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If you're planning a bridal shower, a fun idea to consider is an around-the-clock shower. Since many showers are the same as the next, having a fun theme will make your shower a memorable and fun one!
What exactly IS an around-the-clock shower?
While some people may interpret the idea differently, generally it's a shower that highlights different "times" of the bride and groom's lives together and creates categories for gift-giving. Each guest will be assigned a "time," such as breakfast time or bath time. Their gifts then, should reflect this time, so that a breakfast gift could be a breakfast tray with a tea pot and a selection of teas and jams. Another option would be a waffle maker. For bath time, one could bring his and hers bath towels and bubble bath. The idea here is to shower the bride with a wide variety of gifts that are creative and useful for all the times of their lives.
How do I explain this idea to guests?
The concept can be a bit confusing to try to relay to guests, but a simple poem that's been passed around and around can usually set things straight. If you're making your invites, it's easy to incorporate this right on to the page. If you've got pre-made invites, it's just as easy to make an insert. Check it out:
We're having a party! And won't it be fun
Many cheers and best wishes before we are done
A shower for (name), our esteemed bride-to-be
A reason to revel, we know you'll agree
The times of our life is the theme for this day
To help the new couple get on their way
Breakfast at home, lunch in the park
Playtime and funtime from morning til dark
Filling each second, each minute, each hour
That is our challenge for this bridal shower
We hope you can join us, we hope you'll agree
(address) is the place to be!
Your time of day is __________
For each invitation, you will want to fill in the blank with different times. Some you might wish to duplicate. A few ideas to get you started:
BBQ time
beach time
cocktail time
dessert time
game time
Thanksgiving time
Halloween time
party time
quiet time
What else can I do to incorporate this time?
Table decorations could be tailored to a specific time or season. Kitchen timers make great favors. You can also use the timer to play a game--set the timer for random times (relatively short) as the bride is opening her gifts. When the timer rings, see whose gift she is opening--give that guest a prize! Creating a collage of photos showcasing the times of the bride's life is a fun one--find pictures of her as a baby, in school, graduating, with her husband-to-be, etc. Entitle it something like The Life and Times of (bride's name.) Another idea is to include in the invitation a blank piece of paper. Ask each guest to write a story about when they first met the bride, or a favorite memory of the bride--collect them at the shower and then assemble them into a book to give to the bride. It will make for a great memory book.
What if people don't follow through with their assigned time?
Undoubtedly some people will have already bought a gift, or had something else in mind they wanted to give. That's OK! The gift-opening is exactly the same as any other shower, so no one will feel excluded. Remember, it's all about having a fun alternative, and creating a shower everyone will remember!
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