Traditionally, bridal showers were for women only, and consisted of a tea, or fancy luncheon with maybe some games, and the opening of gifts, all for the bride to help her set up her new home. Today bridal showers are different, and can be anything that you want them to be. Some bridal showers are even co-ed, meaning the groom and his friends, or your friend’s husbands or boyfriends can attend as well. Two of our wedding showers were co-ed, since neither one of us wanted to miss out on a bit of the fun. If you want to have a co-ed bridal shower, but don’t want to make the guys uncomfortable with the lace, flowers, and fancy finger foods that usually accompany the traditional bridal shower, then here are some great ways to make your shower more co-ed friendly.
1. Consider a Bar-B-Que
I don’t know how it is anywhere else, but in Texas, you start a fire and the men want to stand around it and cook! And, if you’re lucky, you have a man that knows how to grill. One of our bridal showers was a BBQ at a friend’s ranch house, my husband grilled hamburgers and chicken breasts for chicken sandwiches, and the whole thing turned out really great! The ladies brought sides, and we had a full meal out of it. Our guests were able to sit around in the house talking, eat great food, and explore the ranch complete with horses, tanks for fishing, and hundreds of acres to explore on four wheelers. Everybody had a great time!
2. At a Friend’s House
One of the most popular locales for a bridal shower is at a friend’s house. If you have a friend willing to have it at their house, then you’re set. Either make it a potluck, or order in, whatever is easiest, and you and your friends can enjoy sitting around the house, eating and talking. Put together some great games for a co-ed shower, even something like Charades or Pictionary will bring out the competitive nature, and it will be more fun as they really get into it. Open the gifts and thank everyone together.
3. At a Restaurant
If you have something like a Gatti Town nearby, check for rates on renting out one of their rooms. That way, you can bring the kids if you like, and no one will have to miss out on the fun. The guys and the kids can go play while the ladies do their thing, playing their own games and opening gifts. Be sure to bring lots of quarters!
4. The Slightly Co-ed Bridal Shower
This is another one I have seen a lot recently. I call it slightly co-ed because there is only one man who is meant to show up, and that’s the groom. Now, if your man can handle an afternoon surrounded by women only, then it might be the thing to do. He can be there to help you open gifts and thank everyone. The only downside to this scenario is that typically the bride spends the whole time with the groom, and there isn’t as much interaction between the ladies who took their time to buy a gift and take time away from their families. So if you choose to do this, be sure to let your ladies know you appreciate them.
There are lots of ideas for throwing a co-ed bridal shower. Whatever you do, don’t forget to include activities that include the guys, or they’ll get uncomfortable, and the shower will be a dud. If you have thrown a co-ed bridal shower, or are about to throw a co-ed bridal shower, then write and let me know how it goes, and any other helpful hints you might want to share.
Tags: bridal shower, Co-ed bridal showers
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