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1950's Housewife Bridal Shower

jkw03004jkw03004
First Comment
in Pre-wedding Parties
I'm throwing a bridal shower for my best friend and i'm wanting to do a 1950s housewife theme. I've researched on this for hours & not coming up with anything. I've gone to invitation stores & there's no such invitation. I at least want a retro feel to the invites. So I need help with ideas for what decorations I should use, foods, etc.
So far I know its going to be thrown in a conference room at my apartment complex so that's a pretty blank room. I'm thinking pink streemers across the room, i think i'm going to string a line across the room & have it look like a clothes line & hang pictures from the clothes pins, finger foods (like tuna or chicken salad sandwiches, veggies & dip), oh & a jello mold. I'm also buying a retro apron from etsy that is really cute for the bride to wear.
I also need help on any kind of retro shower games we could play. I don't want to go overboard on the theme, just want it to be enough where its cute.
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Re: 1950's Housewife Bridal Shower

  • bridgetgowenbridgetgowen
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    have guests bring recipe cards

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  • sandra60sandra60
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    This is what we're doing for my daughter!  One game we're playing is "Pimp my Cupcake", whereby whoever's decorated cupcake is judged by the bride as best wins a prize.  We're also using the article from Good Housekeeping 13 May 1955, How to be a Good Housewife as a pop-quiz.  A lady on etsy has a kit for $4! We've made the invites through Vistaprint, writing our own poem:

    Think of the days of old, when ladies were not so bold,

    Stepford Wives were the norm, to forget your gloves was very bad form.

    We'll remember a more genteel time, and hopefully teach *bride* to toe the line,

    Show her how a wife should be, whilst enjoying fine cakes and tea.
    No gifts are required for the bride-to-be, but please bring along your best recipe,
    To help the bride make up a book, and have lots of yummy things to cook.
    And there'll be prizes for the best/most original/funny Stepford Wife.
    Decorations are pink and pink and more pink! Using the pink striped/dotted plates and napkins and banners available from most party places, mixed with 3 shades of plain pink for tablecloths and extra plates and napkins. Retro food, pineapple and cocktail onions on toothpicks, fruit kebabs, old fashioned punchbowls and so on. Really let your hair down and get into the spirit of the time, and it will be fantastic! 

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  • Knot AnnieKnot Annie member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I LOVE this. The poem is adorable!

    KA
    Tweet? Me too! Have you checked out our My Real Wedding Gallery for ideas? Upload your photos here and be featured on The Knot!
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  • jkw03004jkw03004
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Thanks for your help. So far I've got from etsy a retro I love Lucy like apron that I'm going to make the bride wear; I followed your advice & bought the 1950s pop quiz on being a good housewife (its so cute); and I also found these really cute cupcake toppers on etsy that have different pictures of housewives on them. Along with cupcakes I'm going to do a bundt cake & a jello mold.
    I also found invitations at my local stationary store that has the classic mixer on it with mixing bowls. They didn't have anything exactly like I wanted but I think these have just enough of the retro feel.
    Thanks again & keep on with the input!
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  • virginiabelle2000virginiabelle2000 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Love this idea!
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  • linda2468linda2468 member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Hello!
    I am also having a 50s housewife themed shower. We have a life-size Elvis cutout game and guests have to "plant a kiss on elvis" blindfolded, a Price is Right game where they will have to guess the price of household items from the 50s, and another game where they will have to make a plate a food for the groom. Guests are also encouraged to come dressed as a housewife. We will have sugar cookies in the shapes of cherries and polka dot dresses, and mini vases with colourful flowers for decor.
    Hope this helps!

    Here is the invite, although the picture quality is not great.
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  • anne.azanoanne.azano
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    watch mad men for inspiration! 50s advertising and posters are kinda fun.  Maybe you could decorate with them.  Playing 50s music would be an easy way to add to the theme as well.
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  • KatieBug2966KatieBug2966
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    For invitations, you could look for vintage-style postcards instead of invites. Here's some from a paperie in Colorado. We used these as our save-the-dates and people loved them!
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  • KatieBug2966KatieBug2966
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    PS- the word "Colorado" is a link... I dunno why it didn't change color.
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  • cukimerrydollcukimerrydoll member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    When I think 50s, I think Pleasantville.

    I love the thought of using pearls.
    Also think about using polka dots or pin stripes as well.
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  • k3montelk3montel member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Such a cute idea!!!
    Warning No formatter is installed for the format bbhtml
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  • Knot AnnieKnot Annie member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011

    Also, check this shower out. It's so cute and very 50's housewifey:


    http://weddings.theknot.com/Real-Weddings/58214/view.aspx?id=58214&type=1

    Tweet? Me too! Have you checked out our My Real Wedding Gallery for ideas? Upload your photos here and be featured on The Knot!
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  • SwankyChicksSwankyChicks
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Love this theme great idea. Choose a retro muted color palate, and dress your tables in those colors, all the same or alternating. Use one color table cloth and a different runner. You can find cute fabric at the fabric store rather than searching for table cloths. For a no sew fix just use stich witchery to fuse the hems.
    Micheals had some really cute retro 50's recipe boxes in the dollar section as well as aprons, and notepads. They would be an adorable favor.
    We also have tons of cute cooking favors in our shop. Heart shaped whisks, ice cream scoops etc. Use FB10 for a 10% discount
    www.swankychicks.com
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  • ipwtfa91ipwtfa91
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    Knot Annie listed the exact shower I thought of when I read your post. I'm hoping my girls choose a similar theme, HOWEVER, I think the "pimp my cupcake" part of it ruins the 50s feel. I guarantee you, they did not say "pimp my" anything.

    A cute alternative is to make some single layer plain cakes and divide the guests into teams. Give them frostings and decorations and tell them to decorate the cake, then have the bride pick a winner.

    You could also have a cakewalk-type giveaway played to 50s them music.
    Ask girls to dress up in 50s appropriate clothing- if they don't have any, it can easily be borrowed or found at stores like Goodwill.

    You could offer some type of specialty cocktail or something, and print off some funny 50s housewife cartoons or actual descriptions of the duties and expectations of a 50s housewife.

    This site might be helpful? I didn't have time to look in detail but it could at least offer ideas for retro invites...
    http://www.fenderskirtsvintage.com/store/index.php?cPath=153_173

    Good luck!

    New blog :)
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  • IrenethornberryIrenethornberry member
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    I wanted to ask where you got the questions Good House Keeping Quiz, I'm looking to do this style bridal shower as well.
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  • charjoshcharjosh
    First Comment
    edited December 2011
    havent been able to find it for free  but you can download it from http://www.bridalshowergamesatoz.com/product/details/how-to-be-a-good-wife?gwo=1 and/or etsy
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  • SarahmatternSarahmattern member
    First Comment
    In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/special-topic-wedding-boards_pre-wedding-parties_1950s-housewife-bridal-shower?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Special Topic Wedding BoardsForum:32Discussion:f46ab90b-d2a0-48a3-82f3-697c162e3320Post:2f276445-f654-4036-83ab-70c792421616">Re: 1950's Housewife Bridal Shower</a>:
    [QUOTE]have guests bring recipe cards
    Posted by bridgetgowen[/QUOTE]
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