Weddings can be ridiculously expensive. It is as if couples lose sight of the real reason for the whole wedding, which is to celebrate their union. The once sweet and innocent bridal shower has even been infected with the materialism bug. Guests who receive bridal shower invitations often cringe at the thought of having to buy yet another gift for the same couple. Guests should look forward to a bridal shower, not feel a tug on their bank account.
As more and more couples these days are in their 30s when they get married, the bridal shower should not be about presents. It should be about celebration. There are many ways to throw a bridal shower that get away from the traditional “buy a mixer and toast the pure bride” mold. Let friends and family who will get those bridal shower invitations off the hook for expensive presents and let them attend a creative and fun event instead. I will give you some freebies, in case you need a jump start on the brainstorming.
Everyone loves wine and food. Send out bridal shower invitations to a wine tasting party. Your guests can taste and then choose the wine that will be downed at the wedding reception. Do the whole nine yards, by covering up labels and giving everyone comment cards. You can also host a wine party where your guests bring a bottle of wine to donate to your newlywed wine collection. Have sharpie markers on hand, so guests can sign the bottles. You will smile whenever you get a new bottle out of the collection in later years, as you toast to the person who gave it to you.
Food and cooking can be the centerpiece of the party too. One idea is to have all the guests bring the recipe of their signature dish. All the guests can then glue the recipe on a page in the book and decorate it however they want. You then have a cookbook of tried and true recipes and will remember your friends every time you make something from it. If you have culinary geniuses in your circle of friends, you can go with something more advanced. Each guest brings an hors doeuvre of their choice. Let the attendees choose the best one by casting votes on slips of paper. Feature the winning creation at the wedding reception and name it after your friend.
Send out the bridal shower invitations and let your guests eat, drink and be merry. There are so many themes for a bridal shower that let your guests offer something other than a purchased gift. Revel in the fact that you are hosting a fantastically fun party for the very people that will be toasting you and your partner.