I'm hosting a bridal shower

[Gusteau]

Feel free to ignore my man opinion.

The tea light jelly bean vases strike me as something that would collect dust or be thrown away. The less permanent stuff you send people away with is usually for the better.

Something cool you might think about adding to the wine basket is a wine deck. It's basically a deck of cards with different kinds of wine with facts, origins, mood pairings, etc. on the back. Someoe hgave me one a few years ago, and I use it all the time.

/man opinion

[agzg]

Originally Posted by Gusteau

Feel free to ignore my man opinion.

The tea light jelly bean vases strike me as something that would collect dust or be thrown away. The less permanent stuff you send people away with is usually for the better.

Something cool you might think about adding to the wine basket is a wine deck. It's basically a deck of cards with different kinds of wine with facts, origins, mood pairings, etc. on the back. Someoe hgave me one a few years ago, and I use it all the time.

/man opinion

Yeah, those are going to be little centerpieces so I'm not really concerned with whether or not they're useful after the fact - folks that want them can take them but since I'm only making 10 of each it's not like everyone will get one sent home with them.

I'll look into the wine deck.

Originally Posted by ElieM

My favourite shower game is the peg game - you give every guest a couple of clotherspegs to wear on their clothes, and then ban a couple of words for the afternoon, i.e. "bride", "wedding" and maybe the bride's name. If someone says a banned word, whoever calls them out on it gets to take a peg. The person with the most pegs at the end wins.

It makes people get creative - talk about the upcoming "nuptials" or the like, and is a great ice breaker

No offense, but I hate this game with a purple passion. I always end up hurting myself on the clothespin and to be honest I think it has a chilling effect on conversation (plus people get really freaking obnoxious about it).

Originally Posted by christiangirl

I just barely remember my sister's bridal shower but one thing I do remember was a game of fun facts about the couple. The person who got the most right wins. It led to lots of funny stories when people get the answer wrong: "No no he proposed at the park! Oh he was so nervous, let me tell you about it..."

The only thing to be careful of is to pick questions that aren't common knowledge. Like "Guess her first thought when she saw him." instead of the basic "Where did they meet?" If they are just factual questions, then whoever is closest to the bride is a shoo-in to win. That's what happened at that shower--I won because she was my sister so I knew where they met, where he proposed, etc.

I think I can work on something like this, maybe a combo of this, and below.

Originally Posted by sceniczip

We did something similar to this at my friend's shower. Her best friend asked her fiance all these different questions like "Do you prefer lake or mountain?" And then at the bridal shower friend had to answer them. For each one she got wrong, she had to put a large marshmallow in her mouth but couldn't chew or swallow. It was really funny trying to get her to talk with her mouth stuffed full of marshmallows Some of the questions were harder and some were easier.

Originally Posted by Shellfish

I was at a shower recently, and one of the games was really pretty great: One person thinks of a word relating to weddings or marriage that starts with an A; then the next person repeats that word and adds a word beginning with B, and the third person repeats the A and B words and thinks of one beginning with C. You work your way around the room and through the alphabet (returning to A again if you get through Z). If a person messes up any of the words that preceded her or can't think of a word for her letter, she's out. The last person standing is the winner.

This sounds exceedingly difficult.

ETA: Are four games too much for a shower with 40ish people at it that's 2 hours long? I want to leave plenty of time for chit chat and food and gifts, just not sure how many games to have (or how long they will take).

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by agzg

No offense, but I hate this game with a purple passion. I always end up hurting myself on the clothespin and to be honest I think it has a chilling effect on conversation (plus people get really freaking obnoxious about it).

Yeah, I've played that game at baby showers and I think it's lame.

The showers I've attended have been low on the games. The most recent one I went to consisted of a cocktail hour, then lunch, then one interactive game (a trivia game about the couple), and the prizes for 1st, 2nd, and 3rd were gift cards. Then the bride opened her presents, we oohed and ahhed and left. There were about 30 people at that shower. The favor for that one was a cookie cutter related to the wedding's location (it's a destination wedding).

[Munchkin03]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

Okay, so I can say that I dislike games at gatherings, including bridal shower games and baby shower games. My friends whose showers I have hosted are not into all of the games and other traditional things that happen at bridal and baby showers. Neither am I. Therefore, when I host their showers, and when the decision is only up to me, I allow one game that is not a typical shower game OR I don't do any games so that people can eat, mingle, and shower the person/people with gifts and attention. To me, having games is almost like saying people don't know how to have fun together without games.

Yeah, I dislike the games as well. Inevitably, the women who like to host showers chock full of games are annoying and bossy. The trivia game at the shower in April was like, 10 minutes tops. There was a sheet on everyone's place setting with the questions.

[ASTalumna06]

If you want to cut down on games and only play one or two - any more than this could be overkill for a 2 hour party - I would suggest handing everyone a designated number of raffle tickets (maybe 3) when they walk in the door, and the prize for a game would be an additional raffle ticket.

I honestly hate showers of any kind and avoid them at all costs. But if I have to attend, I enjoy breaking things up with a fun game. I just wouldn't have them take up most of the time of the party.

[ComradesTrue]

A little late to the game, but 2 cents from a veteran of what seems like over a hundred bridal/baby showers.

Yes, four games is too many, especially with that many guests and 2 hours. I would suggest just one, with the possibility of a second that can be whipped out if there seems to be a party lull. However, if it is a 2 hour party, you can pretty much expect things to go like this:

First 15-20 minutes after official start time: people are still arriving, saying hello, putting purses in bedroom, placing gifts whereever they go.

Next 20 minutes: people are making their way through the food/drink line. Again, with that many guest, this will take a while.

Next 15-20 minutes: people will finish eating

Next 15-20 minutes: Game 1

Next 30 minutes: presents. Will prob take even longer with 40 guests. One minute per present would not be unusual.

At this point you are 90-110 minutes in. People will want their drinks refreshed, a little chit chat at the end, gift baskets, etc.

If things move along quickly, then you can bring out Game 2 after gifts.

Good luck and enjoy! Designate someone ahead of time (preferably not a hostess or a first degree relative) to take lots of pictures for the bride. The hostesses will be way too busy keeping out the food/keeping drinks refreshed/introducing people/answering the door/etc. to get too many pics, and the relatives will want to enjoy.

PS- Love the gift basket idea and really like the raffle aspect of it.

[christiangirl]

Originally Posted by DrPhil

LOL. I'm attending a bridal shower this Saturday. I hope they break things up with some wine.

LOLLLL