Bridal Shower Game: How Well Do You Know The Couple?

Find out which guest knows the couple the best with this exciting game.  The best way to do it is to do multiple choice and hand out papers with the questions and answers.

The guest with the most correct answers gets a prize.

Sample questions to ask:

What was the (bride's) and (groom's) first date?
a) Movies
b) Skydiving 
c) Day at the beach
d) Starbucks


Other questions you could ask would be:
Where did the groom propose at?
When was their first date?
Where are they honeymooning at?
Who introduced them?
How did they meet?

5 Sewing Projects To Do With Old Bridesmaid Dresses

Looking for new ways to use the countless collection of bridesmaid dresses that you have in your closet? Luckily, we have a few DIY sewing ideas.  Yes, most of these will require some skills in sewing, but if you're not interested in donating the dress or turning the dress into another couture creation.

1.  Turn bridesmaid dresses into chair covers and tableclothes.  What a great DIY idea if you're crafty!

2.  With Christmas around the corner, make a tree skirt. Especially nice if your bridesmaid dress colors were red or green. 

3.  Make new pillow covers. Use the fabric from an old bridesmaid dress and turn it into an accent pillow cover. Just buy the pillow inserts at a crafts store and you'll soon have some new pillows.

4.  Make window valances, the things that go above windows.

5.  Make a Barbie bridesmaid or princess dress.  Thanks to the patterns at Miss B Couture, you can sew a whole new wardrobe for Barbie and friends.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: How Large Should the Shower Be?

Q: The bride gave us her guest list for the bridal shower. There's seventy people on it! Do we have to invite everyone to the shower?
A: No.  Wedding showers aren't intended to be just gift-grabbing parties-the original purpose is to let the bride celebrate with her closest friends and family. 

Our tip: go over the guest list with the bride and see if there are people she can leave out.  Tell her that you simply can't afford to invite everyone on her list and that you were planning a more intimate affair.  Who can be left out? Those the bride doesn't know well and those who are being invited to other showers, for starters.  And, of course, make sure that everyone on her list is being invited to the wedding.

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Should the Groom's Mother Help Pay?

Q: We're having a large bridal shower for the bride including inviting several members of the groom's family. Is it okay to ask the groom's mother to help pay for the shower?

A: No. The host of the bridal shower pays for the shower, not anyone else. As bridesmaids, you shouldn't expect anyone else, whether its the guests or the mother of the groom, to help foot the bill. By all means if she offers, feel free to accept, but she is under no obligation to help pay for the bridal shower.  

Of course, you're under no obligation to invite the groom's family to the shower. 

Bridal Shower Etiquette: Should the bride's mother pay?

Q: We're having a large bridal shower for the bride. Is it okay to ask her mother to help pay for the shower?
A: No.  The host of the bridal shower pays for the shower, not anyone else. As bridesmaids, you shouldn't expect anyone else, whether its the guests or the mother of the bride, to help foot the bill.  By all means if she offers, feel free to accept, but she is under no obligation to help pay for the bridal shower. 

Bridal Shower Theme: Cocktails & Cupcakes

Bridal Shower Theme:  Cocktails & Cupcakes

Cupcakes are huge right now-and for good reason! You get to eat a nice serving of cake (or 4) without feeling guilty.  Add in your favorite cocktails and this girlie party is sure to be a hit.



Invitations

Set the tone for the bridal shower with the invites. The one to the left, a  Cupcakes & Martinis Bridal Shower Invite sets the right tone.  Will anyone doubt that the desserts will be aplenty at this party?

Or this cute Cupcakes & Cocktails Bridal Shower Invitation.  The guest's mouths will be watering with anticipation. Plus, this lets guests know that it won't be a stuffy tea party.







Food


With cupcakes and cocktails you can't go wrong.  Aim for a menu that encourages noshing and mingling allowing the guests to get to know each other while the bride is opening gifts.

Sample Menu

1. Caramel Apple Cupcakes with Apple Martinis
2. Champagne Cupcakes with Mimosas or Champagne
3. Guinness and Bailey's Irish Cream Cupcakes with beer, red wine, or Chocolate Martinis

Some helpful tips:

• Chocolate cupcakes pairs well with other chocolate drinks like chocolate martinis, red wine, and beer. The lighter cupcakes pair well with white wines and champagne.
• To balance out the sweetness of the cupcakes, serve extras like mixed nuts, cheese & crackers, and pesto pinwheels along with fresh fruit like strawberries, berries, and grapes.
• Aim for 6 mini cupcakes per person or about 4 regular size per person-guests will want to munch on a variety of flavors.  When in doubt-always have more.

• Have the cocktails ready for mingling by preparing them ahead of time and placing them in mini martini glasses.

Follow the lead of Rene on Rene Takes the Cake. Her cupcakes & cocktails party featured Chocolate Espresso Martinis, Chambord and Champagne, and Stellatinis which were made from strawberry lemonade, vodka, and sprite. Each drink was then paired with it's cocktail inspired cupcake.

• Take cupcaking to the next level with cupcake fondue-yep we said Cupcake Fondue!  A truly creative, one-of-a-kind idea you basically take mini cupcakes and dip them into frosting. Easy to do too!

• Try the cupcake blog Cupcake where you can find unique cupcake recipes like Sweet Potato Cupcakes,  Coconut Lime Cupcakes,  Churros and Chocolate Cupcakes, and Sweet and Salty Honey Peanut Cupcakes as well as hundreds of other creative cupcake flavors. 

• Need to order specialty cupcakes? Try Crumbs where among the offerings you can order Cosmo, Grasshopper, and Key Lime cupcakes, all of which are kosher.  Try BabyCakes for gluten-free or spelt cupcakes.

Favors

• Have extra favor boxes on hand for guests to take the left-over cupcakes home with them. Less calories (and less clean-up) for you!

• Stick with the cupcake theme-send guests home with personalized cupcake mixes or give everyone personalized cupcakes. Or go with the cocktail theme-send guests home with personalized cosmo mixes.

• Make cupcakes in a jar for favors. Not only are they easy to make but since they're in a jar, they're easy to transport in a car (or on the subway.)

• Had enough of food? Why not do towel cupcakes or mini cocktail shakers?