Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas

Looking for great bridal shower party ideas? Start by talking with the bride to see if she has any preferences or suggestions. A lot of brides are happy their friends and/or family are willing to go to the effort of planning a shower and therefore let them make most of the decisions. This may sound good but it leaves you, the planner, in charge of coming up with those great bridal shower party ideas! My suggestion is that you go one of two routes. The first - plan the shower around what the bride needs. The second - plan the shower around what the bride wants. 

What the Bride Needs - The first way to approach a bridal shower is based on what a bride or the couple might need.

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #1 - Kitchen or Cooking

Is she a young bride setting up a house for the first time? A kitchen or cooking theme might be perfect with decorations, invites and favors to coordinate. Title your shower: Recipe for Love! For the menu, take it one step further and choose the bride's favorite type of cuisine - Italian, French, vegetarian, etc. When you mail out invitations, include a nice recipe card. Ask the guests to bring this to the shower, filled out with their favorite family recipe. Have a recipe card box (that coordinates with the recipe cards) ready at the shower. For the more hi -tech bride, consider The Recipe Box App from iTunes. Guests can email their favorite recipe to you in advance to be placed on a memory stick for easy upload onto the bride's ipad.

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #2 - A Yard Party

 If the couple is already living together and has a well stocked kitchen, perhaps their yard needs attention. Have each guest bring a perennial plant or flower. The couple will enjoy these for years to come. Treat the guests to favors of flower tipped pens, lady-bug magnets or a calla lily bookmark.

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #3 - Renovation or Decoration

Is the couple's first home a fixer-upper? Consider a renovation or home decor theme. The bride and groom will appreciate gifts or gift certificates to home improvement centers. While this may sound like it is more for the groom, most large home improvement stores feature lots of decorator items: Drapes, mirrors, shelving, pretty storage bins etc. These gifts will go a long way to help the couple make their first home beautiful.

What a Bride Wants - The other way to approach a bridal shower is by personalizing it to the bride's favorite things.  What is she in to? What does she love to do? This approach does not necessarily dictate the type of gifts the guests should bring. Instead, it gives you a loose direction to follow - one that the decorations, invites, food and favors can be designed around. Below are some suggestions:

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #4 - Wine Lover

A wine theme makes for a great afternoon or early evening shower. Have a blind wine tasting for your guests. See if they can choose the most expensive and least expensive wine. You may be surprised! Choose your menu based on your selection of wine. For party favors try wine charms or bottle stoppers. These come in all sizes and shapes so it's easy to customize to each guest!

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #5 - Coffee or Tea Lover

These themes work well for a morning shower. For coffee, offer guests a selection of latte's, cappuccino's and mochas. Make sure to have both regular and decaf options available as well as regular and soy milk. Coordinate the menu with yummi biscotti, fresh fruit and cheeses. Use a cute phrase to the title the shower. For example: "Josh & Michelle, The Perfect Blend". For tea, offer a selection of loose teas in small, individual size tea pots. For favors think, heart shaped coffee scoops or special tea packets personalized with the bride's name and shower date. 

Bridal Shower Party Theme Ideas #6 - Girly Girl

Make it a pampering party! Many salon and day spa's offer on-site services including pedicure, massage or facials. If you choose this theme, make sure to tell your guests to bring flip-flop's with them so they don't ruin their new pedi! The menu should be a treat as well: chocolates, fresh fruit and mimosa's!

Be creative! There are so many wonderful bridal shower party theme ideas. Keep the theme focused around the bride and the shower is sure to be a fun one that your guests will remember.