Elegant Personalized Dupioni Silk Cosmetic Bags

You close your eyes and hear the music…thump thump thump from the sound of the drum…you hear the sweet sound of a lute and the slight sound of finger cymbals. You open your eyes and you see beautiful colored fabrics surrounding you and the dancing of belly dancers. You swear you’re in Arabia but you’re not…you’re at your bridal shower. If this seems too good to be true, it’s not with an Arabian Nights theme…

Invitations for this theme are bright colors, such as fuchsia, gold, and burnt orange…you could have simple invitations in the colors described or you could go fancy and use a scroll as an invitation. You can decorate with silk drapes, sheer curtains, and hanging lanterns…you want a bohemian, in another country feel to the room.

Food could be traditional items found at a shower…finger sandwiches, veggies, fruit, cakes, etc. or you could have Arabian food, such as Kabsa (meat mixed with rice), Arabic bread, and Ataif (small pancakes filled with nuts or cheese and doused with syrup). Games could be played, such as bingo and stump the bride…for entertainment, you could have a belly dancer and after the performance, the belly dancer teaches the bride to be and guest how to belly dance.

If you enjoy the colors, dance, and atmosphere of Arabia and have always wanted to go, then try this theme.

“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?

“Circle of Friendship” Personalized Bracelet with Swarovski Crystals

Do you remember when you were a child and you dreamt about your wedding day? What you would wear? What your prince charming would look like? Do you remember the games you played as a child? Bridal showers are a time when friends and family get together to celebrate the bride-to-be’s upcoming marriage…everyone has a chance to reflect on the past and prepare for the future of the big day. Although you can’t be a child again, you can enjoy the fun and games of a child by having a “circle of children” theme.

This shower works for a woman with lots of friends who have children or younger siblings. The invitations for the party could read something like this:  “Come one, come all, and bring all the children you know.  Children are the VIPs of this party, and only their gifts will be opened.  We look forward to seeing you, playing games, singing songs, and opening gifts.”

If possible, have your shower outside at a park, in the backyard, somewhere where there is a lot of space, especially if you know there will be a lot of children. Make a circle and have each child enter the “circle” holding a beautifully wrapped gift.  Only children holding gifts can be part of the circle and only gifts presented by children can actually be opened by the bride to be. Music is played for a game of musical chairs or whatever game you would like; whichever child is left then gives his gift to the bride to be and she opens it. This continues until all the children have won and presented their gifts and all gifts have been opened.

Food could be little sandwiches on trays, along with cookies and milk, fruit, veggie, or meat trays or anything that you would like.

Try this theme if you would like to do something different that includes the “little people” in your life.

Eiffel Tower Personalized Mint Tin

How many women do you know that love the color pink?  That love poodles? That would love to go to Paris? Why not give that special someone the best of it all…”Pink Poodles in Paris” shower theme?

Since the color of the theme is pink, invitations should be no exception…try finding all-pink invitations if possible to help the theme along. If you could make your invitations, you could have a picture of the Eiffel Tower with a pink border around the picture.

You could have pink streamers and balloons for decorations with sparkles to represent nightfall in Paris, pink lemonade or juice for drinks, pink cookies or regular cookies with pink icing, a pink cake, anything that you can think of that will go with the theme. Also, you could have French food, such as croissants, mini bagels, ladyfingers, etc. Games of any sort could be played and prized could be stuffed poodles (pink optional) or you could have manicures and pedicures and have your nails painted pink.

If you like pink, poodles, and Paris, this theme is for you!

“Double Happiness” Asian-Themed Favor Box with Metallic-Gold Symbol and Bow (Set of 24)

Bridals showers aren’t just for brides anymore. Why not throw a couples shower with an Asian theme?

Start with a quick trip to your local Chinatown or some clever online shopping will bag you a boat load of clever decorating stuff without breaking the bank. Start with a package of red good luck money bags for your invitations. Snag some paper lanterns, peacock festooned paper parasols and some snazzy ‘double happiness’ paper garlands for decorations. Hunt out a few blue and white chinoisere ceramic pots for centerpieces. Curly good luck bamboo mixed with white roses look elegant and sophisticated. Or go for a few glass bowls with a gold fish swimming inside for good luck.

Keep it fun and simple. If the weather’s nice, have the party outside. loop those paper lanterns on a string of white Christmast tree lights and cover the patio table with red and white. Your guests will feel like they’ve stepped onto a garden along the Perfume River. Have beer, wine and soft drinks on hand but come up with one signature cocktail for the occassion. How about greeting your guests with an ice cold sake-tini or whip up a signature punch and serve it up in tiki-style glasses with fun fruit and flower garnishes. Don’t forget to have a few bottles of sparkling wine on hand for a toast.

Don’t do a sit down meal. Buffet style is great with a mix of homemade treats and delicacies from your favorite Chinese restaurant. Avoid anything that needs a knife and fork. Dim Sum are fun finger food. Pick a few favorites like shrimp dumplings, egg rolls sliced to bite sized pieces and steamed barbecued pork sticky buns. Whip up a Chinese chicken salad or a cold asian noodle salad and serve it up in Chinese food paper take-out boxes. Give your guests a pair of chopsticks and they can eat out of their own little box as they mingle. Some places will even personalize your chopsticks with your names and the date. For dessert pass out plates of fortune cookies and almond cookies along with fresh fruit. Again the fortune cookies can be ordered with personalized fortunes tailored to your special day. Hunt out frozen Japanese mochi in the frozen food section of your local Asian grocery store for a surprising dessert. They’re bite-sized ice cream treats that come in exotic flavors like green tea and mango. There’s chocolate too for your less adventurous guests.

For party favors again Chinatown will provide. Go for simple slip on slippers with fancy beading in all sizes. Put them in a basket by the door along with some gold ‘double happiness’ gift bags and guests can pick out the right size for them. Wear them at the party and then take them home.

Marriage is an adventure, starting off with a trip to an exotic locale is a great way to start the journey.