Throwing a bridal shower for a friend or family member can be one of the most exciting parties you’ll ever plan. Part of the excitement of a modern bridal shower is choosing a perfect theme. You can structure the entire shower around a theme from the invitations and the decorations to the food and the gifts. There are so many themes to choose from, though, that it can be hard to pick. Here are just a few suggestions.

One exciting theme idea that is both elegant and sophisticated is a tea party theme. This theme starts with the invitations. You want to go with something that makes you think of a tea party. Try a heavy weight paper and an embossed seal for the best touch. Have your guests bring gifts for the bride that reflect a tea party. Tea, packaged foods like scones, tea cups, and tea pots are just a few ideas. Be sure to do tea related favors as well. You can go as simple as some designer tea bags or you can have some tea strainers engraved for about four dollars each from various wedding favor websites. When you get ready to serve the food, try doing things like finger sandwiches, petite fours, and scones. You will also want to have several tea selections for your guests.

Another great theme idea is a calendar shower. The idea behind this theme is that each guest will be assigned a month. They will purchase a gift that fits with that month. For example, if a guest were assigned December, she might bring an “Our First Christmas” ornament with some other Christmas decorations. Your invitations could be tiny desktop calendars with pictures. You could send the right month to the right guest. You could also use calendars to decorate the room. Moreover, try creating tablecloths from calendar pages. Use seasonal decorations, cornucopias and such, as your centerpieces.

You could also have a gift basket theme. Each guest would bring some sort of gift basket for the bride. You could even assign a specific genre for their gift basket to fit. For example, you could have one guest bring a bathroom gift basket filled with towels, soaps, and other bathroom essentials. For your invitations, create an invitation in the shape of a basket or cut out pictures of baskets to work with the invitations. Use baskets to decorate everywhere. Place a large basket next to the bride to hold her gifts. Serve snacks in lined baskets. Buy small baskets and fill them with scented candles or candies to give a wedding shower favors.

Another classic theme is a lingerie shower. You need to carefully consider who will be attending the party before you plan this one, though. For example, this probably isn’t the shower for you if the bride’s great-grandmother will be attending. For your invitations, find a picture of lacy underwear or an attractive nightgown. Use this picture as a pattern to create some lacy invitations on heavy cotton based paper. Your decorations scheme should be flower based. Try to purchase flowers that fit with the bride’s wedding colors. Tie bunches of them with lace. Send scented drawer sachets with your guests as wedding shower favors.

A memories shower is also a fun idea. You will want your guests, in addition to a related gift; bring pictures and other items that can be assembled into an album for the bride. In fact, a good invitation idea for this shower is to find a picture of the bride as a child, and use it as the invitation’s background. Have it scanned into your computer, or place the invitation information on the back of the photo. Decorate your shower location with pictures of the bride and groom as well as memorabilia from their childhoods like school achievements awards and such.

The clock shower is becoming an increasingly popular idea. Each guest will be assigned a time of day. They will bring a gift that works with that time of day. For example, if a guest were assigned morning, perhaps they would bring towels or a coffee maker. You can use a picture of a clock as you invitation. Have it set to the time the guest is supposed to use for gift bringing. You could also decorate your shower location with clocks. Tiny clocks would make great wedding shower favors for this theme idea.

A sixth shower theme idea is a by the pound shower. The idea behind this theme is that each guest will bring a pound of something for a gift. For example, they might bring a pound of coffee for the kitchen. This great idea has many decoration possibilities. Scales of all types should be placed around the shower location. Your invitation could be a picture of scales, as well. As a take home gift, give the guests a pound of candy.

One final shower theme idea is a gift certificate shower. Each guest will either bring a real or a homemade gift certificate to give to the bride. For example, someone could bring a gift certificate for a local restaurant or a gift certificate to mow the bride and groom’s lawn after the wedding. You can make your invitation out in gift certificate style, and you can decorate your shower location with silly homemade gift certificates.

Having a themed shower makes for a fun event the bride can look back on with pride.

 

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