(s) at the party! Playing games are a fun way for this “trade” to happen. And everyone leaves with a parting gift.
- Ticket shower: Have a friend that loves to go to the movies and doesn’t need any new dishes or towels? A ticket shower is a fun theme; gift-giving ideas include tickets of all kinds: movie, sporting events, or concerts. What about a movie theme? Here is a great movie shower game idea!
- Traditional Shower: If the bride is truly in need of home goods such as dishes, towels and home décor items – feel free to host a traditional shower. You can still create a beautiful theme based on the colors and décor you choose. Some ideas include:
- Sending a different letter of the alphabet in with each guest’s shower invitation and the gifts they bring need to start with that letter! Gifts are so creative and fun that way.
- A time-of-the-day/around the clock shower is another idea. Each guest is assigned a different time of the day in her invitation. Guests shower the bride with gifts that she might use during that time of day! It can get fun and interesting.
- Lingerie: There’s a time and a place for everything. Among the right crowd of girlfriends (probably not moms, aunts, or mother-in-laws), showering the bride with beautiful lingerie is a great idea. Plus, the invitations & cookies can be adorable!
If you’re planning the shower, be sure to coordinate with the bride on dates, times and your creative theme ideas. The goal is to give her a special day and gifts she’ll use as she starts the next chapter of her life! Decorating can be so much if you tie it in with any of these themes as well.
Visit RealSimple.com to find a helpful checklist for planning your bridal shower.
Visit StyleMePretty to see even more shower ideas, including painting parties, sprinkle themes, build-a-bouquet day, and even puppy parties.
Also check out these 20 creative theme ideas from lover.ly! They include garden parties, patio parties, 50s vintage parties, bookworm parties and even cookbook/recipe card party themes!
Midwest Shower Traditions
If you are hosting a shower for a bride in her new hometown, be sure to update her on the expectations and traditions of the community.
At Hitch, we specialize in Midwestern wedding etiquette and we have seen first-hand how unique each community or family can be when it comes to traditional events like a bridal shower.
In rural communities in South Dakota, showers can often be open-invitation with a small ad placed in the local paper. As the host, it’s your job to introduce the bride to any members of the community that she may not know. It is necessary to send traditional invitations to any family members or friends who live outside of the community and don’t receive the local paper. Invitations can also be a keepsake, so sending them in addition to an ad in the paper can also be a great idea.
Another common tradition is passing the gifts and cards – make sure your bride is prepared for this tradition as well as any friends or out-of-town guests. You wouldn’t want to write a deeply personal note in the card because every woman in town is going to see your personal message. Keep the card simple & make sure you write something everyone can see!
Don’t forget the games! Click here to see some not-so-cheesy ones. It’s a great way for guests to get to know the bride better and they serve as ice-breakers for guests who may not know each other.
Contact Us Today
There are many more etiquette tips and decorating ideas we can help with. Please set up a consultation with us to start planning a bridal shower or designing a custom invitation. We are located in Downtown Brookings and we would love to meet with you!
Bonus! Here are some bachelorette party games that aren’t lame! And here are some bridal shower games that can be personalized!