Shower Basics

Guests:  Allow for age differences in the guests invited - if you are inviting Grandma and Aunt Jane, you might want to think twice about having a lingerie shower.  Baby showers tend to attract children for some reason - make sure your location is kidproofed!

For a Bridal Shower, your guest list should NOT include people who are not invited to the wedding.  You should coordinate with the Bride if possible.  If this is a surprise shower, try to feel the Bride out on who's invited to the wedding.

Games/Activities: Try to have a variety of games to appeal to everyone - no more than 3 though, because you have other things to do!  Don't have all written games - try to get people to talk to each otheer or move around for at least one activity.  This will keep them from feeling like they are just "sitting there" - and some people don't do well at the traditional written games.

Prizes:  A lot of people think that the prizes given at showers can be corny or tacky.  Well, it doesn't have to be that way!  If you're giving out prizes for the winners of the games, put a little effort into it.  Be creative!  

Here are some ideas:

*   Scented candles, bath sets, gifts certificates for movies or shopping or meals, gourmet candies or other food items.

*   Pictures frames, brooches, CDs of romantic music (who can't use one of those?).

Also, you can link your prize to the theme of the party.  Having a movie themed shower?  Give a way tickets to a movie or a video rental gift certificate.  A Kitchen shower?  How about some gourmet sauce or a set of cookie cutters?

NOTE:  There is a trend in certain parts of the country that can get confusing and sometimes embarrassing.  Some guests feel that if they get a prize by winning a game, they should give that prize to the Guest of Honor.  If you want your guests to give their prizes to the Guest of Honor, make sure its obvious - give things that are so pointedly for the Guest of Honor that the winner couldn't possibly not know.  Believe me, some people won't know what to do - and if the first winner keeps her prize, and the second winner gives hers to the bride, the first winner will feel about this big.

If you live in an area where this is common, or if you are just not sure of the local etiquette, and you don't want your winners to give up their prizes, provide for two prizes for each game - one for the winner and one for the Guest of Honor.  This way the guest knows they shouldn't give their gift away.

Better yet, arrange your games and activities so that there are no "winners" - just fun activities that people can paarticipate in.  There are several of these winner-less activities listed under both Bridal and Baby games.

Favors:  Favors are not always given out at showers.  Sometimes they are reserved for a more sit-down type of shower, like a tea or a luncheon.  BUT if you choose to hand out favors, they are great reminders of the shower to all those guests.

Some ideas for favors:

*   Small bud vases, one or two truffles in wrapped boxes, small pictures frames