As my cousin and his bride-to-be’s wedding shower nears, I’ve been contemplating bridal shower favors. I count myself lucky to be blogging for SimplyWeddingStuff.com because they have so many fun options for guest favors! You absolutely must check out SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s full bridal shower favor line up. And I’m happy to report that I believe I have a great start on bridal shower favors for the upcoming shower.

I’m thinking of using SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Empty Glass Canister Jar Wedding Favor and filling it with seeds. You see, my family is a farm family – we have a century farm (i.e. a farm that’s been in the family for 100+ years) and to this day both my uncle and father farm. It would be not only a nod to the past but a symbolic gesture of our family growing. Yes, indeed, I’ve talked myself into ordering the Empty Glass Canister Jar Wedding Favors. They just have such charm and will make for an adorable keepsake! 

I’d also really like to use SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Empty Fillable Tin Buckets. They have that country-look to them and would work well with SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Empty Glass Canister Jars. I’m not yet sure what I’d put in the Empty Fillable Tin Buckets – maybe chocolate, maybe candy, or maybe something inspired by the fall season. Hmmm….decisions, decisions…

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

Bring out your inner-Martha Stewart and get creative in coming up with what to do for centerpieces at a bridal shower. Here are a few ideas to get you started:

1. Make a dramatic statement and use SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Centerpieces for your table top. Fill each vase using the same items – rocks at the bottom, filled with water and budding flowers. Gorgeous!
2. Use simple 8” Round Mirrors from SimplyWeddingStuff.com and add a grouping of white, scent-free candles wrapped in ribbon or lace. Match the ribbon or lace to the colors in the bridal shower theme for a cohesive look.
3. My personal favorite, use a single SimplyWeddingStuff.com Signature Vase Bridal Shower Centerpiece and before filling it with flowers and branches, have guests write a message to the happy couple.
4. For a low-height centerpiece, go with SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s 6” Round Glass Bowl. Fill the bowl with water, flower buds and a single scent-free floating candle for a dramatic effect.

Enjoy!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

With my cousin’s Jack-and-Jill wedding shower coming up, I have to figure out some ways to keep the guys entertained. Now I’ll admit that I love the idea of putting them in charge of grilling at a BBQ, but I think I need to come up with more than that! Oh, decisions…

For some reason, karaoke is coming to mind but I just can’t talk myself into coordinating that into a wedding shower. Maybe afterwards?

Ooooo! Horseshoes. I know my parents have a never-been-used horseshoe set that needs to be put to good use. The guys could be manly and put together the horseshoe pit while the ladies visit and do some of the usual bridal shower things. Although I promised the bride-to-be that I’d keep the games to a minimum, so I’ll need to be creative on the ladies side of entertainment as well. But I must say, I like the horseshoe idea for the guys.

What do you think of doing something along the lines of the newly-wed game? Too cheesy? Ridiculously fun? Hmmmm…I might have to ask my husband about it. He’s usually a good sport and we could include the not-so-newlyweds and learn more about the parentals before they became Mom and Dad.

So much planning, so little time! I’ll keep you up-to-date on how things turn out and maybe even have the opportunity to share a picture or two from the wedding shower.

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

Looking for a way to add even more pizzazz to an upcoming bridal shower? Then I want you to consider using SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s tableware to do just that. Check out the tableware options from SimplyWeddingStuff.com and start getting creative!

Personally, I can’t get enough of SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s latest tableware theme – the Cherry Blossom – Bridal Shower Tableware. The Cherry Blossom – Bridal Shower Tableware is a complete set and includes everything you can think of and more! I absolutely adore the design of the Cherry Blossom – Hot/Cold Cups especially because of the thick pink band running around the cups where names of each guest could easily be written to distinguish one’s drink for the other guests.

But what I like most about the Cherry Blossom – Bridal Shower Tableware, and in fact all of SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Bridal Shower Tableware is that you can buy the tableware in bundles that not only save you money, but include themed dinner and dessert plates, beverage and luncheon napkins and cups. SimplyWeddingStuff.com calls these packages the 32 Big Dot Bundle (32-count of each the napkins, plates and cups) or the 64 Big Dot Bundle (64-count of each the napkins, plates and cups).

Be sure to check out all of SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s tableware and impress those guests! Happy planning!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

SimplyWeddingStuff.com has more than 20 fabulous bridal shower themes for you to select from! No doubt about it, you’ll be able to find something perfect for the soon-to-be-Mrs. Bride. And while I’m learning first-hand what it takes to plan a bridal shower from start to finish, I encourage each and everyone of you reading this to do yourself a favor and use a SimplyWeddingStuff.com bridal shower theme.

If you have the opportunity to plan a bridal shower and want to make things a bit easier on yourself, pick a bridal shower theme that represents the happy couple and run with it! By doing so, it seems as if all the other decisions immediately fall into place. Such a relief! 

But, back to the fabulousness that is SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s bridal shower themes. Check them out! The SimplyWeddingStuff.com themes have everything you’re looking for – banners, name tags, address labels, placemats, guest favors, stickers – EVERYTHING! And not only that, you’re able to personalize the items with the bride’s name, wedding date, or whatever you think is best for the occasion! Perfection!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

As it turns out, my mother is planning my cousin’s upcoming wedding shower as well. And to say that we work well together would be ridiculous. We butt heads, each want to take the lead and can’t spend more than a few minutes on the phone coordinating details before tempers flare.

And while I completely understand that the wedding shower isn’t about my mother or myself, I have to admit that I was more thrilled about pulling it all together when I was the only one in charge. I’m a bit of a control freak like that.

So I think that a solution to this will be to have each of us take ownership of certain aspects of the wedding shower while staying on the same page with the overall direction of what the happy couple wants for their celebration. Mom’s already claimed the invitations. Maybe I’ll take on the guest favors?

Have any of you planned a wedding shower with the help or under the guidance of your mother? If so, do you have any tips or tricks to share? Do tell!

I absolutely LOVE the direction that SimplyWeddingStuff.com is going with their Custom Bride theme. You can now do so much more personalization with your bridal shower theme than ever before. The fabulous people at SimplyWeddingStuff.com have designed ten different brides for you to choose from along with 30 different backgrounds. You’ll find something that perfectly fits the look of your happy bride-to-be. Amazing.

And SimplyWeddingStuff.com continues to add even more bridal shower items into the Custom Bride theme. Just this month, SimplyWeddingStuff.com added the Custom Bride – Classic Personalized Bridal Shower Favor Boxes and the Custom Bride – Mini Personalized Bridal Shower Favor Boxes to the line-up. Perfect for putting guest favors in and handing out to those nearest and dearest to the bride as they depart from the bridal shower.

I’m hoping to be able to use the Custom Bride – Classic Personalized Bridal Shower Favor Boxes in my cousin’s upcoming wedding shower, along with a plethora of other items from SimplyWeddingStuff.com including a Custom Bride – Personalized Bridal Shower Banner and Custom Bride – 20 Personalized Bridal Shower Mini Candy Bar Wrapper Sticker Labels.

How will you use SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Custom Bride theme?

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

Ladies and gentlemen, it’s official…I’m taking the lead on planning my cousin’s wedding shower! I couldn’t be more excited! This is the first bridal shower that I’m taking the lead on and while I have LOADS of experience planning weddings, we all know that a wedding shower is a completely different story.

My cousin and his bride-to-be have decided to do a couples wedding shower and due to crazy work schedules, we’re looking at having it on a Saturday night in September. Talk about opening up some opportunities for a non-traditional bridal shower! Needless to say, I’m up for the challenge.

But there were a few sensitive issues at play. Namely, the bride-to-be had been previously married and I wasn’t sure how comfortable she’d be being the center of attention. Thankfully, I was able to run the situation by SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s fabulous customer service department. My conversation with Emily confirmed that it’s more than ok to celebrate a second marriage with a wedding shower and immediately suggested a Jack-and-Jill shower. I ran the idea by the happy couple to be and they were all about it. In fact, they had already thought about it! Great minds, I tell ya..

Now to figure out a location, time, theme, coordinate the hostesses and all the other details!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

Bridal shower name tags are just fun! What’s more is that they help your bridal shower guests remember names just that much better when it comes seeing everyone once again at the wedding. Luckily, SimplyWeddingStuff.com offers a plethora of name tags to choose from. And, do you know what’s even better? You can personalize SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s Bridal Shower Name Tags.

If you want to personalize to the fullest, then you should considering shopping SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s newest line – the Custom Bride where you can select from 30 different backgrounds and 10 different brides. If you already have a SimplyWeddingStuff.com’ theme picked out, then you’ll be able to easily select the matching name tag and personalize it accordingly. And if you’re just starting out planning a bridal shower, consider the colors the bride-to-be has picked out for her special day and try incorporating those colors into her bridal shower.

Bridal Shower Name Tags are yet another way you can personalize any upcoming bridal shower and you’ll be able to find something perfect for your event at SimplyWeddingStuff.com! Happy planning!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger

I love what SimplyWeddingStuff.com has done with their 8” Round Mirrors. By adding a handful of sand to the center of the 8” Round Mirror and then placing a single seashell and votive candle, SimplyWeddingStuff.com was able to transfer a simple mirror into an elegant centerpiece perfect for a beach-themed bridal shower. Here’s a few other ideas to get your mind going on ways in which you can also create fabulous centerpieces using the elegance of a mirror.

 Using SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s 8” Round Mirrors place a small glass bowl on top of the mirror. Then fill the glass bowl with water and add in a single bloom from a flower of your choice that ties in with the rest of the bridal shower theme.

Another option would be to use four or five of SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s 8” Round Mirrors and place them so that the 8” Round Mirrors are touching each other. Then place a small cake or dessert in the center of the mirrors. This looks most stunning when a single cake is set in the middle. Taking the mirror and dessert idea a step further, you could serve each guest’s dessert on an 8” Round Mirror. Make sure to drizzle the dessert with sauce for a restaurant-like affect.

How will you, or how have you, used SimplyWeddingStuff.com’s 8” Round Mirrors to spruce up your festivities? Inquiring minds want to know!

Posted by Sara, a Dot-arilla Blogger