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Bridal Shower | Wedding | Anniversary Gift Giving
Bridal Shower Planning & Tips
- A bridal shower is a chance for the bride-to-be to get together with her closest family and friends to celebrate her upcoming wedding. And of course to shower the bride-to-be with gifts! The maid or matron of honor is usually the person that will host the bridal shower with the help of the other bridesmaids. Planning a bridal shower can be a little overwhelming. Most importantly it should be a memorable occasion for the bride-to-be before her wedding day. There are many different themes and ways to throw a bridal shower, from traditional ideas to newer ideas. However, there are certain key components for every bridal shower that you should keep in mind. Below are some tips to help you get started. Be creative and enjoy planning your bride-to-be’s bridal shower!
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- Make a Guest List – If the bridal shower is a surprise, you may need to have the groom, mother of the bride and others help you compile a guest list. If it’s not a surprise shower you can have the bride help you. The bridal shower should be made up of close friends, family and co-workers. Shower invites should only be sent to those people that will also receive a wedding invitation; unless of course the wedding is small and intimate with family and close friends only.
- Set a Shower Date - The shower date should be anywhere within two months of the wedding day. Again, if it’s a surprise check with the groom for a good date, if it’s not a surprise you can ask the bride herself for a date she will be available. Sunday’s seem to be the most popular day for bridal showers and most people are off from work as well.
- Pick a Shower Theme - Picking a theme makes planning the shower easier and will allow you to coordinate the decorations, invitations, favors and the like. Some of our favorite bridal shower themes are: a lingerie shower, wine shower, household shower, romantic shower and more. There are literally tons of different shower themes to choose from.
- Shower Invitations - Once you have the date set you can send out invitations with an RSVP date. You should also include the theme of the shower as well. Also include information about where the wedding couple is registered. Some people like to buy a gift off of the wedding registry, while some choose to buy their own gift. They can follow the theme or the registry, either way they can’t go wrong!
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Bridal Shower Themes
- It is the maid of honor's duty to organize the bridal shower and to ensure that the party is everything the bride expected. The best way to ensure that everyone will have fun is to create a theme around the bridal shower in which everyone can participate in. The following is a list of fun and exciting themes for bridal showers. Choose the one that suits the bride the best:
Lingerie Bridal Shower
- The lingerie theme has become more and more popular in recent years. This type of shower is typically for a younger bride who will be comfortable with the risqué nature of a lingerie bridal shower. Each guest, in lieu of bringing a traditional wedding shower gift, will bring a piece of lingerie for the bride. The groom will reap the benefits of a lingerie shower as well. Chances are the gifts will be put to great use on the honeymoon.
Gourmet Bridal Shower
- A gourmet bridal shower is perfect for brides who love to cook and sample different kinds of food. Instead of serving traditional snacks like cheese and crackers, ask each guest to bring a gourmet-related dish. Sending out invitations in the shape of foods or hand deliver invitations in an apron to add a little extra pizzazz to your shower.
Around-the-Clock Bridal Shower
- This is a relatively new bridal shower theme. It requires each guest to bring a gift that the bride and groom can use at a specific point throughout the day. For example, on one person's invitation it might read 3pm; while on another's it may read 1am. The gifts are distributed clockwise according to the hours each guest is assigned.
Room-of-the-House Bridal Shower
- Similar to the “around-the-clock” theme listed above; this theme requires each guest to bring a gift in relation to a specific room in the house. One guest might be assigned the kitchen; while another might receive the bedroom. Each guest would have to choose their gift pertaining to the room on the invitation.
Stock the Bar
- This theme requires each guest to bring wine, beer, spirits or liquor; which the couple can use to stock their bar at home. You may want to assign each guest a different kind of liquor to ensure that the couple doesn't end up with 10 bottles of tequila!
- The bridal shower theme you choose will have a great impact on the success of your bridal shower. Make sure the theme is suitable for the personality of the bride; otherwise she may be disappointed with the outcome. Also take into consideration the types of gifts the couple could most use. If they already have a stocked bar, a “stock-the-bar” shower won't be a helpful theme. The outcome of this shower may determine whether or not you're ever asked to throw another one. But remember, above all, have fun!
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Traditional & Modern Anniversary Gifts
- Most people know that the 50th wedding anniversary is the "golden" anniversary, and that the 25th is “silver”. But beyond that? Here are some traditional and modern conventions to follow when selecting anniversary gifts. But don't limit your gift giving to the gifts listed below for each anniversary year. Chances are if you didn't know what the gift for that year was, then the recipients won't know either! Use your imagination, but most importantly, use your heart.
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Year: 1st
Traditional Gift(s): Paper
Modern Gift(s): Clocks
Year: 2nd
Traditional Gift(s): Cotton
Modern Gift(s): China
Year: 3rd
Traditional Gift(s): Leather
Modern Gift(s): Crystal, Glass
Year: 4th
Traditional Gift(s): Fruit, Flowers
Modern Gift(s): Appliances
Year: 5th
Traditional Gift(s): Wood
Modern Gift(s): Silverware
Year: 6th
Traditional Gift(s): Candy, Iron
Modern Gift(s): Candy, Iron
Year: 7th
Traditional Gift(s): Wool, Copper
Modern Gift(s): Desk Sets
Year: 8th
Traditional Gift(s): Bronze, Pottery
Modern Gift(s): Bronze, Pottery
Year: 9th
Traditional Gift(s): Pottery, Willow
Modern Gift(s): Linen, Lace
Year: 10th
Traditional Gift(s): Tin, Aluminum
Modern Gift(s): Leather
Year: 11th
Traditional Gift(s): Steel
Modern Gift(s): Jewelry
Year: 12th
Traditional Gift(s): Silk, Linen
Modern Gift(s): Pearls
Year: 14th
Traditional Gift(s): Ivory
Modern Gift(s): Gold Jewelry
Year: 15th
Traditional Gift(s): Crystal
Modern Gift(s): Watches
Year: 20th
Traditional Gift(s): China
Modern Gift(s): Platinum
Year: 25th
Traditional Gift(s): Silver
Modern Gift(s): Silver
Year: 30th
Traditional Gift(s): Pearl
Modern Gift(s): Diamond
Year: 35th
Traditional Gift(s): Coral
Modern Gift(s): Jade
Year: 40th
Traditional Gift(s): Ruby
Modern Gift(s): Ruby
Year: 45th
Traditional Gift(s): Sapphire
Modern Gift(s): Sapphire
Year: 50th
Traditional Gift(s): Gold
Modern Gift(s): Gold
Year: 55th
Traditional Gift(s): Emerald
Modern Gift(s): Emerald
Year: 60th
Traditional Gift(s): Diamond
Modern Gift(s): Diamond
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Throwing an Anniversary Party to Be Remembered
- Anniversary parties are a wonderful way to celebrate two people who have been together for a number of years. The most common anniversary parties are for 25 years and 50 years. There are many things you can do to make this day special for not only the couple, but all of their family and friends as well. Many people have shared in the joys and sorrows of the anniversary couple and they help to make this a special day as well. Planning an anniversary party is a huge undertaking, sometimes almost as big as a wedding.
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Silver or Gold?
- An anniversary party theme is fairly simple to determine. Unless the couple or their immediate family has requested a particular theme (this is unlikely), you should plan a fairly traditional party. A 25th wedding anniversary is traditionally silver, while a 50th anniversary is gold. Use this to plan the majority of your party, everything from invitations to decorations.
Who to Invite
- An anniversary party can be as big as a wedding. While many people opt for a small get together consisting of family and close friends only, others look forward to a huge celebration with everyone who has touched their lives in past years. 25th anniversary parties tend to be of the smaller more intimate variety, whereas 50 years together definitely deserves more of a to-do.
- If you’re planning a huge bash, it may take quite a bit of time to come up with a guest list. If the happy couple knows about the party the easiest thing to do is ask them who should be invited. Family members and close friends are fairly obvious, but in addition you may want to invite old coworkers, church members, old neighbors, and the list can go on. If you are planning a surprise party for the couple, this can be a little tricky. Rather than getting the input of just one family member, send a tentative guest list to several family members and ask each for additions and deletions. This will help make sure no one gets missed.
The Invitations
- If you’re throwing a huge anniversary party, sending out invitations can be quite the task. If the party budget allows for it, get them custom made. You can order the invitations online and get everything shipped to you and ready to go. This will save an enormous amount of time. If the party budget is tight and that money would better go to use elsewhere, making your own invitations can actually be quite simple. All you need is a computer and a printer. You can download some great invitations templates that are simple enough to put together. All you need to do is add all the party information and perhaps a beautiful quote on the front and voila your invitations are ready to go.
Setting the Scene
- Decorations for the party don’t have to be hugely extravagant, but by adding some special touches you will help make the night even more special for the happy couple. Use the anniversary color almost exclusively; this will help make a great effect. Some ways to use either silver or gold are:
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- Use gold or silver pen or ink for place cards, menu, and any other written items
- Gold or silver balloons make a beautiful yet inexpensive decoration
- Add gold or silver placemats or doilies at each place setting
- Gold or silver candles and or candle holders make a great centerpiece
- Dinnerware and barware should have gold or silver accents
- There are many other ways in which you can incorporate these colors into the party. Just be sure not to overdo it since this may actually have a night club-ish tacky sort of look to it. Add plenty of white to balance it out.
Favors to Remember
- Many couples will want to send their guests away with a little something to remember the night by and as a thank you for attending. One of the best favors ideas is a small picture frame of the couple. You can use pictures from their wedding day or a more recent photo. If you can find picture frames that hold two photos a nice idea is to add both a picture of their wedding day and a recent one. Friends and family of the couple will love taking this beautiful keepsake home.
- Another great idea is a CD of songs form the era that the couple met and was married. This will bring back great memories for many of their family and friends and is probably one of the most useful favor possibilities. Be sure to check with local copyright laws to determine what type of fees apply to creating and giving away a music compilation. Make sure that all the music on the CD gets played throughout the night to really give guests something to remember.
A Night of Nostalgia
- A great idea for any anniversary party, big or small, is a slide show. Start the show of with pictures of the couple when they first met and progress through the years of children and grandchildren. Don’t be surprised to see a few eyes get misty during the show. Add some memorable quotes throughout the show, and play some touching music that reminds them of certain times in their lives.
- If you want the slide show to be a surprise, you can ask family and friends for their favorite pictures to add to the show. You’ll probably end up with more pictures than you’ll know what to do with so don’t worry if you can’t get any of the couple’s picture albums.
- As you can see, planning an anniversary party can take a lot of time, so start planning as soon as possible. Since you could be inviting well over 100 people, starting a year in advance isn’t too soon. Don’t try and take this task on by yourself, you’ll probably have plenty of offers from friends and family to give you a hand; definitely take them up on their offer. This will be a night for everyone to cherish and remember, and the happy anniversary couple will be on cloud nine after seeing how much they mean to everyone in their lives.
