Need bridal shower gift theme ideas, please

margecat

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I volunteered to host a bridal shower for the daughter of a friend.

I'm trying to find a theme for the gifts, but keep finding the same old ideas online: Room by room, stock the bar, garden party, lingerie, hour by hour, recipe swap, kitchen, etc. None of these really seem appropriate; all I know is that she has mostly kitchen stuff on her registry, but she doesn't like to cook!

Ok, here's the scoop: she goes to a Christian college; does not believe in drinking, and I certainly don't think she'd like anything like lingerie or sexy stuff--in fact, she'd HATE that, and be very embarassed (and so would I!). So, anything bar-related and sexual is OUT. (Not much fun there, huh?
) I wanted to have a make-over thingy, but I haven't much of a budget, and I'd probably be allergic to the make-up, etc.

Her favorite color is pink; I plan to have roses from my garden, crystal, white china, silver, and these pretty paper napkins I just bought today--sort of narrow, un-even stripes, pale pink & very light gold, with small all-over roses printed on them. The food will be a buffet of finger foods, most of which hopefully will come from my garden--lettuce, tomatoes, cukes, herbs. Tea and cake. Lots of pink and white, garden theme. The shower will be either late August or early September.

They don't have a house yet; not sure of their plans--for all I know, they may get an apartment, so garden gift theme is out. To be honest, I've know her since childhood, but don't know what she really likes--she does like cats (and no, the "Bring-a-Kitten" theme is NOT a good idea! LOL). She's just a nice, sweet, Christian young lady. I've never met him.

I was thinking: maybe just have guests bring whatever gifts they want, but stipulate they wrap them only in pink--think this is a good idea???

Thanks a bunch!
 

okiron

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

I was thinking: maybe just have guests bring whatever gifts they want, but stipulate they wrap them only in pink--think this is a good idea???
I think that'll be the best idea with the gifts. It'll be hard trying to tell people what to buy for the bride to be.

I think the "bring a kitten" theme is the best. I'll have you plan a party for me someday


Seriousness though, I have no idea lol. Not much help.
 

calico2222

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At my bachlorette party (didn't have a bridal shower) my MOH made me a towel cake and I LOVED it! You could either make it with pink towel, or white with pink flowers. Here's a link:

http://www.superweddings.com/towelcake.htm

Here's a receipe for a non-alcoholic pink champange:

http://www.freedrinkrecipes.com/nona...nk-recipe.html

You could always make the theme "pampering" or something like that...something that would be just for her so people could get her things like bath stuff, comfy robe, maybe a gift certificate for a manicure (even if she isn't "into" that stuff, I've never met a bride that didn't get her nails done for her wedding). Just an idea.

I like the idea of pink being the theme and people can get her what she wants too.

Sometimes I think parties are too theme oriented. Parties don't really have to have a theme, they are just for having fun!
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by calico2222

...Sometimes I think parties are too theme oriented. Parties don't really have to have a theme, they are just for having fun!
I really like to give a gift that's special from me, rather than trying to find something that fits a theme.

But pink wrap is a great idea! Or you could ask everyone to put a pink flower on their present instead of a bow, and all the flowers could be gathered into a vase as things are unwrapped... pretty!
 

natalie_ca

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Why not have a pantry party? People can bring things that you would find in a pantry. Dried beans, canned goods, packaged goods like noodles, rice etc, spices, pretty cannisters filled with stuff like flour, corn meal, oatmeal, sugar etc etc. All nicely ncely labeled of course
Also things like dish cloths, tea towels, stove burner covers... things for the kitchen.
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by okiron

I think that'll be the best idea with the gifts. It'll be hard trying to tell people what to buy for the bride to be.

I think the "bring a kitten" theme is the best. I'll have you plan a party for me someday


Seriousness though, I have no idea lol. Not much help.
If mine keep misbehaving, they may be given out as party favors!!!
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by CarolPetunia

I really like to give a gift that's special from me, rather than trying to find something that fits a theme.

But pink wrap is a great idea! Or you could ask everyone to put a pink flower on their present instead of a bow, and all the flowers could be gathered into a vase as things are unwrapped... pretty!
Carol,

I've been writing her a small booklet, sometimes humorous, called, "Mrs. ***'s Advice to a Young Bride"--a take-off of those quaint, 19th century advice books. I plan to do it with pretty graphics, etc, print it out, and give it to her as one of my gifts. (At the end of it, I wrote: "I wish you the best thing I can wish another couple: that you both be as happy as [DH] and I are.") I think she'll like it. It's full of advice I've written about marriage, from my perspective. Nothing too personal, but just good, sensible advice, like always respect each other.
 

okiron

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

If mine keep misbehaving, they may be given out as party favors!!!
LMAO
I could imagine some very confused kitties.
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

Why not have a pantry party? People can bring things that you would find in a pantry. Dried beans, canned goods, packaged goods like noodles, rice etc, spices, pretty cannisters filled with stuff like flour, corn meal, oatmeal, sugar etc etc. All nicely ncely labeled of course
Also things like dish cloths, tea towels, stove burner covers... things for the kitchen.
Linda,

That's a marvelous idea! They've both in college right now, so they have nothing domestic to their names. They don't have jobs, a place to live, etc., so this will be very helpful. I'm thinking of asking each guest to bring one of the pantry items, which would be inexpensive, in addition to a registery gift (and hers are mostly kitchen items, such as a
-Pot, pots, etc.).

Thanks for the great idea.
 

okiron

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Linda,

That's a marvelous idea! They've both in college right now, so they have nothing domestic to their names. They don't have jobs, a place to live, etc., so this will be very helpful. I'm thinking of asking each guest to bring one of the pantry items, which would be inexpensive, in addition to a registery gift (and hers are mostly kitchen items, such as a
-Pot, pots, etc.).

Thanks for the great idea.
Shouldn't they hold off the wedding for a while?
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by okiron

Shouldn't they hold off the wedding for a while?
They're finishing college this Summer. I also think his family is quite well-off, so maybe they're willing to help them out a bit.
 
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margecat

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Linda,

That's a marvelous idea! They've both in college right now, so they have nothing domestic to their names. They don't have jobs, a place to live, etc., so this will be very helpful. I'm thinking of asking each guest to bring one of the pantry items, which would be inexpensive, in addition to a registery gift (and hers are mostly kitchen items, such as a
-Pot, pots, etc.).

Thanks for the great idea.
I guess I can say "Slow-Cooker"???
 

okiron

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

They're finishing college this Summer. I also think his family is quite well-off, so maybe they're willing to help them out a bit.
Lucky them. I'm jealous :p
 

lillekat

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Personally I think you've got it pretty much all sorted out - and having the gifts all wrapped in pink, no matter what they are, is the ideal solution.
I hope you all have a fantastic time!
 

starryeyedtiger

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I wouldn't ask people to do themed gifts simply because if she's already got a registry- she's taken the time to consider what they need likely and has registered for the things that she needs/wants. If someone had thrown me a themed shower say only for my kitchen i would not have recieved the towels i really needed for our bathroom (just an example.) I love your idea of asking folks to wrap their gifts in wrapping paper that is all similar though- how cute!!!


My bridal shower (i just got married recently) was done in purples/whites/ and greens- the colors i was using in my wedding. My cake matched the theme too
It was really cute!

My friend Abby's bridal shower was yesterday and her theme was pinks and whites (The colors in her upcomming wedding.) It was adorable.

Both of us did cake, punch, and little deli trays,finger foods at our shower that our families gave us.
I like your color theme idea! Maybe a nice afternoon "tea" shower with different types of cheeses, small finger foods, different color tea cups in fun colors (maybe get a bunch of cheap white ones and paint them with pink polka dots
, stuff like that! I'm sure her shower will be lovely with you really putting all of the time /energy you are into planning it!
 

butzie

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I hosted a bridal shower for Holly, who was at first our after-school nanny for Jenny and then became a live in nanny for Jen and Ben. She is a lovely young woman and has been married 7 years. She and her friends and her now husband are Mormons, so they do not drink.
Mormons keep a cupboard full of 1 year's of food. I made the theme of the shower to be that the guest should bring her favorite recipe and a non-perishable food in the ingredients. That way, Holly was well on her way to stocking her pantry (I kept track of who was bringing what). I asked them to bring a gift that would help her to make the dish. She got everything from spatulas to food processors. That way, friends who could not afford big gifts gave her something special.

I put the recipes in a book for her, afterwards.
 

carolpetunia

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Originally Posted by MargeCat

Carol,

I've been writing her a small booklet, sometimes humorous, called, "Mrs. ***'s Advice to a Young Bride"--a take-off of those quaint, 19th century advice books. I plan to do it with pretty graphics, etc, print it out, and give it to her as one of my gifts. (At the end of it, I wrote: "I wish you the best thing I can wish another couple: that you both be as happy as [DH] and I are.") I think she'll like it. It's full of advice I've written about marriage, from my perspective. Nothing too personal, but just good, sensible advice, like always respect each other.
Oh, that's a wonderful gift... something she'll never forget, and it may actually be a big help to her, too!

My favorite gift when I got married (young and briefly) was from my mom's mother: a big box full of her own dishtowels and potholders, and a set of painted glass salt-and-pepper shakers... all things I remembered from visits to her house.
That wouldn't work with anyone but a close relative, but it was perfect for me. Grandma was the coolest!
 
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