Favorite 8-- Spring has Sprung!


Whether you're throwing a bridal shower, afternoon luncheon or wedding...this is a beautiful and inexpensive centerpiece!

Katie Brown Blog

 Look closely--- those aren't even vases--- they are drinking glasses! You have two options for painting glass like this. You can spray paint the outsides--- like this or paint this insides like this in video. In this particular picture they have painted the inside so that the details around the bottom still show. I love it! You could use glasses, vases, goblets, jars, etc. Cluster them together and fill with flowers.

Hit up your local thrift store, yard sales and boxes in your basement.

Bridal Shower Games

** I have created this post twice from scratch, and when I've published them, about half of my content is missing. Please bear with me. I'm trying to re-create it--- AGAIN!**

I've Never
On the shower invitation, guests are told to bring spare change for a game. The bride creates a list of things she's never done. At the shower, the bride reads her list one by one and the guests have to put a coin in the jar if they've done it. We played this game at my shower and I'm not sure if I've ever laughed so hard. I had some tame ones like "I've never been on a cruise" but I also had some like "I've never been skinny-dipping" and "I've never skipped school." We found out some things about some of the old ladies in the room, including my grandma!  When my sister planned with game, we figured we'd end up with a couple of dollars.... but people were so generous with what coins they chose and some even just dumped their container into the jar at the end that we got over $80! We used this money to splurge on a carriage ride on our honeymoon.

Memory Lane Mysteries

This game is every bride’s sentimental favorite. When you send out each guest’s shower invitations, include

a blank note card along with a request to write down his or her favorite memory of the bride, groom or the couple. When they arrive, have your guests drop their memories into a card box. At the shower, read each memory out loud and ask the bride and/or groom to guess which guest wrote it. From childhood memories to milestone moments, each card reflects the personal bond that each guest has with the couple. And, at the end of the day, the bride has a stack of personal keepsakes to cherish always.

Wedding Night Words

Here’s a nice n’ naughty game that’ll take the bride and bridal shower guests by surprise! While the bride is opening her gifts, have a bridesmaid secretly write down everything that the bride-to-be says (make sure she doesn’t notice). Once all the gifts have been opened, gather everyone together and—with your best bedroom voice—read aloud the “ooh’s” and “aah’s” and exclamations (e.g. “Wow! That’s tiny!”) that the bride said—it’s what the bride will be telling her groom on the wedding night!  

My friends did this for my shower and it was a hoot! Because of some of the older guests at the shower, the shower guests knew nothing of this. They read it at my bachelorette party, which just made it funnier! We have since kept this tradition for two more friends (without reminding them that we were doing it). I had tears running down my face at one of the showers from laughing at her comments! My sister and I knew what was going on and slowly told 3 other friends at our table. It was a riot!

What’s the Bride Wearing?

Pay attention! About 20 minutes into the bridal shower, test your guests’ observation skills with this fun little game. Without letting on that they’ll be tested later, begin the party as planned. Then, once everyone has had a chance to greet the bride and is just getting settled into the party, have the bride leave the room. Give each guest a piece of paper and pencil and have them write down everything they can possibly remember about what the bride is wearing, listing as many details as possible. Bring the bride back in and have each person read his or her neighbor’s list out loud. The guest that accurately lists the most items wins!

Guess How Many
An easy and cheap game is to fill a container with items and have guests guess how many it holds.

Guess What's in the Bag
Put samples of white powders in baggies. Number the baggies and hand out sheets of paper with the same numbers. The white powders can be sugar, flour, baking soda, etc. Without smelling or tasting guests must figure out what kind of powder is in which bags. These bags are passed around during the shower. After everyone has had a chance at every bag, the correct answers are added up and the person with the most correct answers wins a gift.

Advice Book
A gift all guests can give the bride at the shower is an advice book that they have compiled. The host can include a pretty notecard with the invitation and guests are asked to fill it out with their best advice and bring it to the shower. I would suggest having extra notecards at the shower for those that forgot. The cards can be added to a pretty photo album and presented the bride. Instead of cards and an album, guests could write in a pretty journal.

Having a cooking themed shower? Notecards could be recipe cards and guests give their 'recipe for a good marriage.'

Question the Bride

Instead of playing bingo or another game while the bride opens gifts, allow guests to ask her questions such as "Where did you two meet?" "When did you know you loved him?" "How did he propose?" "Where will you honeymoon?". This would be really nice for a larger group of women getting to know each other.

Famous Wives

Make a list of famous men--- musicians, TV or movie characters, actors, etc. Ask guests to write down the name of their wives. Make some really easy, and make others more challenging. Some men have very famous wives, and others don't.

Idioms

Each guest receives a paper with the first part of the sentence and they must complete the sentence in a given amount of time. My guess would be that grandmas and moms will do the best! The one with the most wins!

A woman's work...is never done.

A happy house...is full of laughter.

Behind every great man...is a successful woman.

A woman's place...is in the home.

When the going gets tough...the tough gets going.

A stitch in time...saves nine.

My house...is your house.

The path of true love...never runs smooth.

Variety is...the spice of life.

Every man's home...is his castle.

True love...conquers all.

Marriages are...made in heaven.

A watched pot...never boils.

If the shoe fits...wear it.

A penny saved... is a penny earned.

Home is... where the heart is.

Too many cooks...spoil the broth.

Kill two birds... with one stone.

A bird in the hand... is worth two in the bush.

Don't count your chickens...before they hatch.

Don't put all your eggs...in one basket.

Drastic times...call for drastic measures.

Never bite the....hand that feeds you.

Rome was not built...in a day.

Brand Name, Jingle or Slogan

Show logos of famous products and ask guests to name the product. You could either cover the name or digitally remove it. Some products such as Morton Salt have logos without the name covering it. Try: Toyota (or other car companies), Microsoft, Yahoo, Nike, Apple, BP, McDonald's, Starbucks, Little Debbie, Baskin Robbins,Girl Scouts, Quaker Oats, Gerber, Pepsi, KFC, and Ocean Spray.

Create a list of companies famous jingles or slogans and ask guests to 'name that company.'

Be all that you can be.--- Army

Breakfast of champions.---Wheaties

Eat more Chikin!---Chick-Fil-A

Every kiss begins with Kay.--- Kay Jewelers

Good to the last drop.---Maxwell House

Have it your way.--- Burger King

It takes a lickin and keeps on tickin.--- Timex

Just do it--- Nike

M'm M'm Good-- Campbell's Soup

Obey your thirst.-- Sprite

So easy a caveman can do it.--- Geico

Sometimes you feel like a nut, Sometimes you don't.---Mounds/Almond Joy

You can do it. We can help.--- Home Depot

Finger lickin' Good-- KFC

Taste the rainbow--- Skittles

Your potential, Our passion.--- Microsoft

The power to be your best--- Apple

Drivers wanted.--- Volkswagen

Hot eats, cool treast--- DQ

Hungry? Why Wait?--- Snickers

Everything we do is driven by you--- Ford

Where's the beef?--- Wendy's

Head for the border-- Taco Bell

Get the Sensation-- York Peppermint Patty

Memory

The bride comes out with an apron and a try of various kitchen items. She shows each item to guests while the hostess reads off the list. The bride leaves the room and guests must compile a list of everything they can remember. Want to make it more challenging?? Play a game in between!

Grocery List

Grab the current and local grocery store ad. Choose 5-10 items that you could use to make a great dinner. Calculate the total. At the shower, tell what store ad you're using and explain each item in detail--- brand, size, flavor, etc. Guests write their estimated cost for the item, or just keep a running tally in their head. Guests total their 'grocery bill' (with or without tax--- you decide!). The closest total, without going over, wins!

The Spice Game
Have ten bottles of herbs or spices with the labels covered. Have the guests guess the spices and herbs - they are allowed to smell the herbs or spices. The guest with the most correct answers may keep the spices or give them to the bride, preferably the latter.

 

Sources

Memory Lane Memories, Wedding Night Words, What's the Bride Wearing

Guess What's in the Bag, The Spice Game