Choosing a shower theme is one of the first steps in planning a successful bridal shower. The theme will make the event cohesive through the decorations, food and gift-giving. Be sure to include the shower theme and gift instructions on the shower invitations (if necessary). Here are some great bridal shower theme ideas to get your creative juices flowing.
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Lingerie – If you are having a small gathering with a group of friends, this is a great shower idea. Since you can’t control how racy the gifts will be, it may not be the best way to go if Mom & Dad will be invited or if the bride’s family is conservative. Gifts can range from flannel pajamas and bathrobes to crotchless panties and cupless bras from Frederick’s of Hollywood.
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Time of Day Shower – Assign each shower guest a certain time of day. Their gift should be something that the newlyweds would use at that time of day. For instance, 7 AM might be shower time so towels would be appropriate. 3 PM might be nap or snack time so a blanket or smoothie maker would make great wedding shower gifts.
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Makeover/Pamper Shower – You have several options when it comes to this shower theme. First for small showers, you could invite an Avon or Mary Kay consultant over for a day of pampering for all of the guests. Otherwise, have a “pamper the wife-to-be” shower where all the guests give gifts designed to give her a little rest and relaxation. Spa certificates, bath and body lotions, or a bottle of wine would fit perfectly into this theme.
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Stock The Bar Shower – Guests bring gifts to help the couple get their bar stocked and ready for entertaining. Items like alcohol, wine bottle openers, bar drink recipe books and blenders for tropical drinks are great gift ideas.
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Home Improvements Shower – If the couple will own a home (not an apartment), this is a terrific bridal shower idea. Gifts to fix up their home like tools, hoses, gift certificates to places like Home Depot or Lowe’s would be welcome surprises.
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Kitchen Shower – Let the guests know that all of the gifts should be something that the bride and groom-to-be can use in the kitchen. Another great idea is to ask shower guests to include a standard 3” x 5” recipe card with their favorite recipe in with the gift. The bride-to-be will get a great collection of recipes for her newlywed cookbook.
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Around The House Shower – When you send out the shower invitations, assign each guest a specific room in the house. For instance, give 5 guests the bathroom, 5 the kitchen, 5 the bedroom, 5 garage, etc. Each guest should bring a gift that coordinates with the room they were assigned. For instance, give shower gifts such as towels for the bathroom, a blender for the kitchen, lingerie for the bedroom or whatever creative idea that you can come up with.
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Season’s of Change Shower – Give each guest a particular season that their gift should coordinate with. For instance if the guest is assigned summer, they might give beach towels. Winter might be a soup or crock pot. The possibilities are limitless.
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Hobby Shower – If the couple has lots of hobbies such as fishing, golfing, camping, traveling, etc. This would be a great way to give them equipment to make their hobbies even more fun. Just keep in mind that all of your guests might not know exactly what the couple is into so you may want to include a list of hobbies on the invitation. If they love traveling, travel pillows, non-wrinkle clothing, travel books, a portable alarm clock and traveler’s checks would be great wedding shower gift ideas.
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Honeymoon Shower – This theme is great for the couple who is older and already has everything – they certainly don’t need anymore towels or pots and pans. If you know where they are planning to go for their honeymoon, you could encourage guests to give gifts that they can use during their vacation. If they are going to the Caribbean for instance, beach towels, sunscreen, or spa certificates to their honeymoon hotel would be fantastic gifts. This theme works best for smaller bridal showers.