We’ve all attended bridal showers and played the same old games year after year. Styles and trends have changed, the background music isn’t the same as at your grandmother’s bridal shower, so why should the games be?
We rounded up a list of fun, fresh game options to guarantee an exciting bridal shower. Guests will get to know each other without feeling like they’re new at summer camp, and everyone can enjoy the fun of mingling and chatting, but skip the games we’ve all played a few too many times.
- Where Were We?
This one is easy to prep, and doubles as decor! Print out 10-20 photos of the couple, and provide guests a blank list to guess the location of where the snapshots were captured. Good friends will remember the trips, and even the less connected guests will have a hint from the photo backgrounds!
- Flower Crowns
There’s just something special about outfitting every party guest with an accessory that makes them feel like part of the celebration. Instead of party hats, have your guests create their own flower crowns upon arrival. Start with a pre-made greenery covered headband like this one or this one to keep it from being too tricky, and provide a table full of clipped buds, ribbons, and floral tape or craft wire. Guests will get to get creative without too much of a challenge, then be adorned in beautiful blooms for the rest of the party!
- The Sweetest Q&A
This game requires a little prep (usually on the part of the Maid of Honor). Have a list of interview-style questions about the newlywed’s relationship, and ask the groom ahead of time. Then, ask the bride in front of her guests, and read his answers aloud afterwards. Sometimes, it’s funny how similar (or totally different!) the answers are, but most often, this one’s a super sweet tear jerker. Here are some question prompts:
- When did you two first meet and what was the first thing you noticed about each other?
- What was your first date like?
- When did you first realize you were in love?
- When did you realize you wanted to marry them?
- Where will you guys be in 10 years?
- What’s the best thing about your relationship?
- Date Night Ideas
This one doubles as a game and a gift! Provide cute cards for guests to write date night ideas, along with a note or small piece of advice. Have the Maid of Honor or dedicated host file them into a cute box or booklet, and gift it to the couple to reference post-wedding. Bonus: if you communicate the idea to guests ahead of time, they can contribute gift cards to the date night spots they recommend!
- From Me to You
This is another game that doubles as gifts, and is a special way to provide the bride new goodies that will be close to her heart because of the memories from the party. Have every guest bring a piece of lingerie, pajamas, or honeymoon-appropriate piece of clothing or accessory, and ask that the piece they select represents something about themselves. Then, when the bride unwraps, she guesses who the gift came from. It’s a sweet way to ensure every gift is a little different, and the bride has some beautiful new wardrobe pieces as she goes from Miss to Mrs!
Bridal showers are meant to be a celebration of the bride, and a time for her dearest friends to meet and mingle prior to wedding day. We say, cut out the old games and cheap prizes, and instead opt for memorable and sweet activities that everyone will enjoy and remember.
A few other things to remember:
- Ensure a bridesmaid writes down every gift and who it came from to help the bride reference for thank-yous later
- If you’re opting for favors, stick with something sweet and simple. No need to break the bank! Cute ideas we’ve seen include:
- Flower crowns guests create at the party and get to go home with
- Linen and rattan fans + mini champagne bottles
- Permanent jewelry. Have a local permanent jewelry designer come and equip every guest with a sparkling little feature to remind them of the party and enjoy forever! We love and recommend Simply Forever Jewelry as a great local choice.
- Have a hair braid partner provide beautiful hair braiding. It’s a fun activity and leaves everyone with a pretty style to enjoy during and after the party.
- Potted plants. Instead of gifting guests with bouquets that won’t last forever, purchase a crate of easy to care for succulents or other small plants. Guests get a lovely, growing thing to take home and take care of!
- Snack instead of feast! Instead of trying to cater a full lunch for guests, opt for a big fruit salad, some charcuterie trays, and mini cupcakes or bite sized treats to ensure there’s plenty to snack on, but not a ton of heavy leftovers to deal with. We have some amazing partners we highly recommend for such things, like Sweet & Savory, Gallery Pastry Shop, and The Board Ladies
- Old School Photography. Purchase a few disposable cameras, and let guests snap away during the party. There’s no pressure to shoot and reshoot for the perfect Insta-shot, and instead have the Maid of Honor develop the photos later and gift the bride a physical photo album to remember the special day
- Create the perfect atmosphere. If you want to ensure the bridal shower is beautiful, we cannot recommend Uncommonly Styled enough. Brooke is an incredible intimate space designer, who can help create a dreamy space to celebrate, with her variety of beautiful china, decor, and lounge items will turn your living room or backyard into a bridal shower space of your dreams.
Whether you’re celebrating a bridal shower with 5 guests or 30, your party should be special and unique to you! We hope these little bits of advice help create an experience beautiful and memorable. Don’t feel obligated to include the games and traditions you may feel are typical of bridal showers – there are a million ways to enjoy a party that works within your budget and makes you feel celebrated!
With love from The Sixpence –
Photos by: Juneberry, Bohemian Lights
