Your wedding party is a dedicated bunch, so when it comes to trying to think of wedding party gift ideas to say a huge thank you, you want to make it something special. Your wedding party has given of their time to help you plan your wedding, and be there for all the big events such as bridal showers and bachelorette and bachelor parties, your rehearsal dinner and probably more! They’ve also given of their resources in paying for their bridesmaid’s dresses and tuxedos, travel expenses and more unseen costs. Not only have they given of their time and money, but just being invited to take a part in your wedding celebration means that they hold a special place in your heart.  So you really want to give these guys and gals a huge thank you for all their hard work and dedication to making your wedding turn out perfectly. But what should you give that doesn’t break your bank account but still shows how much you appreciate them? It can be hard to think of wedding party gift ideas to show your appreciation. Here are some popular choices, as well as some ideas to help you get your creativity going.

Wedding Party Gift Ideas From a Memory

Since your groomsmen and bridesmaids have been close to you for years, consider some wedding party gift ideas that center around a special memory you have all shared.

If your groom spent hours playing poker with his guy friends, get each groomsman a personalized set of poker chips. This goes for any sport, game or other special memory he’d like his friends to use and remember. For bridesmaid wedding party gift ideas, go with the same concept. If you all spent hours in junior high crying over certain chick flicks, buy each girl a collection of your favorite chick flicks.

Wedding Party Gift Ideas from Your Theme

Another great place to get wedding party gift ideas is from your wedding theme. Wedding themes are vast in creativity and can be limitless in  what you give. So, for example. If you and your fiance have chosen to do an Oriental wedding theme, you could give your guests a set of sushi dishes and chopsticks, or a cookbook on how to make some popular oriental dishes. If your wedding theme is a beach or tropical wedding, then some great wedding party gift ideas can include beach bags filled with beach towels, sunscreen, flip flops, sunglasses and a cool looking beach hat! So consider your wedding theme carefully as it can be the best place to start to think of some great wedding party gift ideas.

Personal Wedding Party Gift Ideas

If you are in a spot like a lot of people are who just don’t know what kind of wedding party gift ideas to buy for their wedding party, you’re not alone. The fact is, sometimes it is hard to buy one gift for all your bridesmaids and have it be something that all of them would enjoy. Just be aware that you don’t have to buy the same gift for every bridesmaid and have them match. You can always look for personal wedding party gift ideas that would be perfect for each person, and then have the thing that ties it all together be that they are all engraved. It’s your wedding and you can have use any kind of wedding party gift ideas that you want.

There are all kinds of wedding party gift ideas out there if you just do a little bit of looking. Whatever you choose to give, make sure that your wedding party gifts are from the heart and something that you know that your wedding party will enjoy. I hope that these wedding party gift ideas helped you out!

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Great Wedding Party Gift Ideas

Free Wedding Shower Games

I Want You To:

To play this great free wedding shower game, have everyone write down on a piece of paper something that they’d like the bride to do. This can include anything from singing a song, doing jumping jacks, acting like a gorilla, and whatever else they can come up with. Once all the papers are turned in, the bride reads the name of the person on the card and what their request is. Then the maid of honor, or whoever is in charge announces that the game has changed and that everyone is to perform what they have written down for the bride to. This game is a load of laughs and it’s fun to watch everyone’s faces as they think of what they wrote down.

Notice The Bride:

This game is really simple to do, and you only need the bride, some pencils and paper. At some point during the wedding shower, send the bride out of the room. Then the guests have to name everything that the bride to be was wearing from head to toe. Then have the bride come back in and watch everyone’s faces when the realize that they got it wrong. Whichever guest has all of the attire and accessories correct will win a prize.

Two Truths and a Lie:

This is a game that I played in high school, but it works great in wedding showers as well. At the start of the wedding shower, have each guest introduce herself and tell the group three things about herself, two of them being true and one a lie. Guests will then shout out which one of the statements they think is a lie. The idea is to choose statements that are all possible, and close to the truth to make it hard to guess. If some of your guests are shy or having problems, the host can whisper ideas for lies in her ear.

A Trip Down Memory Lane:

This is a great game, and a sentimental favorite. When you send out your wedding shower invitations, include a blank note card along with a request to write down her favorite memory of the bride, groom or the couple together. Keep the cards a secret from the bride. At the shower, read each memory out loud and ask the bride to guess what guest wrote it down. You can use childhood memories, milestone moments, or merely something in passing. The person who writes down the memory that the bride can’t guess win’s a prize. Everyone gets to enjoy hearing th memories, and the bride gets a great trip down memory lane, and cards that she can keep and treasure for always.

There are lots of great free wedding shower games you can use to help make your wedding shower something really special. Do your reasearch, and most importantly, don’t choose a wedding shower game that will embarrass or offend anyone in attendance, especially the bride.

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Free Wedding Shower Games

Bridal Shower Ideas – A Theme

One of the first things you’ll need to consider when coming up with bridal shower ideas is if you want to have a theme for your bridal shower. A theme can be anything from a color to a particular kind of gift you’re wanting to focus on, or even a particular kind of food you’ll be serving at the shower.

For example, bridal shower ideas with a theme of a color will give you some great ideas for decorating your shower location. A paper theme for bridal shower ideas can have you asking all guests to bring paper products for the bride to use after the wedding, such as paper towels, toilet paper, napkins, paper plates, etc. A theme around a particular kind of food can be anything you like, such as sushi or an elegant tea party.

Bridal Shower Ideas – The Games

One thing bridal showers are known for are the games they get to play together. Bridal shower games can be a lot of fun, and serve as an ice breaker if the ladies don’t know each other. There are plenty of kinds of games that you can play at bridal showers that are acceptable to every age group. For some great ideas on bridal showers, check out some of my other articles on Bridal Shower Games, Christian Bridal Shower Games, and Great Bridal Shower Games. If you have some great games planned in your list of bridal shower ideas, you’re sure to create a bridal shower your guests aren’t soon to forget.

Bridal Shower Ideas – The Food

If you are basing your bridal shower ideas off of a food theme, then these two steps go hand-in-hand. Having a simple table set up with finger foods is always a favorite, and easy to pull off. If you are planning your bridal shower with a food theme, then lay out a spread of that kind of food so that everyone can test and try and find their favorites.

Bridal Shower Ideas – Favors

One thing that is typically forgotten when it comes to bridal showers are bridal shower favors. You don’t want to forget the guests that have come to help make your bridal shower successful, and you want to thank them for coming and participating in your bridal shower. The Internet is always full of great sites to get bridal shower favors from, or if you’re crafty you can save some money by making the bridal shower favors yourself. You don’t want to forget this important aspect of the shower though, it adds more fun for the guest and thanks them for their attendance. Plus, everyone likes getting a little something to remember a party by.

As I mentioned before, bridal shower ideas can come in all shapes and sizes. With a little bit of planning and creativity, and maybe even asking around friends or family to get some great bridal shower ideas, you can create the perfect bridal shower with the look and theme that you are going for. If you have any great bridal shower ideas you’d like to share, then please comment and let me know. I always welcome new ideas.

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Bridal Shower Ideas

• John and Jane will soon have a wedding /Down the aisle is where they’re heading /Before they become husband and wife /Let’s shower them with things for their new life
• Jane’s wedding is only days away/Let’s help her relax before the big day
• They’ve bought the dress and ordered the cake /They’re anxious about the vows they’ll make /To help pass the time and shorten the wait /We’re having a shower and here is the date.
• Jane is getting married/Who would have thought?/Lets throw her a party/Before she ties the knot!
• Jane’s wedding is on the way/Let’s get her prepared for the big day!
• Jane’s all grown up/And giggling with glee/Please join us to honor/our sweet bride-to-be!

Of course, with any invitation wording for a shower, you will want to be sure to include the place, time and day, along with RSVP information. If you are having a couples shower, then your invitation wording for the shower needs to somehow indicate that it is for couples, and if a meal or snacks are being served. Invitation wording for showers should not be the most difficult part of planning a bridal shower for your friend, so take a deep breath, and remember to have fun with it. For more ideas about bridal showers, including bridal shower games, bridal shower themes, and other fun bridal shower details, be sure to see my other articles in this category.

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Invitation Wording for a Shower

Change Up the Dress

If you’ve read my article about All Different Bridesmaid Dresses, then you already know that while many brides today are choosing to let their bridesmaids choose their own style of dress, many brides are still opting to have all of their bridesmaids look the same. If you are choosing to have your bridesmaids all the same, then add something to the maid of honor’s dress to help set her apart from the others. For example, if your colors are pink and brown, and you want to have brown bridesmaid dresses (a beautiful choice by the way), then add a pink sash to the maid of honor’s dress. Giving her a completely different style of dress when all the other bridesmaids have the same dress will be distracting, your guests will wonder why she is the only different one there.

Add to the Bouquet

When I was a maid of honor for my best friend in college, she gave me a larger bouquet than the other bridesmaids. It’s a great way to set apart your maid of honor. Either give her a slightly larger bouquet, or add some different types of flowers than what the rest of the girls have in theirs. Be careful with this one though, to make sure that all of the bouquets will still match in the end.

Other Ideas

One thing my sister did for her maid of honor was to let her wear flowers in her hair. It wasn’t something done for the rest of the bridesmaids, and it really helped set her apart. You could also give her something different to hold her bouquet with. For example, if you have ribbons tying off the bouquets for your bridesmaids, then design one especially for her that is perhaps a little longer, or done with a different type of ribbon.

 Whatever you do, treat your maid of honor well. She is taking extra time away from her own busy life to be with you and help you out, typically much more time than your other bridesmaids will be. Be sure to give her the honor due, not only as a thank you for all the hard work that she has helped you with in planning your wedding, but also to make sure that you will be as close of friends as you were before the wedding once all your wedding stuff is complete.

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Should my Maid of Honor Look Different?

Bridal Shower Cupcakes

I don’t know why, but to me, cupcakes always taste better than actual cake. I know, I know, it makes no sense at all since they are made with the same batter and icing, but it’s just something in my head that tells me that cupcakes are so much better. What’s even crazier is that I’m not the only one who feels this way. My cousin’s groom cake at his wedding was simply platters of cupcakes, since that was all that he liked. You can do this too, if the bride prefers. You can buy a cupcake stand nearly anywhere, which will hold the cupcakes in tiers like a small cupcake tree that look really attractive. Decorate them with either the bride’s wedding colors, or with any theme that you have for the bridal shower, and you’ve got a great bridal shower cake alternative.

Bridal Shower Cheesecakes or Ice Cream Cakes

As I was never fond of cake growing up, my birthday cakes were always cheesecakes or ice cream cakes, depending on whatever my preference was that year. They are both still a popular favorite, and used in all kinds of parties and and events as a classy dessert. Personally, I can’t make cheesecake aside from the Jello No Bake kind, but there are lots of frozen cheesecakes you can purchase and thaw, or even platters of assorted cheesecake which offer bite sized cheesecake in several popular flavors. Ice Cream cakes are simple to make or buy, and also make a great alternative to the bridal shower cake.

Bridal Shower Specialty Desserts

I personally attended a bridal shower tea the other day, and the teeny tiny desserts they offered were an excellent idea for a bridal shower dessert. Almost like hors d’oeuvres, these tiny tarts, chocolates, and other assorted fancy finger desserts were especially classy, and I loved the idea! Check out recipes on the internet for making your own, or you could also find some pre-made in the frozen desserts section of your grocery store.

There are plenty of ways to dress up your bridal shower and make it totally unique to the bride and her tastes. The bridal shower cake shouldn’t be forgotten about, but be sure to tailor it all to the bride. Make it enjoyable, and something the bride will look back on with fond memories for years to come.

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Bridal Shower Cakes

1. Design the Bride’s Dress

With this game, teams are formed and given several rolls of toilet paper. The group chooses one teammate to be the ‘bride’, and then create a dress for her out of the toilet paper given. They can create any kind of dress, veil, decorations, and other wedding dress details. At the end of the time limit, each team is judged based on creativity, and the bride chooses her favorite. Prizes are given to the winning team, while teams winning in most creative, most ornate, or even ugliest dress can receive ribbons or some other small prize. It’s amazing how creative people can get in a hurry, and make sure to bring a camera to document each dress into the future, very fun.

2. The Scavenger Hunt Collage

In this game, teams are formed and given several magazines, along with a sheet of paper, scissors, a glue stick and/or tape. Then pass out to each team a list of about 10 – 15 things to find in the magazines and watch them go to work! Get creative with your lists, and the first team to find, cut out and glue everything onto their page wins. The you can put them in a book for the bride to keep and remember her shower.

3.The Spice of Life

Buy several different kinds of spices that are both common to cooking, as well as some speicalty spices that may be harder. Put them in numbered cups and pass them around the room having each guest smell them and then write down their guess next to the corresponding number on their sheet of paper. The person with the most correct wins a prize.

4. The Safety Pin Game

This game sounds super easy, but it can get suprisingly hard. Fill a large mixing bowl with long grained rice, and then add about 50 small or medium safety pins. For each turn, blindfold the player and have them search and pull out all of the safety pins that they can find. Record the number, return them the the bowl and go on to the next person. Once everyone has had a turn, the person who retrieved the most safety pins wins the game, and a prize.

5. Traditional Ice Breaker Games

These games are little shorter, and are used more as icebreakers than actual games, though they can be used as both. For one, create a list of commonly used bridal terms and scramble them up. Have each guest unscramble the letters, the first one to get them all, or whoever has the most after a certain time limit wins the game. For another game, have the bride to be sit among the guests for the first 20 minutes or so, then have her leave the room. Hand out sheets of paper and see who can remember the most about what she was wearing. It can be super detailed, from shoe color and type to stockings and jewelry. The guest who remembers the most gets a prize. Another popular game includes having the name of a famous person taped to the back of each guest, and then each person goes around and asks the other guests questions about who their person is, until everyone has discovered the name on their back.

If you choose to play games at your bridal shower, you can use as many games as you’d like, though I wouldn’t do more than three or four. There are plenty of games you can play, keep checking back to find out more!

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Great Bridal Shower Games

Assistance with General Decision Making

While the bride and groom are responsible for making the majority of the important decisions regarding the wedding, the maid of honor is there to give opinions, offer support, and lend a hand wherever and whenever needed. This does not mean that she should stay glued to your hip from engagement to wedding! Phone conversations, email, and brainstorming girl’s nights are a great way to get another viewpoint without ruling your maid of honor’s life.

Planning Bridal Showers and Bachelorette Party!

This is probably one of the most fun parts of being the maid of honor! Coming up with fun bridal shower ideas and games, putting together guest lists and organizing parties is a huge part of their duties. Also, the maid of honor is expected to attend and help the bride by making notes while she is opening gifts on who gave what for thank you cards.

Assisting the Bride Before the Wedding

Whether it’s helping the bride scout out great locations for the reception, helping address and mail wedding invitations, calling for quotes, or even helping make some great wedding favors, the maid of honor should try to make herself available for whatever she can do to lighten the load of the bride. This even includes showing up before the ceremony to help decorate the ceremony and reception location, if needed. Another great idea, try to take the bride-to-be’s mind off of wedding details to help preserve her sanity!

Being the Right Hand Lady!

One of the most important responsibilities of the maid of honor is that she’ll be acting as the bride’s assistant and right-hand lady for whatever the bride needs on her wedding day. She does much more than just stand by the bride and hold her flowers during the ceremony. Helping the bride with her dress, hair and make-up, running messages to vendor and other wedding participants, typically the maid of honor is also one to sign the marriage license after the ceremony, secure any money given to the bridal pair during the reception, giving a speech during the reception if necessary, and being a point of contact for other guests are just a few of her possible wedding day duties. An important task of the maid of honor is the maid of honor speech she is expected to make at the reception. To help out with this, see my article on Maid of Honor Speeches.

After Wedding Duties

The maid of honorary typically is in charge of taking care of the wedding dress once the bride leaves, as well as any gifts that are left, and sometimes helping take down decorations and any other duties defined by the bride.

The duties of the maid of honor are usually vaugely defined since they differ from wedding to wedding. When they are poorly communicated, it can cause problems, so make sure you are upfront about what you need from your maid of honor, while understanding that she does have a life outside of your wedding. Remember, that no matter how much of a treasure your maid of honor may be, she still has limits, so treat her well.

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What are the Duties of the Maid of Honor?

Consider the Theme:

If your bridal shower has a theme, totally play off of it and give gifts that go along with your theme. If your theme is a garden party get a collection of specialty teas and teacups and provide each lady with a small bridal shower gift basket of these items. If your theme is entertainment, get microwave popcorn bags, large boxes of candy and other snacks and place in an empty (clean) popcorn container as a great finishing touch, and another idea for a bridal shower gift basket. Use your imagination, it will help your guests remember your shower that much more.

Consider the Guests

When choosing your bridal shower favors, consider who the gifts will be going to. For example, you wouldn’t want to give large amounts of candy gifts if several of your guests are diabetic. To keep from alienating your guests, don’t choose something that will offend or be refused. There are plenty of favors that can be given that will be accepted and appreciated.

Consider the Time of Year

Seasonal gifts are a great gift to give for your shower. If you have a spring wedding, give out small arrangements of flowers or bulbs that your guests can plant. If you are having a winter wedding, matching scarves and hats are a great souvenier that can actually be used.

Remember that bridal showers are meant to be fun, and while your favors don’t need to be expensive, show that you have put some thought into it.

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Great Bridal Shower Favors