Best Bridal Shower Games

If you’ve ever planned a bridal shower, you know it takes some ingenuity to come up with a plan that keeps guests entertained and happy once the gifts are opened and the appetizers are gone. It’s always a good idea to do something that focuses on the bride-to-be and provides the opportunity for guests to get to know her and her fiancé better as well, but what could that be? No one wants to endure cheesy games or uncomfortable conversation, so how do you plan a party that guests will talk about for weeks to come?

Experts say it’s all in the games! Although many women are a little hesitant when you mention it’s game time, if you are well prepared with games that are both stimulating and all-inclusive, you’ll find participation will not be a problem, and guests will let go a little and reveal a bit of their fun side. In the end, your guests will leave happy and the party will have been a success. So, how do you come up with the best bridal shower games? Here are a few ideas:

The Nearly Wed Game
To play this game, film the groom answering questions previous to the shower. The questions may include something like, “Who paid on the first date?” or “Who said ‘I love you’ first?” The bride then answers the same questions at the shower, watching the video clip after each answer to see if she was right.

Bride Bingo
Sounds simple, but everyone loves a good game of bingo, especially when it’s personalized. For printable bingo cards go online. There are shops that offer free printing right from your home computer.

Paper Bride
This is a fun game that gets everyone off their feet. Divide guests into teams of three or four. Using one member of each team as a model, the other team members construct a wedding dress using toilet paper (triple-ply works best). The models strut their stuff, and the bride picks her favorite. Fun for everyone!

The Purse Game
Do you know who brought the biggest purse? She could be the big winner! Use this fun checklist to see who has the most - and the most unusual - items in her purse! Play individually, or as teams of 2-3. Give each player (or team) one game sheet and tell them if they have the item listed in their purse, then they can add the appropriate points to their list. For teams, the items can come from any team member's purse. You’d be amazed at what you’ll discover—all from a woman’s purse!

Who’s That Couple?
Just for fun, make color printouts of celebrity couples and leave one at each place setting. Ask guests to identify both people in the photo. And don’t make it too easy—everyone knows Brad and Angelina!

For more game ideas, go online. Some companies offer simple, personalized game boards and ideas for very reasonable prices. Just remember the best games involve everyone there and invite participation. Although most women go to bridal showers to wish the bride well and offer support, planning the right games for your crowd can make the shower a fun experience for everyone present, and the bride-to-be will leave with plenty of happy memories as she anticipates her big day.

Flower Girls

This is our lastest video. In it we display our beautiful and colorful dresses for flower girls. I am really excited about this line of dresses. I hope you enjoy the video.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZQHPNuTvtKI

Joseph Smith Building Bridal Show 2009

This is a sampling of our room at the Joseph Smith Bridal Show as well as a few pictures taken during the Bridal Fashion Show in which we participated. We hope you enjoy the video of our gowns!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjXvvVxoIqw

AFTER PROM FUN

You’ve been planning for months, and now your special prom night is almost over—or is it? Teens these days are realizing the fun doesn’t have to end when the last song has played. If you’re hoping to extend the memories of prom and time with your friends, here are a few ideas:

Beach Volleyball
Go to the beach or a nearby park with sand volleyball courts. Play beach volleyball, a game of twister and have a sand castle competition. End with a big bonfire and s'mores.

A Picnic
After a night of dancing, you may find yourself feeling famished. A picnic can be a fun way to relax and have a simple bite to eat. Sack races, relay games, softball, frisbee…or just lounging around can be a great way to end your evening! You can even hose down an area and make an impromptu mud slide

Paintball
Work off your after-prom energy with a game of paintball. A game of guys versus gals is always fun. Don't forget to take a few paint splattered group pictures after the game for more fantastic prom memories!

Hold a Charity Event
You want prom to last forever and it can, but why not make it worthwhile? Think about hosting a carnival for special needs kids. Or a car wash where the proceeds go to a local children’s hospital. Most likely you can get local vendors to donate games and supplies (even food)…and you can have a great time and feel good about it


SNAPP
Ever heard of a SNAPP (senior night after prom party)? This is a party that is put on by the senior parents at the school after prom. It’s a good way for kids to do something fun without regretting it. The evening is filled with fun and excitement, not to mention prizes (See below for help on planning a SNAPP)!


If you’re the party planner, here are a few tips for a fun, successful party:


Party Musts:
 Food
 Music
 Decorations
 Prizes (Prizes entice kids to stay until the end, since that's when drawings for the most valuable items are held, and teens must be present to win.)


Top Party Activities:
 Inflatable obstacle courses
 Velcro walls
 Virtual reality games
 Movies
 Karaoke


(You may want to make a rule that students who attend these parties must arrive by a certain time. If they leave before it's over, they can't be readmitted).


For Parents:
Throwing a Party at HomeIf there's no school-wide event, you might consider hosting your child's friends at your house. Together you can decide the party's start and end times, how many guests you can handle, and who will be invited. Here are a few guidelines to follow to insure a safe and successful party:
 Make it clear that you won't allow gate-crashers. Otherwise, the party could grow out of control. If an invited guest has been drinking when he arrives at the party, call his parents to come pick him up.
 Get advance agreement with your teen on the party rules, such as no drinking or drugs; no smoking; no leaving the party and then returning; and no turning off the lights or using rooms that you've declared off-limits.
 Greet guests at the door. Your teen will want you to keep a low profile, but you need to circulate. Watch for large bags in which kids might smuggle alcohol. Serve food in small quantities so you can use the excuse of replenishing supplies to keep an eye on the festivities.
 Check your yard periodically. If you have a large number of guests, invite a few other parents, both to keep you company (and awake all night!) and to help keep order. It's also smart to alert your neighbors.
 Do not serve alcohol. This should go without saying, but some parents assume that high-school seniors will inevitably drink on prom night and feel it's better for them to do it under parental supervision. However, serving alcohol to minors is illegal and you can be found criminally or civilly liable if anyone at the party, including the intoxicated teen, gets hurt.

The Perfect Invite

Want to start your wedding plans of right by sending out the perfect invitation? Between wording your invitation properly, to choosing the right design for you, to knowing how many to order and what size of envelope to use, there is much to consider when deciding on the right invitation. Although wedding plans include many detailed, important decisions that may seem more pressing, don’t take this step too lightly. After all, the invitation is the first notice many people receive informing them of your special day. It’s also a keepsake you’ll want to love just as much in 20 years as you do at the time you send them out.

Whether you want to dazzle friends and family with a formal, sophisticated style or you want to send out invitations that are fun and colorful, experts say it’s not “one size fits all.” Invites should reflect not only your personality and style, but the type of event you’re planning as well. An invitation with a scripted, slanted font that is centered on the paper translates to a traditional, formal event, whereas a funky, block type justified to one side tells guests you’re hosting a more modern function. Rectangular white or cream paper and black ink are hallmarks of a traditional wedding invitation as well, while trendier brides might experiment with graphic or floral motifs.

If you’re yearning to be creative, you may prefer a custom-designed invitation so you can choose your own color, style, font, and design. Check out stationary and ceremony paper websites for great ideas. You may even choose use these sites to design and purchase your invitations. If you are planning to design your own, be sure to order four to six months in advance to the time you plan to send them out to assure you have them in time.

If planning invites on a budget, keep in mind that more paper means more money. Embellishments, such as heavy, specialty papers or ribbons and wax stamps, and engraving, leatherhead, or hand-painted designs can cost more. It’s also wise to consider how much postage will cost. Depending on the size and weight of your invitation, a standard stamp may not be enough.

When ordering invitations, you should always over-order. That way you have extra for last-minute additions or mistakes in addressing them. Invites are usually sold in multiples of 25, so if you have to choose between a difference of five spares versus 30, go with 30. It’s better to have a few left-overs than to panic when you realize you forgot to add Great Aunt Vickie to your wedding, and you don’t have enough invites to correct your mistake.

Most of all, enjoy the experience. Remember, this is your wedding, your style. Don’t be afraid to use a bit of color and a splash of personality. Although it’s important to remember proper etiquette when wording your invitation, the other details are up to you. So, get to work and have fun choosing or designing the perfect invitation for you—one you’ll be proud to show for years to come!