“Love is Brewing” Teapot Timer in Classic Retro Gift Package

Everyone has hobbies, whether it is reading, drawing, playing games, or fishing, everyone has something that they like to do; couples are no exception to this. One couple may enjoy a hobby where they can be together, such as dancing, and another couple may enjoy a hobby where they are not together…why not create a theme that relates to the couple’s hobbies for a shower?

Invitations can be very creative for this type of theme. Say the bride to be enjoys horses and cooking…the groom enjoys carpentry and video games. The invitations could be shaped like mixing bowls and inside the envelope could be some sawdust. Whatever your imagination comes up with that relates to the couple’s hobby will work.

Gifts for the shower can center around the theme too! If the couple registered on websites for their items, then get a specialty item that relates to the theme. Food could be simple for this type of theme…finger foods shaped as part of the couple’s hobbies would be nice. You could have a cake that has the couple’s hobbies together…the bride to be likes to cook, so you could have a picture or drawing of kitchen items…the groom likes carpentry so you could have a picture or drawing of carpentry items. The possibilities for this are endless, as are the games that could be played at this shower….

Hobbies are fun and relaxing, so why not enjoy your hobby with friends and family?

Hibiscus Favor Boxes filled with White Chocolate Hearts

Ah Summer…a time where the weather is warm and people go to the beach, when school is out, and when showers are all around. Have you ever wondered what summer feels like in the Amazon or Rainforest? Well find out with an exotic summer theme!

Invitations could be printed on a white or off-white paper and have the words in bright, tropical colors or you could have vines or flowers for a border around the invitation.

The basis for the theme is nature, so have the shower outdoors, if possible. Decorate the area with bright centerpieces, bamboo, tropical flowers, anything that sets the mood. Guest can dress in colors that fit the theme, such as a tropical shirt or flowery dress, or you could have the guest dress in plain or pale colors and have the bride (and groom if it’s a co-ed theme) in a color that fits the theme.

For food, you could have exotic foods, such as mangos, kiwi, or pineapples as part of your shower or you could have it catered by someone who prepares exotic dishes. The cake could have bright frosting or you could have tropical frosting flowers on the cake. For games, you could have a tropical treasure hunt or a bingo game with tropical bird names.

If you want to feel as if you’re in the Amazon or Rainforest, then try this theme!

Set of 4 “Be Seated” Victorian Chair Tea-Light Place Card/ Photo Holders

The Victorian Era refers to when Queen Victoria, who had the longest reign in British history, ruled over the British people…during her reign, economic, political, and cultural, among other things, prospered. Women’s clothing during this time was elegant…gowns trimmed with lace, ribbons, and frills…feathered hats and gloves…the times when women were a vision of elegance and grace. Recreate this time period by having a Victorian theme…

Use Victorian colors such as soft pinks, dusty roses, ivory and creams, and soft blues…the space could be decorated with flower vases filled with roses and miniature roses, snapdragons, morning glory, as well as ivy. If possible, replace existing furniture with rattan and wicker furniture for a more authentic look…also you could have flowered or lace tablecloths covering the tables. Invitations could be made with the colors of that era with lace for the edges or elegantly embroidered with miniature pearls.

Guest can wear Victorian era like clothing, such as a feathered wide rim hat or an accessory or two that reflects that time period. Food that could be served could be finger sandwiches, hot and cold teas, and miniature bridal cakes, just to name a few…for entertainment, guest can play games such as “The Laughing Game,” “I’ve Been to Market” or “Hot Boiled Beans”…if some of the guest play piano, they could play something for the bride-to-be. Goodie bags for the guest could be filled with items such as a small milk bar soap, bubble bath, and bags of herbal tea.

The Victorian Era may have passed many years ago but by creating this theme, you can bring it back and feel as if you were living during that elegant time…

“Sweet Treats” Glass Sundae Candle in Ice Cream Parlor Gift Box (Set of Four)

Everyone loves to sit and talk about something, whether it’s about their job or whether they’re reminiscing of the past, especially when there’s a shower….and you know everyone loves to have goodies as they do this, such as coffee with cake or ice cream. Have you ever thought about a “Sunday” shower? It’s a shower with a sweet twist…

Have a bridal shower outside with your normal opening of the presents but instead of having normal games such as “Who knows the bride the best?”, why not add a “make your own Sunday” section to the shower….have a Chocolate fountain, fondue, chocolate covered strawberries, things like that at the shower.

In one section of the party, add in a place for the guest to make their own sundaes…you could give out prizes for “Best tasting”, “Best looking”, “Best presentation”, whatever you want…guest love things like this. The prizes could be photo ops, gift cards, or you could buy gifts for prizes.

It’s a nice way for everyone to do something together, have a wonderful time, and have something to eat along with good conversations.

White Hand Pearled Alecon Lace Guest Book and Pen Set

Tea parties have changed over the past several years…in the days of the 1800’s women wore long lacy dresses, beautiful bright jewels, and showy hats…the tea parties of today are nothing like they were then, so why not recreate the tea parties of the olden days by hosting an “Old Lace” party.

Get your guest excited about this shower by sending Victorian-style invitations wrapped in a lace handkerchief modeled after the calling cards of 1800s society…a simple white card with the affianced’s name in gold on one side and a handwritten request in fountain pen on the reverse. Make the message concise and alluring but convince the recipient to come to a formal tea in old lace at a date and time and location given. Request everyone bring a copy of a wedding photo from their parents or grandparents as a gift for the bride.

If this is a secret surprise, say so, and ask the ladies to leave things behind that might break the illusion, like cell phones, pets, or children, if possible. The hostess should include her name and number and an offer to answer additional questions by phone.

The basic plan for the party is for the group to sit around large tables talking and laughing while having a fancy tea party with friends and family. Pick a nice space for the event and decorate it with all the grandmotherly formal niceties you can think of… lace tablecloths, fancy napkins, nice centerpiece, china, silver, and crystal. It could be a provincial English High Tea, a hearty Scottish tea, a precise Japanese tea ceremony or even a coffee klatch….you can have biscuit cookies, little cakes and fresh fruits at the party…if you need kitchen helpers, costume them as the assistant/butler/maid and ask that they stay in role for the entire party.

Incorporate low-volume music appropriate to the mood and fresh flowers and prepare a small memento for the guests. Buy a flowery scrapbook to display engagement announcements and letters of congrats to the bride, setting aside a section for a guestbook of the event and another for the thank you notes expected afterward. Add additional pages ahead of time if you have relevant pictures or souvenirs, or just create chapters in this book of love like “First Date” or “The Proposal.”

There are many variations to this type of shower that you can do, but whatever you decide you will feel as if you were living during the 1800’s.

Cowboy Boot Place Card Holders (Set of 3)

Wished you lived in the Midwest? Do pictures of the Great Lakes relax you? Do you like natural settings? How about a Midwest theme?

Invitations could have Great Lakes and Prairie motifs, complete with white pine, cattails, and whitetail deer flora and fauna with the font on the invitations reflecting the ‘Bread Basket of the World’ moniker of the Midwest… special winter invitations for the winter weddings would include deep snow, ice skaters, and falling snow. The room could be decorated with corn shucks, Great Lakes fish nets, maple leaves, and white pine boughs.

Dessert could be whipped cream and Jello with plenty of Midwestern fruit like apples, pears, blueberries and grapes. The napkins would be textured burlap, in the bride’s favorite color…if possible, have the plates and silverware the same color too.

The party games could reflect the curious yet laid back character of the Midwest…playing an updated pin the tail on the favorite pet of the bride to be could be the party starter with a red bandanna as the blindfold.

Party favors for guest could be white pine seedlings, zucchini seeds, and some Hershey’s kisses, which are all favorite Midwest products…also, you could have small potpourri sachets in pine and maple scents that would have a ribbon in the bride’s favorite color or colors.

You’ll forget you’re at a bridal shower with this theme…you’ll think you’re at a Midwest barbecue with all your friends and family.

Personalized Eco-Friendly Wildflower Bridal Shower Favor Bags

Want a beautiful bridal shower and help save the earth at the same time? How about a “green” bridal shower?

Invitations can be made by using recycled paper….there’s a paper that’s called a “seed” paper that you can decorate and plant after the shower is complete. You can serve organic or free ranged food and serve organic champagne. Everyone can show up on bikes or if possible rent a biodiesel limo. Gifts can have the “green” theme also… you can make something from recycled materials or you can purchase recycled, organic, or energy-saving gifts. If you’re wondering where to have this shower you could have it at a park or a farm.

There are so many possibilities for having a “green” bridal shower and the best part is that you will be saving the Earth at the same time.

Save the Date Vines Magnets

You hear it daily, whether you’re watching television or listening to the radio…some famous couple has split or hooked up. With the way media is today, somehow, someway, you will find out about a famous couple’s engagement, marriage, and most of the time, their divorce. How about a famous couple’s theme, where you can be “famous” for a day?

The theme works better as co-ed (but does not have to be) as guest could come dressed as a famous person like Angelina Jolie or as a couple like Tommy Lee and Pam Anderson…this could include historical figures also.

The invitations are flexible and should convey the humorous aspect of the party to follow and include a description of the festivities, since this is an idea that people might not be familiar with.

Food choices can be flexible depending on the attitude of the couple or you could have the food catered.

There are many activities that you could have at this type of shower…voting on topics such as “Best Couple that gets along,” “Worst Couple,” “Best Costumes,” etc… Also, another humorous activity that you can include is the couples giving advice as their characters such as “Hillary” warning the bride to keep an eye on her husband around interns. You could have trivia contest, where a list of facts about a celebrity are revealed slowly, as the guests take turns guessing who the famous couple is.

There are many possibilities with this theme. Having this theme gives everyone the chance to celebrate a wonderful occasion and be famous for a day, even if the person they are portraying has been married and divorced more than fifteen times…

Personalized Bridal Shower-Themed Gourmet-Chocolate Disc Tins

Does the bride-to-be already have everything and really needs nothing? Do they love to cook? Here’s an idea…have a cooking bridal shower!

Try to find attachments to accessories that the bride-to-be already has, such as an ice-cream maker for a Kitchen-Aid mixer or something different, like ornate pie pans from a different country.

Give the bride recipes of your favorite dish along with your gift…you can put the recipe on a 3×5 index card, decorate the card, and attach it to your gift. Even better, if you can get a scrapbook with waterproof pages, you can put the recipes in the book for the bride along with a picture of yourself along with the gift.

The bride will love this type of shower…she will have different recipes to try, attachments to create these wonderful dishes, and will remember all those who were with her for her special day.

“The Music of Love” Brass Instruments Place Card/Photo Holders (Set of 3)

Do you remember your first concert? When you hear a song from your favorite band, does it bring back memories? Wouldn’t it be cool to have your shower at a concert? Whether you enjoy classical or rock music, a concert theme would definitely get your feet tapping…

You could make the invites to look like tickets…maybe even rip them and give the stub for guests to keep. For décor, you could make album covers with the couple’s picture with funny song names like “Hey Scott you’re so fine you’re so fine you blow my mind.” Also you can buy records at thrift stores to either hang, post, or use under center pieces or cassette tapes and pull the tape out for decoration on tables or hanging, or a pack of CDs from office depot would be a good way to decorate. You could even put up props to represent songs and have the guest guess (like a red rose for “every rose has its thorn” or a glass of red wine for “red red wine”).

The party games could be a “dance off” or an old fashioned 80s “dance war” with the bride and groom as the judges or teach an old 80s dance to the guests (then they could do it at the wedding . And what would a concert be without singing? Buy or rent a karaoke machine and write up a list of song titles or famous lyrics and have the guest make a story with those lines on the list. For food you could make guitar shaped cookies, “pop” corn, Ritz crackers and cheese to make records. Depending on your budget you could even make concert Tee shirts.

Everyone will enjoy the festivities…it’ll bring back memories and definitely create new ones.