Etsy Find: Nature Favors Bird Seed Favors

(Image via Etsy-Naturefavor)

Another great Etsy find. We love Etsy and our latest find is no exception. Take a look at the store of Nature Favors. The line of eco-friendly creative favors is incredible.

Like the favor shown above-the Heart Shaped Birdseed Wedding Favors. Aren't they just the cutest? Plus, they're eco-friendly, and hand-made exclusively from all natural ingredients. A loop is made from hemp twine and is formed at the top of each heart, allowing you to display them as a yard decoration in the location of your choice. The price is also easy to swallow too-just $24.95 for 25 or 50 for $49.95. Nature Favors also makes FREE custom tags to go along with the favors.

Their suggestion for a centerpiece: use flower pots to hold tree branches and then hang these bird seed hearts on them for decorations. Place a note at each centerpiece to tell your guests to take one home to feed the birds. Use them to decorate individual place settings, put them in handmade baskets to hand out as favors, or even use as napkin holders.

These would be so perfect for every bridal shower but especially a cute garden party. Of course they would also be great for a wedding. Nature Favors also makes duckie bird seed favors for baby showers and earthbloom favors in a variety of shapes for bridal showers and weddings, too. I could see myself using these as favors for everything-they're that cute!

Guestbook Idea-Sign the Wine!

(Image via Myownlabels)

Miss Sunbeam from Weddingbee has an unique guestbook idea-have guests sign a 1.5 Liter bottle of wine! They're planning on having guests sign it at their wedding and then opening it for their anniversary.

While the Sunbeams are planning on using this for their wedding guestbook, we think it's a great idea for a bridal shower (or bachelorette party) guestbook. Not only is it creative and different, but its also practical-the bride gets a great bottle of wine to drink. This would be a great way to complement a wine tasting, a stock the bar shower, or any shower for the gal who loves her vino.

Our suggestions:
-Use a paint pen to write on the label. Try a sample label first to make sure the writing stays on the label.

-Customize the wine. No need to have a boring label-if this is a bottle they'll be keeping then make it one they'd want to keep. Try customizing the label-we love MyOwnLabels where you can choose from a variety of label styles and colors.

-It doesn't have to be wine. Try beer or other liquors like large bottles of vodka or rum.

GIVEAWAY: $25 Restaurant.com Gift Card

Yeah for giveaways! It gets tough being a good friend-you end up spending so much money on gifts for everyone else-the weddings, the bridal showers, the graduation parties, the baby showers, the housewarmings. Sometimes, especially now that times are tough, it feels like the only person you're not spending money on is yourself.

Which is why we are proud to have our FIRST giveaway:

A $25 gift card to Restaurant.com!

Good at more than 10,000 participating restaurants nationwide-including some of the hottest names in dining as well as premium online partners like LobsterGram, Mrs. Field's, deLaFlowers, and many others.

How to Enter:
Tell us the following-what was the best bridal shower game that you've ever played at a shower or what was the most memorable bridal shower you've ever been to (and why?)

For more entries:
Be sure to leave a comment for EACH additional entry that you complete.
1 extra entry-Add The Perfect Bridesmaid to your blogroll, if you have a blog (Leave me the address of your blog so we can verify)
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Bachelorette Party Dilemmas

Miss Mary Jane from WeddingBee had a dilemma: she went to a bachelorette party where, although she was younger than the bride in actual age, she felt out of place. Meaning the bride had a bouquet made of Blow-Pops and was encouraged by her friends to sell the lollipops to strangers with the line: “Suck for a buck?” And of course the bride was downing shot after shot all night. Needless to say, Miss Mary Jane ended up leaving with the older folks like the bride's aunts and mom by 11:30. Now Miss Mary Jane was questioning-did she do the right thing? Did she end up ruining the bride's good time by being a fly on the wall? Should she have stayed home?

These questions led us to thinking about the bachelorette parties all of you are planning: What should you do if one of the guest at the bachelorette party is obviously not having a good time.

Our suggestions:

• Make sure guests know ahead of time how raunchy or naughty the party will be. Put it on the invitation or spread the word-you'd be surprised how people's definitions of parties or girls night can vary and you want the guests to know ahead of time how raunchy the party will be.
• If you know that some of the females who will be going to the bachelorette party (or who the bride would like to be there) aren't the type to enjoy shot after shot of tequila or a strip show by Ivan the firefighter, then plan a different type of party. A bachelorette party does not have to involve hangovers.
  
• At the party, try to get all of the guests involved. It's possible that some of the guests don't know each other or need ice-breakers.
• Planning a two-part party is a great idea. Have something like drinks and dinner and save the clubbing part for later on in the night.
  

Mindy Weiss's Celebrity Bridal Shower Favor-Hankies!

Celebrity wedding planner Mindy Weiss had a great idea for the wedding of Channing Tatum and Jenna Dewan-vintage hankies for the woman to use to dry their tears of joy. This can easily be used for bridal showers though-wrap a handful of pastel mints or Jordan almonds in a hankie and tie with with silk ribbon or place by every guest's table setting.

Vintage handkerchiefs are gorgeous plus they're easy to find-check Ebay or local vintage shops for plenty of options.

DIY: Drunken Watermelon Keg

(Image via Evite)

What a great idea for any outdoor party but especially for a bridal shower or a BBQ-a watermelon keg. It's sure to have the guests talking about how creative it is-and think no punch bowl to clean up when the guests leave.

What you'll need:
• 10-pound seedless watermelon
• Sharp knife
• Big spoon
• Big bowl
• Drill with a 1/2-inch drill bit
• 3/4-inch ball-valve faucet with a handle that's easy to turn with one hand
• PVC-to-faucet adapter that will screw into the back of the faucet
• Rubber O-ring that fits the back of the faucet
• Blender
• Sieve
• Pitcher
• 1 1/2 cups rum
• 4 limes
• About 90 minutes of your time

For the rest of the tutorial click here!

Make Your Own Tart Bar

(Image via Thepartydress and Rachael Ray)

The Party Dress has a great idea-make your own tart bar. What a great way to serve dessert at a party, especially a shower. It lets guests mix and mingle while creating their own food.

We suggest:

• Tart Shells (store-bought or homemade)
• Lemon Curd
• Whipped Cream
• Sliced Strawberries
• Raspberries
• Blueberries
• Caramel sauce
• Strawberry jam
• Peach filling
• Plum filling
  
• Cherry filling
• Nectarine filling
  

DIY: Tissue Paper Pom Poms

(Image via Casasugar)

We love the tissue paper pom poms. Not only are they cute, but they are perfect for everything. You can use them for centerpieces, as hanging decorations, as chandeliers, tons of uses. And of course you can easily change the colors to match any theme-just use different tissue paper.

So of course we were SO excited to see that Casasugar had this easy-to-follow tutorial on how to make the tissue paper Pom Poms. The best part-the only supplies you need are tissue paper, scissors, monofilament, and floral wire. It's very easy to do and looks really good.

Bridal Shower Inspiration: PINK

(Image via Eclatante Design)

Ecclante Event Design has an incredible bridal shower to get inspiration from. The color: PINK! And best of all, its full of great ideas that can easily be used for bridal showers and other parties. Everything we saw about this shower we loved.

What we loved:

• The paper flowers that were strung from strands of peach and white pearls over the tables-so gorgeous. (Want to make the tissue pom poms yourself? Check out our tutorial here.)
• The centerpieces- filled apothecary jars with layers of rose petals, hydrangea petals, light pink cut glass, white sand, dried ivory roses and pearls. Easily recreated yet looks fantastic!
• Candy favors. Yum!
• Cosmos and pink champagne-we love when the food and drink matches the decor. And both of them are so girly-perfect for a girls night out or a bridal shower.

Take a look at this shower. You won't be disappointed. :)

Bridal Shower Game Idea: Playing DDR & Game Hero

Geeksugar has a unique bridal shower idea. Instead of the normal bridal shower games, if the bride and her friends are more into games, why not play video games instead? After all, many of us spend our Saturday nights playing Guitar Hero or Wii Bowling-shouldn't our showers reflect what the bride likes.

Of course playing video games at showers is not for everyone. You might want to stick with games that are easy to play and understand if inviting the bride's Great-Aunt. Playing video games is also a great way of having the guests mix and mingle at co-ed bridal showers.

Freebie: Bridal Shower Invitation Template

Vintage Glam Weddings has a great freebie-a downloadable template for bridal shower invitations!

Bridal Shower Favor: Cupcake in a Jar Favor

Okay we're obsessed with cupcakes. But, have you seen cupcakes in a jar? It's incredible-a cupcake baked in a mason glass or jar. Follow this tutorial which gives you instructions on how to make it. Honestly, this is the best of both worlds-since the cupcake bakes in the jar, there's less mess to clean up and the jars transport easily. As a result, guests can take them home without worrying about getting the frosting all over.

Here's another tutorial on how to do it. In this one Joy baked the cupcakes and then put them in jars.

Either way, cupcakes in a jar ends up being a great favor for bridal showers or any sort of party.

Guestbook Idea-Shower Curtain?

Tired of the same old guestbook ideas for bridal showers? I don't know how many times you can sign your name on a piece of paper. After awhile, it gets bor-ing.

It's a Jaime Thing has come up with a creative idea. Using a shower curtain for a guestbook. Get it? A shower curtain because its a shower?

It's definitely original but would the bride use it. It's probably just as unpractical as a book but at least its a lot more fun.

DIY: Free Bridal Shower Invitation Templates from IdoSugar

IdoSugar has put together some FREE bridal shower invitation templates. The invites are free, all you have to do is download, print, and fill them in. They're pretty, sophisticated, and come in three popular bridal shower colors-blue, green, and pink. Our suggestion: print them on cardstock or go to a printing place like Kinko's to print them at.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Out-of-Town Bridesmaid Still Pay for Bridal Shower?

Q: I live out of town while the other bridesmaids all live near the bride. They're planning a bridal shower for her, which I won't be able to attend. (I can't afford the plane ticket for just a weekend.) As an out-of-town bridesmaid, should I still pay for the bridal shower?

A: Ah, tough questions. When we become bridesmaids, we know that we are expected to throw a bridal shower and bachelorette party. Most of us figure on the cost when we agree to be bridesmaids. That being said, its a great gesture if you voluntarily agree to help the other bridesmaids pay for the shower. Think of it this way, it isn't fair that the other bridesmaids should have to contribute additional money to compensate for you not being there.

Of course, you might want to help with some of the planning still if this makes you feel as though you are involved. Most of us don't like paying for something that we don't have a hand in. Ask the other bridesmaids if you can help pick out invites, food, decorations, etc if this helps you feel as though you are now a host too.

Bridal Shower Game: Create Custom Crossword Puzzles

Create custom crossword puzzles to hand out at a bridal shower. Luckily websites like this one allow you to create crossword puzzles for FREE with your own clues and answers. Not sure what to put-try basic clues and answers like:

• where did the bride & groom meet
• age of bride when they met
• their honeymoon location
• where he proposed
• where their first date was
• who is her maid of honor?
• type of ring she has

For bachelorette parties, you can always change the clues to something raunchier. (Age of bride's first kiss, how many dates they waited, etc)

Bridal Shower: Inspiration: Sunflower Shower

Photo via It's a Jaime Thing

The creative Jaime from It's a Jaime Thing threw a beautiful shower with the inspiration being sunflowers. We loved it!

Lots of yellow-yellow tablecloths with plenty of sunflowers. We especially like the favors-they glued sunflowers to the tops of soaps. Cheap and creative!

Honestly, keeping a color theme for a bridal shower is the easiest way of making a bridal shower look well put-together and classy.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Should we include registry info with the invites?

Q: Do we include where the bride registered at with the bridal shower invitations?

A: Yes. Bridal showers are the only wedding-related place where it's okay to include gift-giving information. Feel free to place the registry cards with the bridal shower invite. Note: never place the registry info with the wedding invites. Of course, guests who are RSVPing will also ask where the bride is registered.

Barbie Bridal Shower

Ah Barbie! The same doll we played with as little girls still has some of us longing for those days of Barbie and Ken and the Malibu beach house. After all, Paris Hilton had a Barbie themed 28th birthday party and Jessica Simpson was going to have one for her 29th birthday. Well, what do you do if the bride in your life LOVES Barbie? Throw a Barbie themed bridal shower.

Hello Bella Events just planned a gorgeous Barbie bridal shower. Actually they called it a Barbie-Que. Cute, huh! Honestly, this bridal shower is full of inspiration if you want a pink or girlie themed shower.

What we loved:

• the shower was full of pink signature drinks, all named after Barbie of course. Think Barbie-tini, Pink Sangria, Barbie Bubbly (Pink Champagne), and Barbie Blush Wine.
• the signature dessert table with a pink-fondant covered Barbie cake.

What a great bridal shower! It looks like the bride loved it.

DIY: Fortune Cookie Favors

(Image by Oncewed)

Oncewed came up with this creative favors for bridal showers-fortune cookies. The best part-these fortune cookies are super easy to do and super cheap. Each cookie costs less than 10 cents to make. Amazing!

For the instructions on how to make these, click here.

Celebrity Bridesmaid Look: Heidi Montag & Spencer Pratt's Wedding

Ah, we love looking at what celebrities have their bridesmaids wear. Heidi Montag had her bridesmaids Holly Montag and Stephanie Pratt wear simple yellow maxi dresses designed by BCBG. The best part about the maxi dress look-the dresses could easily be worn again.

Luxaholics has put together a list of ten bridesmaid dresses that are similar to the maxi dress look-dresses that can easily be worn again.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Invite the same guests to multiple bridal showers?

Q: Can we invite the same guests to multiple bridal showers? We're throwing a shower, the groom's mom is throwing one, and another friend of the bride is hosting one. There's some overlap. Is this okay?

A: Simply put-no! Bridal showers are an event where the guests are expected to bring gifts and inviting them to more than one just looks like a big gift-grab. However, there are a few exceptions:

-The bridal party and the MOB should be invited to every bridal shower. However, they don't have to give a gift at each shower.
-Suggest that the bride combine the guest lists or do separate lists for each shower.

Unique Favor-Make Your Own Bouquets or Arrangements

What a creative idea for a bridal shower favor-Dynamite Weddings had the idea of a floral potluck. What is a floral potluck you ask? According to the website you put together an assortment of different flowers and place them all in lovely containers and large vases. We like the idea of keeping each flower separately, much like how candy is served at candy buffets. At the end of the shower, have items available so guests can create an arrangement for themselves. Every guest gets to leave with flowers!

What items should you have available? Try tissue paper, ribbons, or small vases for guests to use.

What flowers to have? To keep costs down, go for in-season flowers and look for farmer's markets or wholesale florists where you can buy the flowers in bulk. They suggest tulips, gerbera daisies, stargazer lilies, and roses.

Extra touch: Try writing down the name of each flower as well as the meaning of the flower on a notecard/placecard for an extra touch. Try 800florals.com for their extensive list of what flowers mean. For example, Bells of Ireland means Good Luck.

Bridal Shower Game: Bridal Scattegories

What you Need:

Scraps of paper (something to write on)

Pens

Timer

List of topics

How to Play:

1) Make a list of words falling under various categories that all begin with the same letter.

2) Set the timer.

3) Before the timer goes off, the players must come up with words to fulfill the category that no-one else will have thought of.

4) Do each category separately as different rounds.

5) After the timer goes off, read the answers aloud. All players do this for each numbered item on the list.

6) Players get points for having words that no-one else thought of for that category.

Remember, the same player can't use the exact same answer more than once in a round.

For example if the category was wedding gown designers and the letter is A, guests could come up with Amsale, Alfred Angelo, Angelina, Anne Barge, or Anjolique. If one guest said Amsale and no other guest said Amsale, that guest would get a point for that answer.

Instead of a letter die, use the first letter of the bride, a combination of the bride & groom's, or the bride's monogram.

Possible Categories

• Colors for bridesmaids dresses


• Wedding dress designers


• Cake flavors


• Honeymoon locations


• Destination wedding venues


• Things you would bring to a honeymoon


• Things newlyweds buy the first year of marriage


• Character traits that make a good husband


• Gifts you give at a wedding


• Types of wedding favors


• Things bride would need on the wedding day


• Bad anniversary gifts


• Popular wedding flowers


• First Dance Songs


• Popular wedding food

Sample Game A:
Round One: Things to Do at a Bachelorette Party
Round Two: Gifts you Give at a Wedding
Round Three: First Dance Songs
Round Four: Types of Food Served at Receptions

Sample Game B:
Round One: Popular Wedding Foods
Round Two: Honeymoon locations
Round Three:Things Bride need on the Wedding Day
Round Four: Popular Bridal Shower Themes

Punk Bridal Shower Invites? What about Asian or Indian Brides?

We love Zazzle. We do. And luckily we found a great Zazzler, Jill311, who has incredible bridal shower invitations. Using postcards as invites is a great idea-you don't need envelopes so there's less waste and it's cheaper to mail them.

Look at these bridal shower invites. These invites showcase a bunch of ethnically diverse brides-Indian, Asian, African-American, as well as different brides like tattooed brides with pink hair. We love those punk brides! Also be sure to look at the diverse brides like the Indian bride showcased here.

Send Bridezilla an E-card

We try to be our bride's friends. After all, that's why we're their bridesmaids to begin with. Yet occassionally in the wedding planning our normal friend morphs into a "there could be a World War going on and I would still care more about whether my dinner entree is Chicken Breast Stuffed with Wild Mushroom Bread Pudding or Lemon and Rosemary Roasted Half Semi Boneless Chicken." A solution, albeit one that shouldn't be taken that seriously, is to send this e-card. Have fun!

DIY: Drink Swizzle Sticks

Whatever the theme of your bridal shower, you can add more pizazz to the drinks by customizing the drink stirrers. Even simple drinks like iced tea and lemonade can become gorgeous creations and add a little something extra.

Try making these gorgeous cocktail flags-a template is included to make the "I Do!" flag. Martha Stewart Weddings has a few DIY projects to try: colorful emerald & aqua sticks or swizzle sticks topped with crepe paper spider chrysanthemums and calla lilies.

Bridesmaid Duties: Your Duties in Detail

Bridesmaid: Your Duties in Detail

Curious as to what a bridesmaid does? This list is a short guide for the duties of the bridesmaid.

Showers

• Bridesmaids are expected to give, assist the maid of honor in planning the shower, and pay for a bridal shower. In addition, they should be helping out with cleaning up and favormaking.
• Bridesmaids should attend other bridal showers, like ones that the bride's mother or groom's mother may plan.

Bachelorette Party

• Bridesmaids plan for and pay for the bride at the bachelorette party.

Other Pre-Wedding Parties

• Bridesmaids typically attend the ceremony rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.
• Bridesmaids should attend the engagement party.

Other Pre-Wedding Duties

• Go wedding gown shopping and give input as to the style, if it looks okay, what type of bustle the bride should have, etc.
• Assist the bride with picking out the bridesmaid dresses, if she lets you.
• Buy a bridesmaid dress along with the rest of the ensemble-shoes, jewelry, handbag, etc.
• Assist the bride in putting together favors for the wedding, programs, decorations, etc.
• Help the bride in addressing wedding invitations if you have good penmanship.

Day of Duties

• Help the bride get dressed and ready. This is probably one of the biggest duties of a bridesmaid. Help her put on her dress, do her makeup, and give her drinks and food.
• Help out the ushers by seating guests.
• Hand out programs at the ceremony or bubbles, confetti, rice, or other props afterwards.
• Walk down the aisle in the procession, and stand at the altar/stage along with the other attendants.
• Stand in the receiving line, if requested by the bride.
• Run last-minute errands if needed. On the day of the wedding, help with confirming catering and flower delivery times, meet and greet the ceremony officiant, and seeing to it that everything is going smoothly.
• Be a second host at the reception; see that the guestbook is signed and that guests are dancing.
• Help the maid of honor help the bride when she has to use the bathroom.

Keep in mind that the duties of the bridesmaid can be drastically different depending on the bride. If the bride has a groom who is very interested in wedding planning then the groom will probably help the bride pick out wedding invitations, go to cake-tastings, and help register for gifts.

DIY: Giant Engagement Ring Decorations for a Bling Shower

Looking for creative bridal shower decorations? Try these giant sized engagement rings as part of a "Bling" shower or just to add some sparkle to any normal bridal shower.

If you'd like to do a Bling Shower, look at the one from the Hostess with the Mostess. If going for bling, remember to go for sparkle and lots of it.

Cinderella Inspired Bridal Shower Invite

Having a Disney themed bridal shower for the bride? Or maybe the bride and groom are getting married at Disney World and you want to reflect that in the shower invitations?

Take a look at these Cinderella inspired bridal shower invites by Zenadia Design. The inside of the invitation reveals the words to the song from Cinderella, “So this is love…” along with all the party details. To finish the design off, the designer added swirls of fairy dust and the pumpkin carriage.

The best part of this invite-it doesn't look cartoonish or childish but instead appropriate for even a couture bridal shower.

Bridal Shower Game: The Kitchen Gadget Game

The Idea: Now that the bride is about to be married, does she know what to do in the kitchen?

What you Need: Various kitchen gadgets

How to Play: Pull out one gadget at a time. The bride has to guess what the gadget does and/or what it's called. If the bride doesn't get it right, let the guests guess.

Variations: If the guest gets it right, you could let the guest keep it. Or for every gadget the bride gets wrong, have her chew gum or stuff marshmallows in her mouth-if she gets everyone wrong she could end up with a mouth full unable to talk.

Try:
Garlic Press
Mango Pitter
Molcajete
Nutmeg Grinder
Cirtus Zester
Apple Divider
Potato Masher

They're all available from Williams-Sonoma.

DIY: Bachelorette Party Survival Kit

What are survival kits? Survival kits for bachelorette parties are more or less goodie bags for the guests filled with the necessities a gal might need on her night out.

This DIY survival bag was filled with items like

1. Lip smackers
2. Advil, individually packaged and sewn between two sheets of Martha Stewart velum
3. Tic Tacs
4. Candy Necklaces
5. Condom, sewn between two sheets of Martha Stewart velum

She put the kit in little Chinese takeout boxes. What a cute idea!

Of course other items to put in a survival kit will vary. We suggest:

• Breath mints
• Gum
• Condoms (if the girls are like that)
• Lip gloss
• Aspirin, Tylenol, other OTC meds (for the next day)
• Nail files
• Stain removers (Shout wipes)
• Charmin to go (toilet paper)
• Mouthwash

Be sure to include vital information in the survival kit like:

• Map and itinerary of the party's events i.e. dinner at 6 p.m. Buddakan, 10 p.m. drinks Blue Martini
• Names and phone numbers of party hosts and designated drivers
• Name and phone number of the hotel you're staying at

Don't feel like putting one together-try the cute ones at Classy Girl Gift Co. where the " Classy Girl" kit boasts Advil, Band-Aid Travel Pack, Bath Bomb by Elixir, Candy Necklace, Candy Ring, Charmin Tissue To Go, a DVD, Gel Eye Mask, Hair Ties, Handcuffs (plastic with key), Mirror Mints by Little i, Makeup Remover, Ms. Manicure Matchbook Emory Boards, Scope Mouthwash, AND Shout Stain Wipes all in a cute tote bag.

Bridal Shower Theme: Tropical Shabby Chic

BloggerBrides has a great shower theme-tropical shabby chic. We love that the theme was influenced by the honeymoon location-Hawaii and think this would be great for other beach weddings and destination wedding showers. Using the honeymoon location as a theme for the bridal shower is a great idea-it usually gives you a fun theme.

Etsy Find: Lingerie Shower Invites by Crazy4Cards

Forget about those boring shower or bachelorette party invites. Take a look at this brilliant find from Etsy.

(Image via Etsy copyright 2008 Kimberly J Kittel)

These lingerie invites are too cute. The Bra is in the front of the card with the panty on the back of the card. To spice the card up, you can add fur to it. Don't worry-there's room to put all the details of the party on it. The price is alright too-just $14.75 for a set of 8. And with these invites, there's no way that the guests will question what the theme of the shower is-there can be no denying that this shower will not be focusing on pots and pans. :) Of course these don't have to be just used for bridal showers-they are also perfect for bachelorette parties. What a great way to let everyone know that the party will be a little naughty.

Crazy4Cards also makes these lingerie cards to use as cards. We love the Santa Baby Hot Hot Pink which would be a great accompaniment with your Victoria's Secret teddy. Frankly these cards are so cute that most of our hubbys wouldn't mind getting one on our anniversaries either.

Cupcake Kebabs-A New Way to Display Cupcakes

Image via flickr

Looking for a new way to display the endless cupcakes you usually have at a bridal shower. What about kebabs? Cupcakes Take the Cake has a tutorial on how to turn ordinary cupcakes into cupcake kebabs. Kebabs, you say? Yes the same style kebabs that you place chicken and steak along grilled veggies. This is such a unique way of showcasing cupcakes, especially if you're having a casual BBQ for the shower.

Bridal Shower Game: Battle of the Sexes Game

Looking for a great co-ed game? Banquetevent has a printable FREE game that works great for couples showers. Battle of the Sexes has the guys trying to guess where the chick flick quotes came from, while the girls answer movie quotes from sports flicks. Get it here!

DIY: Blinged Out Bridal T's

We've all seen those T-shirts and sweatshirts-the ones with the rhinestones that say "Mrs. So-and-So" or "The Bride." After all, at every bachelorette party every girl sports one saying "Bridesmaid" or "Maid of Honor" while holding her cocktails and taking photos of the bride doing everything.

Now, we've found a great DIY bridal bling tutorials so you customize the bachelorette party apparel to say anything you want-Kim's bridesmaid, Girls Night Out, monograms of the bride's initials, etc.

Project Wedding has a great DIY Bridal Hoodie How To that shows you how to affix rhinestones to clothing like hoodies.

Real Bridal Shower: Around the Clock

Elizabeth Anne Designs has a great real bridal shower of Emily's Around the Clock bridal shower. We love looking at real bridal showers and getting inspiration and ideas from them. If you want to showcase your bridal shower, e-mail us at realshowers (at) theperfectbridesmaid (dot) com.

Bridal Shower Favors: Tarte Lipgloss

There's very few females out there who don't love Tarte cosmetics. We adore their natural cheek stain, bronzing leg stick, and basically everything else Tarte sells. Now, the genuises at Tarte have come up with a great bridal shower favor-customized lipglosses. Here's how it works:

1) Choose lipgloss duo(s) from our existing pairs. The cutest part-the lipgloss duos are named after famous couples-Adam & Eve, Tarzan & Jane, Danny & Sandy, Lois & Clark, etc.

2) Order 25 or more lipglosses. Here are the different discount options:
a. 25-50 orders: 40% off retail ($19/lipgloss duo)

b. 50-75 orders: 45% off retail ($19/lipgloss duo)

c. 75 and above: 50% off retail ($19/lipgloss duo)

3) Provide us with the first names of the couple-Dave & Dana, Cyn & Frank.

Orders must be placed a minimum of 90 days prior to the day the customized glosses are needed so keep that in mind.

The best part-these favors are sure to be ones that your guests will actually like. After all, this lipgloss won the Self healthy beauty awards 2005 best on-the-go lip gloss as well as the Redbook mvp beauty award 2005 best lipgloss award.

AND, they're eco-friendly. Some of the benefits include:
petro chemical free
paraben free
phthalate free
natural fragrance
gluten free
GMO free
preservative free
sulfate free

I can only imagine going to a shower where this was a favor. I think the guests would go crazy. What a great idea!

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Shower For a Bride's SECOND Wedding?

Q: The bride's getting married for the second time. What should we do? Should we still throw her a bridal shower?

A: From traditional etiquette standpoints, no. A bride doesn't get a chance to double-dip or to have another go-around on gifts. However, today's etiquette is more relaxed and recognizes that many of us are going to be going to weddings that are the second (or third or fourth) of our friends and family.

• Guests invited to the bridal shower of the first wedding are not supposed to be invited to the bridal shower of the second wedding. If they are invited, they are not expected to bring a gift. It is presumed that since they already gave a gift at the first shower then they don't have to give one for the second. Of course many close friends and family members will still want to bring a gift and will want to come to any showers, so many choose to skip this part of the etiquette rules.

• Keep in mind that for the second wedding, the bride is likely to be older and has most of the essentials already. As a result, a themed shower like Stock the Bar, lingerie, or pampered bride are a better bet.

• Be sure to make sure that the bride wants to have a shower or a big shower. Many second-time brides don't want to have a big shower or don't want to have a traditional shower.

FREEBIE: Paper Bag Favor Labels

The creative blog Flights of Fancy has a great FREE DIY template to make paper bag favors. Obviously paper bags can hold many types of favors but especially edible favors. We love the idea of a candy buffet at a bridal shower or displays of cookies where the guests can package the favors when they are leaving. Cute and cheap!

$80 and Under Bridesmaid Dresses

Project Wedding has a great list of bridesmaid dresses under $80. Be sure to forward it to the bride so you don't have to spend a ton of money on the dress.

Bridal Shower Game: Bridal Pictionary

The Idea: Whose the best drawer at the party?

What you Need:
Easel with pad (something to draw on)
Markers (drawing utensils)
Timer
List of topics-place in jar or basket

How to Play: For this game, make up the list of topics ahead of time. Place the topics in a jar or basket. Divide the shower into two teams.

For topics, have one set be wedding related objects.
Examples:
Cake
Dress
Church
Honeymoon
Gifts

Another set of topics can be wedding related sayings.
Going to the chapel
Tying the knot
always a bridesmaid
Tossing the bouquet
Bridezilla

Bridal Shower Theme

Bridal Shower Theme List

Use our list to get ideas for themes for bridal showers. Themes can be one of several things-just for gifts, just for food, or more like a themed party. Remember that a bridal shower doesn't have to have a theme but a theme can help tie the event together.

Event
Event-themed bridal showers rule the party-let the theme dictate the menu, decorations, and activities. Normally they don't run over into the gifts though.

Alice in Wonderland
Marie Antoinette
Gone with the Wind
Sex and the City

Gifts
These type of bridal showers dictate what type of gifts the bride should receive. Example for the "around the house" shower, the guests will bring a gift dictated by the room given to them. A guest whose room is kitchen will bring a vastly different gift than one whose room was patio or bedroom.
Alphabet Every gift begins with the letter the guest is given. The letter C might bring a coffeemaker or china while the letter H might bring a hamper, hotplate, or Halloween decor.

Around the Clock The gifts are inspired by the time. A guest who gets 6 am might buy a coffepot while a guest who receives 10 pm might buy a nice set of bathrobes or a popcorn maker.

Around the House The gift is dictated by the room the guest gets. Think towels for the bathroom, pots for the kitchen, books for the library.

Christmas Shower Every gift will be inspired by Christmas! A great way for the new couple to deck the halls their first year. The bride will get holiday china, figurines, and ornaments.

Holiday Shower Much like above, only each guest gets a separate holiday to bring a gift for. For Christmas, ornaments; Thanksgiving, nice serving dishes; Cinco de Mayo, margarita glasses and mix.

Home and Garden Shower Tools needed to fix up the home and plants for the outside. It's the handyman's couple's dream shower!

Honeymoon Shower This shower is meant to celebrate where the couple will spend their honeymoon. Are they going to the beach-guests will bring towels, sunscreen, travel guides, sunglasses, and other necessities.

Lingerie Shower Exactly as it sounds. The bride can receive anything and everything from bathrobes, pajamas, to racy sets of lingerie and bustiers.

Pampered Bride (Spa) The shower for the bride who really wants bath and body products just for her.

Stock the Bar Guests bring items to stock the bar. Examples include glasses, accessories, wine, bottles of liquor.

Stock the Pantry Similar to the "stock the bar" theme, only this shower focuses on the bare necessities a kitchen needs. Guests are expected to bring recipes with the ingredients necessary to make them. End result-the bride has every staple and condiment known to man!

Food
Here the menu dictates the theme. The theme doesn't have to have anything to do with the gift theme, if there is any at the shower.

Wine and Cheese Tasting
Chocolate
Dessert
Brunch

Bridesmaid Hair: Christina Applegate's 2009 Golden Globes Look

It's great to see a versatile style for weddings and this look that actress Christina Applegate wore for the 2009 Golden Globes awards is a great updo for weddings. We love the long bangs and bun qualities of the hairstyle. This look is great for every wedding!

Bachelorette Party Etiquette: Bridesmaids Underage/Under 21?

Q: What do we do we do when planning a bachelorette party when some of the bridesmaids are under 21? How should we include them?

A: A bachelorette party doesn't have to center around getting drunk. You can still have a bachelorette party with those under 21.

-Consult with the bride to find out how involved she wants her underage bridesmaids to be in in her bachelorette party. Some brides are fine with their bridesmaids missing a night out of partying. Others can't think of a having a last night out without their closest friends, sisters, or cousins.

-Come up with nontraditional bachelorette party ideas that the underage girls can still attend. There's lots of activities that the under-21 crowd can still enjoy-spa day, nice dinners out, cooking classes, outdoor activities like kayaking or beach trips.

-Consider having a half and half party where the under-21 girls can go out for a day of shopping and food, but leave after dinner so that the rest of the females can enjoy cocktails. Or plan two separate bachelorette parties-one for the under-21 crowd and one for the adults.

-Word of caution-Don't encourage the underage girls to drink alcohol. It's a a bad idea and there can be legal reprecussions for those who give them the alcohol.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Do guests have to be invited to the wedding also?

Q: Do the guests of the bridal shower have to be invited to the wedding? The bride is planning on having a small wedding. What can we do?

A: The guests that are invited to a bridal shower have to be invited to the wedding. The main purpose of the bridal shower is to shower the bride with gifts so if you invite someone who isn't invited to the wedding it looks like you're just asking for gifts. This means that if the wedding has 10 guests, then only those 10 guests could be invited to the bridal shower. Yes, even if the wedding is a destination wedding, these etiquette rules apply.

Be sure to double-check that everyone you're inviting to the shower is invited to the wedding-if the shower is a surprise ask the groom or the mother of the bride.This doesn't mean though that everyone invited to the wedding has to be invited to the bridal shower. The bridal shower can be smaller than the wedding (and it should be.)