The Patio Expert Pages

The bridal shower invites should reflect the theme and tone of the party. If it will be formal, the invitation should echo this. A more casual affair will require a more casual invitation. Bridal invitations should be mailed to her, with another copy or two reserved for her scrapbook. The bridal shower is usually a welcome break for most brides who have been under a lot of stress from the wedding planning. It is a time to be with friends and to have fun. There are games, good food, prizes, and of course, gifts!

One thing which frequently occurs at these events are bridal shower games. Among the possibilities are "Finish this Phrase." A simple example would start with one person opening with the phrase "A fool and his money..." The guest who is first to reply "...are soon parted" would get the victory. Gather the most victories, and you win the game. The game is much more enjoyable if cliches are avoided, and replaced with comments about the host, bride or guests.

Another entertaining shower game that puts the bride on the spot is the "How Well Do You Know Your Hubby" game. Guests should brainstorm 20 to 30 questions to interrogate the bride about their future groom before the game begins. Nothing is off-limits. You can ask, "What is his favorite dinner?" or something more personal like "Boxers or briefs?" For every incorrect answer, the bride must put another piece of gum in her mouth. If she's got particularly bad luck with this game and gets a lot of wrong answers, she might end up with a wad of gum in her mouth that leaves everyone laughing!

A list of time-honored bridal shower games would never be complete without a mention of clothespin games. One way to play is simply to pick a wedding-related word that will probably come up many times in conversation such as "married," "dress," or "bride." Each player gets 3 to 5 clothespins when they arrive, and every time someone catches someone else using the word, they can take one of their clothespins At the end of the shower, the guest with the most clothespins wins.

If you have a very active group that knows most everyone else, then "Rate the Advice" may be a good choice. Have everyone anonymously write down advice about any aspect of the wedding, wedding night, or married life. Have everyone rank each piece of advice on a 1-10 scale, and tally them up. Awards could be given to both the highest ranked woman, and the lowest if you want to include more prizes.

No matter what games are chosen, if they encourage people to talk, joke, and have a good time in general, it will be a success. The bridal shower games can range from simple word games to highly interactive games and icebreakers, and everyone will enjoy them. Perhaps a great closing "game" would be to ask everyone for their best wishes or advice and record a CD or DVD to present at the wedding.