Entertaining Ideas
Dear Community,
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Bridal Shower Ideas?? Help!
I am getting married on August 18, with my bridal shower being July 28. I am a real girly-girl, but I have NO experience with any of this whatsoever, and neither does my mom. (She is a very practical and down-to-earth woman, and she never had a bridal shower because she viewed it as "frivolous"). I still live with my parents until after the wedding, (as does the groom). We are very traditional (and because I know it will be asked, I am 21 and my fiance' is 23. We both have college degrees and steady, full-time jobs in our chosen careers). Neither of us drink, so we are having a dry wedding. The bridal shower will be held at my house, but I need ideas for EVERYTHING! Menus, games, activities, etc. I have a few candles/gift baskets already to give out to the winners, but I don't really know of what types of games people play at these. I only ever went to one, and it was years ago (I was 13). Can I get some help/suggestions?? TIA! 
Re: Bridal Shower Ideas?? Help!
My Pinterest
The Googlesites Paint Bio
Thinking of doing cosmetic updates to a dated home? These were our costs.
The bridal shower is supposed to be a surprise, as well.
You can have a list of scrambled words related to weddings. The first person to unscramble all the words wins. For example, yoehmono or honeymoon.
A good icebreaker to get your guests to mingle and talk to each other is to pin the name of a famous bride on each guests' back. They have to try to figure out their identity by only asking yes or no questions. If you do a search on the internet with the keyword icebreaker or bridal shower games you will get many suggestions. Bingo is also popular at bridal showers. The bingo cards have popular gift items that a bride receives such as towels. As you unwrap your gifts, guests mark off the item on their card. The first person to get Bingo wins the prize.
"Don't marry a man unless you would be PROUD to have a son exactly like him." ~ Unknown
As a rule, no, this is not true.
Buuuut, as pps said, you should not be involved with any of the planning for this. It is a gift to you, not a party you throw.
All that the PP said... though I have a different take on your Mom's role. A lot of the "Super Showers" that I have been to have been privately bank rolled by the MOB.
And I think that can be a lot nicer then asking young women who are starting out in life and don't have the means to throw a huge shower for 80-120 relatives in a restaurant with a lot of food etc. A lot of this will depend on what is customary in your family.
Your job as the bride is to just smile and be gracious of whatever parties or gifts your friends and family happen to give you. Oh and to register too - but after that you're job re: showers, parties etc. is done!
Agreed. My Maid of Honor threw me a bridal shower last weekend but it was in Maine and I live in NY so I had to know so I can travel. But other than that, I didn't have any role in planning.
A little support for you:
My mom threw me my bridal shower, it was not the end of the world. I am a nurse and I work 2 weekends a month, to ensure I'd get the right weekend off and that all of my bridesmaids and sisters could make it (3 were out of state and 2 were in college) my mom organized the whole event 6 months early so it would work out for everyone. A few people made comments and my mother took care of it, "Did any of you ask Suzanne (me) and her bridesmaids what weekends would work with all of their schedules?" Unfortunately, my grooms' family almost did not have the bride at the shower. They did not let me and my bridesmaids know until 3 weeks before the shower and by then I was already assigned to work that day. I had a rough time getting someone to cover for me at such short notice. Only one bridesmaid could be there for the second shower to boot. I am sure it looked odd that only my mother, my self, and one friend made it to the shower when my two sisters and 3 bridesmaids cancelled.
Sometimes tradition doesn't work out because life today is not the same as life was when these "rules" were made.
Moral of this story, if your mom has to host the bridal shower to make it work for you ignore everyone that says you can not have your mom hold it. It is your day, enjoy it.
(Since your party is in 7 days I hope you have your games picked out, but in case not my two favorites are to have someone call the groom and ask him a bunch of Qs: His favorite book, favorite movie, car ect . . then at the party everyone guesses what percent the bride will get right and then they ask her the questions. Also I like gift BINGO, everyone gets a card with names of registered items in place of the numbers. When the bride unwraps a gift one your card you cross it off in an effort to get BINGO!)
I certainly don't appreciate the scolding, but please read your original post again. You never said your mom was hosting. While that's not ideal, it's certainly better than you hosting. From your post, the only conclusion we could draw was that you were hosting your own...which essentially you are (and many brides are very involved behind the scenes in theirs), but at least someone else's name goes on the invitation. This is all a misunderstanding...and it's why you should check in more than every 5 days!
Now that that's cleared up, some ideas to help your mom:
Since you've said you're a casual girl, are you feeling more of a summery luncheon? I loved this when I saw it the other day; she's one of my favorite bloggers and all her dishes are good. This would be fun as well. This salad and this one are proven crowd pleasers and do an assortment of sandwiches and you're set. Here's a list of fun themes. And a couple punch recipes.
I can't speak to games since they're NMS.
PS - And the reason it's improper is not merely because it says so in some book. It's because it's a party about gifts. That's the sole purpose of any shower. The purpose of a shower is not to celebrate your new love and life, blah blah, it's for people to give you stuff. Hosting your own "gimme" party isn't polite no matter how you dress it up. That's the same reason it's not traditionally ok for someone in your immediate family to host, but there are situations, like yours, where it's ok.
My Pinterest
The Googlesites Paint Bio
Thinking of doing cosmetic updates to a dated home? These were our costs.
Shame for what? Being honest?
Great response!