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Showers can be traditional or even contemporary in style - coed, cocktail party or cookout. But the common theme is always "romance." Here are some tips to help you plan a memorable party for the bride-to-be.
Invitations
For the shower invitations, personalize the message using photos of the bride and groom. You can use photos from today or include photos from their childhood for extra nostalgia.
Decorations
- For shower décor, create a canopy of helium-filled balloons in the couple's wedding colors within the party room.
- Photos of the couple are a great way to personalize the party. Frame them and scatter them around the party room.
Or enlarge a photo of the couple and invite guests to write well wishes on the matte.
- Put together a slide-show video to share the couple's journey through photos of the bride and groom from birth to the present. Play the video at the party.
Games & Activities
During the party, play games to test and share information about the couple:
- Before the party, ask the bride and groom questions such as "who said I love you first?" and "what was the first meal you had together?" During the party, ask the couple the questions and see how their answers match.
- Give guests a list of multiple-choice questions about the couple. Then, have the couple answer the questions during the party and reward the guest who answers the most correctly.
Refreshments
- Serve romantic foods, such as baked Brie and croissant sandwiches, and drinks like pink champagne with maraschino cherries and punch.
- For dessert, offer petit fours, chocolate dipped strawberries, frosted ladyfingers and raspberry sherbet in champagne glasses.
Favors
Send guests home with a CD of romantic songs or the couple's favorite songs, or even a basket featuring a mini bottle of wine or juice, bread and cheese.
Penny Warner has more than 25 years of experience as an author and party planner. She has published more than 50 books, including 16 specific to parties. Additionally, Warner writes a weekly newspaper column on family life, penned a column for Sesame Street Parents magazine and has appeared on several regional and national TV morning programs. Her latest book, HOW TO HOST A KILLER PARTY, debuted in February 2010 from NAL/Penguin.
Balloon Time is the leading brand of consumer helium balloon kits in North America. Balloon Time kits feature a helium-filled tank, latex or foil balloons and ribbon, and are available at national retail chains, party goods and grocery stores nationwide.