A couples bridal shower lets the guys in on the fun.
Although wedding showers are traditionally for women only, modern brides have started to embrace their fiance's being a part of the bridal shower festivities, opting to have a couple's shower. If you are hosting the shower, you can't just plan a typical shower and invite the groom and his friends. From the invitation to the activities, the shower needs to embrace the guys and make both women and men feel welcome and included in an event that is celebrating the relationship of a couple everyone invited cares about.
Instructions
1. Select a theme. A gender neutral theme will make the guys more comfortable about attending a bridal shower. A backyard barbecue is a safe bet for a co-ed shower. You could also come up with a theme based on things that the couple of honor like to do together, such as going to the movies, a particular sport or travel. Base the decorations around the theme.
2. Send out invitations that make it clear the shower is for both men and women. Avoid sending out pink, frilly invitations. Choose a neutral color such as tan or beige for the invitation. Use a graphic for the card that emphasizes both the man and the woman, such as his and her coffee cups or two beach chairs, depending on your theme. Word the invitation to emphasize that the shower is for the couple, not just the woman. For example, you could write, "Please Join Leslie and Tom for a couple's shower in their honor."
3. Keep decor gender neutral for a couples wedding shower and focus on the theme. For a sports themed wedding shower, decorate in colors of a favorite team the couple roots for. For a barbecue bridal shower, cover tables with red checkered picnic tables and place wildflowers in a glass jar. You could also place toy barbecue tools in a metal tin as centerpieces as well. Decorate the party space with balloons that match the theme hanging from the ceiling or attached to chairs if the party is outside. Another idea is to have different pictures of the couple at every table.
4. Base food around the theme of the party. A barbecue bridal shower will obviously have barbecue food such as burgers, hot dogs, and corn on the cob on the menu. A sports-themed shower can have food typically served at a Super Bowl party such as chili and wings. You can also serve the favorite foods of the couple. Include both fruit cocktails and hearty beer options. Include desserts, but avoid overly girly kinds, such as petit fours or pink-frosted cupcakes.
5. Play games that involve everyone. One idea is to play the newlywed game, where the bride and groom are separately asked a set of questions about the other. Each party guest can get a turn asking one of the questions to the couple. You can also turn the questions on the guests to see how well they know the couple. Another idea is to have everyone write down something funny or a funny memory about the couple. The couple takes turns reading a note and trying to guess who said it. Guys like competition so set up some silly competitive games such as "dress the bride." Divide the men and women into two teams and set up a game where team members must race to a specific spot, put on the bridal clothing, run back to his team, take it off and dress the other member of his team, who must run back to the other side, take dress off and dress the other team member. The first team to get all of their team members dressed and undressed wins.
Tags: bridal shower, Another idea, Another idea have, around theme, barbecue bridal, barbecue bridal shower, both women