How to Choose Bridal Shower Prizes

Bridal shower prizes can surprise.

Choosing bridal shower prizes is a fun part of hosting or assisting with a bridal shower. Depending on the formality of the event, prizes can range from expensive gifts to inexpensive mementos. If you have bridal shower games at your event, you'll need a prize for each game and a couple of extras in case of ties.

Instructions

1. Tie the prizes into the bridal shower theme or wedding theme. Whether it's hearts, elegance or a beach wedding, find ways to carry the theme into the shower game prizes.

2. Consider the amount you have to spend and the number of prizes you'll need. For frugal showers, you can offer some simple scented soy candles decorated with metal press-in designs. Wrap tulle around the candle and tie with an elegant bow for presentation. For more elaborate gifts, find or make gift sets in a theme basket, such as a bath set to pamper the recipient. Essential oils and carrier oil with an aromatherapy guide book make another delightful set.

3. Match the bride's chosen wedding colors with your bridal shower prizes. This can be as simple as finding candles or stationery in the wedding colors, or you could put together a color-themed gift basket.

4. Offer prizes that relate to the bride's hobbies and make themed baskets to reflect them, such as a gardening basket or knitting gift set. You can relate all of the gifts to one hobby or use different gifts if she has many things she's into.

5. Create a party theme that is separate from the bridal theme and offer gifts that match. For example, if it's summer you might throw a Hawaiian luau as the bridal shower, so gifts could be anything from pineapples to leis.

6. Gift wrap the bridal shower prizes. Simple white bags with tulle inside instead of tissue look very wedding-worthy. Try wrapping the gift in blue paper, as a nod to the "something blue" included in most brides' formal wedding attire.

Tips & Warnings

• Think of the bride's hobbies and make themed baskets to reflect them as bridal shower prizes, such as a gardening basket or knitting gift set.

• Avoid off-taste gifts. It might be funny if one of your girlfriends wins the bridal shower game, but what if it's the groom's grandmother?

References

• BridalShower.com: Themes