Top 10 Bridal Shower Ideas

Well friends, it's almost wedding season!  Which means 2 things for my neck of the woods.  It's almost tornado season, and it's bridal shower season!  I don't think I ever really appreciated a good bridal shower until my own.  I still remember the group of ladies who got mine together at church and the gorgeous afternoon they planned for me.  Every detail made me tear up thinking of the time and love they poured out on me that day.  I still get emotional thinking about it today.  Those women went all out that day and I felt so very blessed and special.  Consequently I have since wanted to help other brides feel the way I did on my special day.  So without further ado, let's get to planning gals!

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Decorate.  Decorate.  Decorate.  It may not seem that important but it really is.  These are the details that set the tone for your guest of honor and guests, and thanks to Pinterest we now do not have to spend a fortune to do this!!  99% of the decorating ideas I love are projects I can easily (and cheaply) make myself.  Start early to give yourself plenty of time so you aren't making tissue paper flowers at 1 am day of the event (not that I would know).  

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I call this the 2 birds 1 stone idea.  Think of ideas or projects that serve as extra decoration and a functional purpose.  I love this "tree" concept for that very reason.  Not only is it beautiful and adds another decor item, but letting guests jot down their favorite recipe or best marriage advice/scripture would be such a special keepsake for the bride.

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I hesitated adding this one to the list because of my love-hate relationship with favors at a bridal or baby shower.  Honestly, the guests aren't 5 years old at a child's birthday party.  They don't expect to get a small gift too, right?  Or is that just me?  In my opinion we're probably all grown adults and are there to celebrate the guest of honor and make her feel special.  No gift for myself needed.  However-if you do like party favors for showers I love this idea!  Decorating the bottles of nail polish with a little tulle and ribbon is so simple but so effective.

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This was one of those ideas I had never thought of until my own bridal shower.  A few days before the shower one of the hostess called my mother and asked her for one of the Mr and I's engagement photos that they could display.  When I walked into the shower it was framed and displayed right next to the guestbook when you walked in the door.  It was such a small gesture but meant a lot to me.  

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The invitation is crucial because it is the first taste that anyone (including the bride) will have the special day.  Thanks to digital file options having custom invitation designed is easier and more accessible than ever!  So it's definitely something to look into before deciding it's out of your budget.

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I love the idea of finding something useful and fairly cheap (So that you can easily have a larger quantity) and letting guests write sweet messages or words of encouragement to the couple.  How great would that be in a year or two when the "newness" of life has worn off and you're exhausted and making dinner and see that sweet message.  Love that.

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In my opinion every shower needs a guest book.  In 20 years I want to be able to look back and see who all was there to celebrate with me.  Make this step as simple as you need to or as elaborate as you want to.  Just make sure something is there for your guests to sign!

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Designate someone that is not related to the bride to photograph the day.  If possible ask a hostess to arrive early and get plenty of set-up pictures, and then of course pictures when the guest of honor arrives and as the event goes on.  I had 2 people do this for me and then a couple of days after my shower I got a sweet package of 2 copies of each photo.  It was such a precious gesture that I still cherish today.

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In addition to my main shower my sweet bridesmaids threw me a personal shower.  But instead of lingerie they each had taken 2 months of the year and arrived with 2 gifts.  A date night basket for each month of the first year we were married.  And ya'll, they thought of everything.  We didn't have to supply a thing for those date nights but show up!  A couple examples, January was a stay-in movie night theme, complete with some DVD's, a Pizza Hut gift card for dinner, and brownie mix for dessert.  April was a picnic theme complete with Subway gift cards, adorable paper napkins and plates, bubbles, sidewalk chalk, and a $5 bill with the note "sno cone money" on it.  If you are doing a smaller, personal shower I would highly recommend this idea!!  It was such a blessing to us the first year of our marriage.  

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This is hands down my favorite punch to serve at any party.  Not only is it delicious, but you can make it any color!  

Linking up with:  Sweet Bella Roos, Lamberts Lately, Hope in Every Season, Moonlight & Mason Jars, Put a Bird on It, Domesblissity, Lovely Ladies Linkup, Anything Goes, Wildly Original, White Lights on Wednesday, Live, Laugh, Rowe, Wow Me Wednesdays, A Little R & R