Your dream shower

heyimbren

Maybe this is a weird question, but I'm planning a shower for my friend. I know personal tastes and preferences are going to widely vary, but for you other ladies on here, consider this a poll:

What's important at a shower (in your opinion)?

I'm also just kind of curious to hear what people say honestly about bridal showers in general.

Also, what don't you like about showers?

What would your dream shower include? Any must-haves?

mysticl

I'll help you out with the don't likes.  I don't like the games.  I don't find them fun.  Things like "How well do you know the bride?" can be embarassing for some.  Think of the groom's cousin who has met the bride once but still got invited to the shower.  The poor girl only knows the bride's name.   Or they do the newly wed game and record the groom saying that his fave feature of the bride's are her boobs thinking it's for the b-party and it turns out his mother sees it.  I'd rather just eat, drink, have some cake, talk to people and open gifts. 

Starlight Kel

I've never had a shower but I have thrown them.  I'd say my least favorite and the least fav of the guests were the games.  Some of them are cute and funny but I agree with Mysticl that games that require details about the bride/couple can be bad.  I'd say pick 1 or 2 games that everyone could enjoy and the rest gifts/food/conversation. 

Good Luck though, I'm sure whatever you do for the shower your friend will see how much you put into it and will be so happy that you did it for her.

loop0406

I love the games, presents, fun

I don't like late arrival guests and that it ends so quickly (mine was 3 hours - flew by)

SuMmErKuTiE

What's important at a shower (in your opinion)? Good food, drinks, no cheesy shower games, maybe a cute theme that's not overdone.

I'm also just kind of curious to hear what people say honestly about bridal showers in general.

Also, what don't you like about showers? Cheesy games.. if I have to play one more game of Toilet Paper Bride I think I'll scream. Thankfully that wasn't at my shower per my request.

What would your dream shower include? Any must-haves?My shower was more than I ever expected. It was a Mad Hatter Tea Party and all of the little details were amazing. Seeing all the woman in my life I love at the same place was also amazing.

ehathewa

Important:  Having the people that I love be there! 
Fun: Games!  I love games!  But as you can tell from PPs this will vary from bride to bride, so you may just want to ask her what she thinks about shower games.  We played one at mine where they had cut brides out of magazines and then glued the face of a celebrity on it and you had to figure out who it was.  Celebs included Madonna, J Lo, Snooki, Kate Hudson...  it was a ton of fun. 
Unimportant: Themes

trix1223

Don't like:  games.  Don't like is too mild.  I really detest almost every game.  I can live with Bridal Bingo but the rest.....nms.

Like:  Good food and beverage. 

Dream shower:  small gathering (less than 20 preferably) in someone's home.

Nightmare shower:  Huge gathering (over 30 people)  in a hall or restaurant.

Speechie1970

I agree with so many of what other girls said.  Don't really like the games.  Love the people.  Enjoy simple but good food. Smaller is better (20 is a good mix).  A theme is nice but not necessary.  Great cake is must - not just the typical grocery store cake - a good bakery cake is a must.  A signature drink is always fun for a shower.  Sangria is a fun choice.  Something interactive is fun too.  We did a girls weekend for a friend that was awesome!  We went to the mountains, hung out, drank too much wine, ate two fabulous meals(one we made together and one out), and a day at the spa.  It was awesome.  A simpler interactive shower may be getting a couple of massage therapists with chairs to come do back massages on the ladies for like 10 minutes each.  You could also hire a psychic.  Or dance lessons.  Maybe you could learn a line dance and make sure the ladies are given opportunity to show off their talents at the wedding (the shower favor could be a cd with the song on it).  Good luck!

heyimbren

Thank you ladies!

Basically, most games sound like a no-go. Maybe a couple (not too lame) ones, but other than that just socializing.

It's a friends-only shower, because her mom is throwing a family shower so she said no tto invite family to this one. So that'll be nice in a way.
I think the bigger emphasis is on who's there, as opposed to what's going on.

I'm grateful for the input!

trix1223

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_pre-wedding-parties_dream-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special%20Topic%20Wedding%20BoardsForum:32Discussion:3517b95f-cbe0-44cb-b585-dc4dac1a4ddcPost:6e67dc68-bfac-441b-955e-c00865a82b6a">Re: Your dream shower</a>:
[QUOTE]I agree with so many of what other girls said.  Don't really like the games.  Love the people.  Enjoy simple but good food. Smaller is better (20 is a good mix).  A theme is nice but not necessary.  Great cake is must - not just the typical grocery store cake - a good bakery cake is a must.  A signature drink is always fun for a shower.  Sangria is a fun choice.  Something interactive is fun too.  We did a girls weekend for a friend that was awesome!  We went to the mountains, hung out, drank too much wine, ate two fabulous meals(one we made together and one out), and a day at the spa.  It was awesome.  A simpler interactive shower may be getting a couple of massage therapists with chairs to come do back massages on the ladies for like 10 minutes each.  You could also hire a psychic.  Or dance lessons.  Maybe you could learn a line dance and make sure the ladies are given opportunity to show off their talents at the wedding (the shower favor could be a cd with the song on it).  Good luck!
Posted by Speechie1970[/QUOTE]
Speechie:  what you've written is much more what my circle would consider a b-party than a shower.

In my circle, a shower is an event that is a couple of hours long.  Bride opens gifts, perhaps guests play a couple of (cringe-worthy) games, everyone has something to eat, and guests go home.


going to the mountains, hanging out, spa day, massages, dance lessons are b-party activities, at least in our neck of the woods.

RebeccaB88

When the games come out, I always go hide in the bathroom or try to help out in the kitchen.

donnaoneill

What!? I love games! But I agree about the "how well do you know the bride" ones. A lot of people don't know the bride well like distant relatives. I liked at one of my showers the host had a game that was being played throughout the shower and I like prizes for the winners candles, bath gels, etc. Good food is a plus. I wouldn't say a bakery cake is necessary, but just a nice mix of things. Salts and sweets. Cheesecake...mmmm