Nobody Turns Down A Chocolate Party!

When considering invitations, you’ll want to convey that it’s a dessert shower featuring chocolate. As obvious as that may sound, you don’t want to give off the impression that you are providing lunch or dinner if that’s not in the cards. This shower would be ideal for an evening time slot, maybe 7:00 until 8:30pm, if not later.

Under the “dessert” category, Evite.com has a few really cute electronic invitation designs. I especially liked the Chocolate Sprinkles and Dessert Table designs. Although not bridal-shower specific, you can personalize the text to make them your own!

For a more understated, modern look, you could simply go with the chocolate brown color for the actual invitation. I loved the “mochatini” colored paper found at weddingpaperdivas.com. Another contemporary choice, brown with baby blue accents, can be found at tinyprints.com.


With invitations in the mail, it’s time to consider the showstopper, the CHOCOLATE BAR MENU!

Piece De Resistance

For this type of menu - long on selections - you’ll probably want to “outsource” some of the cooking. What I mean is this: head over to your local bakery or specialty cooking store, check out their selection and place an order to complement your favorite homemade items. Some items to think about purchasing: chocolate petit fours and truffles. If these aren’t readily available nearby…try Dean and Deluca or Harry and David online. Although on the pricey side, Dean and Deluca has some fabulous “centerpiece” desserts like the Chocolate Fudge Cake from Dean and Deluca or their amazing Red Wine Truffles, and you might want to consider purchasing just one for a decadent touch at your special occasion. Harry and David’s cheesecake petit fours are delicious!

As you think about your menu, think about how you will display and serve each item. A dessert bar looks best along a countertop or on the dining room table - all together. And a lesson in aesthetics from the catering experts - your table display will look better when presented at different heights. Look for some serving dishes of various heights. Flat plates, tall cake stands, three-tiered dessert servers all work great. If the pickings are slim on your selection of “tall” pieces, use this trick: build height with small boxes, and place a tablecloth over the “stage”. Then, place your serving pieces on top. I would suggest putting all of your serving pieces out, then place a piece of paper on each containing the name of the dessert that will occupy the spot later on. This step will really help you visualize how your buffet will look and plan what you want to serve.

Some suggestions: petit fours, chocolate truffles, bite-size chocolate and raspberry cookies, and even fresh fruit served alongside a fondue pot. You can also have other interesting items available to dip into the fondue, like small pieces of pound cake, marshmallows, angel food cake pieces. Try this recipe for an amazing, easy-to-make Chocolate Hazelnut Torte, courtesy of Heather Carlucci. Delicious!

Chocolate Hazelnut Torte
1 cup hazelnuts
4 ounces semisweet chocolate (we recommend Cluizel Brand)
1 cup butter
1 cup sugar
5 eggs
½ cup flour

Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Butter and parchment a 9-inch cake pan In the bowl of a food processor, grind chocolate and hazelnuts down to a fine paste. Add soft butter and sugar and pulse until thoroughly incorporated. Add eggs one at a time. Scrape down bowl carefully, then add the flour. Fill prepared cake pan with torte batter. Spread carefully to level and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until cake tester comes out clean.

Don’t Forget The Beverages!

Even a professed chocoholic like myself has to break down and say that serving hot cocoa is probably going overboard. For this evening, you’ll absolutely want to serve champagne and also some nice, fresh-ground coffee. Incorporate the “chocolate bar” concept into your coffee service, and offer up a rich variety of condiments for guests to add to their coffee. Consider cocoa powder, whipped cream, cinnamon powder, white and brown sugar, half and half, cinnamon sticks and orange zest. Flavored syrups, like the Torani or DaVinci syrups, are a perfect compliment to your coffee or cocktail bar for whipping up delicious chocolate flavored drinks. Some of our favorite chocolate cocktails and espresso drinks are the Cherry Kiss Mocha, Rocky Road Mocha and Mounds Bar Martini.

Cherry Kiss Mocha Recipe
3/4 oz of chocolate syrup
1/4 oz of cherry syrup
1 shot of expresso
Steamed milk

Combine all ingredients in a 12 oz. cup and mix well.

Rocky Road Mocha
1/3 oz toasted marshmallow syrup
1/3 oz macadamia nut syrup
1/3 oz chocolate syrup
1 shot of espresso
Steamed milk

Combine all ingredients in a 12 oz. cup and mix well.

Mounds Bar Martini
6 Tbsp vodka (80 proof)
1 packet Diet Swiss Miss Hot Cocoa Mix
4 Tbsp Torani Sugar Free Coconut syrup
2 Tbsp whipped cream (in dispenser)
Crushed ice
Hot water

Fill a martini shaker halfway with crushed ice. Combine cocoa mix with 2 oz of hot water and mix well. Add 2 oz of cold water and pour the mixsture into the martini shaker. Add the vodka, syrup and whipped cream and cover the top of the shaker. Shake for about a minute or until the liquid is thoroughly chilled. Strain into 2 martini glasses and enjoy! This recipe was featured on the Torani website, which has many more flavored coffee and cocktail recipes for you to consider!

And For Party Favors!

You will enjoy planning your party favors almost as much as the menu itself! Many bridal sites advertise cute tins of mints or chocolates (or chocolate mints!) that can be personalized for your event. These can be a unique, affordable option. You could also look at buying regular old Hershey Bars and having the label custom-printed with the bride’s name…or wedding date…or the shower date. You could have a basket of these setting near the door to hand out as your guests leave for the night. These monogrammed gourmet chocolates make a wonderful favor, too—there are so many different ways you could go with this theme!

Start Setting The Theme With Invitations

Begin with a bang and select a great invitation. We found this cute sushi themed invitation at Madi and Company. It’s perfectly festive and features little rolls of sushi at the bottom. And, priced at only $46.00 for 20 invitations, it’s easy on the checkbook too. If you’re up for digital invitations, try Evite.com, where the invitations and postage are free! Evite had several cute ideas to go along with the sushi party theme. While their current selections are not designed specifically for a bridal shower, the overall design definitely communicates the sushi theme, and you convey shower details in the invitation copy. And if a themed invitation is a bit much for your tastes, a traditional shower invitation is always appropriate, and just add the event details!

Is There Special Sushi Music?

You bet! We found a neat playlist perfect for sushi parties at Imeem.com. Have this great playlist going in the background to add ambiance to the hip, urban feel of your shower. As far as decorating, colorful paper lanterns will look fabulous hanging throughout your house, across your deck or porch. There’s an amazing selection of affordable paper lanterns and accessories at AsianIdeas.com. Check out the site for lots of great decorating ideas incorporating an Asian theme!

Try Making Your Own Sushi!

My first inclination would be to order several beautiful sushi trays from my favorite restaurant. Sushi making seems like lots of work. After mulling it over a bit, I thought that with a little advance prep work on your part, maybe the girls would enjoy learning to make their own sushi rolls for dinner—kind of a shower activity in itself. Plus, you will be getting help in the kitchen without people feeling like they are working. Food Network provides some simple, basic sushi recipes, including the popular California Roll. This is one you should definitely plan on serving. Since it’s mainly cucumber, avacado and rice, it’s a great “starter” roll for novices! It’s not as threatening as some of the other offerings. One thing common to any sushi recipe is well-made Sushi Rice. Here’s one from Alton Brown:

2 cups sushi or short grain rice
2 cups water, plus extra for rinsing rice
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon kosher salt

Place the rice into a mixing bowl and cover with cool water. Swirl the rice in the water, pour off and repeat 2 to 3 times or until the water is clear. Place the rice and 2 cups of water into a medium saucepan and place over high heat. Bring to a boil, uncovered. Once it begins to boil, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover. Cook for 15 minutes. Remove from the heat and let stand, covered, for 10 minutes.

Combine the rice vinegar, sugar and salt in a small bowl and heat in the microwave on high for 30 to 45 seconds. Transfer the rice into a large wooden or glass mixing bowl and add the vinegar mixture. Fold thoroughly to combine and coat each grain of rice with the mixture. Allow to cool to room temperature before using to make sushi or sashimi.

If you decide to make sushi-making part of the evening’s activities, have a designated hand-washing station for everyone to use. Make sure you have plenty of countertop or table space, since people will be actively rolling their dinners! Provide multiple plates of ingredients to choose from, grouped around each area where your guests will be assembling their sushi. You’ll also want to have dishes of pickled ginger, wasabi and soy sauce for dipping, when everyone is ready to eat.

Sake Anyone?

And, what would a sushi meal be without sake? Sake is a traditional - and potent - rice wine. You can purchase bottles of sake at most liquor stores. Glass or porcelain sake cups are usually 2 inches tall, and can be found at stores like the Cost Plus Market. Offer drink alternatives too, because not everyone will want sake, and it’s definitely not something that people will drink exclusively throughout the night! Pitchers of jasmine or other flavored iced tea might be a nice touch.

Typically, people enjoy a cup of hot green tea after a sushi meal. This is called agari in Japanese cuisine. You could have a pot of tea brewing and serve something cool and light for dessert. Fresh fruit and sorbet would be nice, and if you want to do a cake, consider a zesty lemon cake.

Gifting the Guests

This theme seems to be growing in popularity as evidenced by the many different kinds of favors available for purchase! I especially liked these individual Japanese incense kits. Apparently, others like them, too—they have recently been featured in both InStyle and Cosmopolitan. At $1.80 each, they are a great price point for a unique, trendy gift. You could also look into purchasing beautiful silk hand fans or even personalized sake cups for each guest to take home.

It’s nice to then have the bridesmaids toast the bride-to-be as she takes one step further towards her new life. Have a bottle of champagne ready for the maid of honor to pop, or pour for the bride and wedding party. Have flutes of champagne passed so guests are ready to partake in the toast.

There are poems that are attached to each bottle, that the bridesmaids read as they present the gift to the bride.

Wedding Night

The night you have dreamed of is finally here
The future surrounds you with hope and yet fear
You’ve wanted so long to find your perfect mate
Sip this wine and toast this perfect date
The night is meant for you to share
Enjoy each other – a perfect pair!!

First Fight

When fights occur and tempers get hot
Pour a glass and be thankful for what you’ve got
If you always agreed it would certainly be a bore
And by asking for Krissy’s hand Bernie is surely
in for more!

First Anniversary

Been married a year, where did the time go?
No longer newlyweds, now you are pros
Hope the days found you in good health and
good spirit
Keep saying I love you –
one always needs to hear it!
Now toast this first date, it’s certainly not the last
And as you build your future don’t ever forget
the past!

First Dinner Party

Open your home to entertain and eat
Catch up with old friends and new ones to meet
When the night is over share this bottle of wine
But don’t sit down yet – it’s clean up time!!

Christmas Eve

A wise man said wine is better than beer
And now is the season for lots of holiday cheer
So pop the cork and relax a bit,
And when the night is through,
Kiss goodnight, close your eyes
And Santa will be good to you!

First Baby

The news that a baby will soon share your life
will make you a mother, not only a wife
You’ll see it through good times and sometimes
through bad
______ the loving mother
and _____ the dearest dad
Sadly _____ (groom) must drink this one alone, and _____(bride) with an empty glass
Sit back and relax – nine months will quickly pass!

Wishing Well Bridal Shower Poem

Spices, detergents, and gadgets galore,
There are never enough, you can always use more.
If you bring a little item for our bride, would you please
Wrap it in tissue paper, and your name do not tell
It’s just a little something to wish her well.

Or this slightly different version of the same wishing well poem:

Spices, detergents and gadgets galore,
You have several dozen
But could always use just one more!

If you could bring
Just one of these,
Our bride-to-be
You would surely please.

Wrap it in tissue paper
But your name do not tell!
And she’ll love your little something
Given to wish her well!

Another Wishing Well Bridal Shower Poem

This is a cute Wishing Well poem to include as an attachment with the shower invitation.

____’s getting married so it only seems fitting
To have an “ABC Wishing Well” for her shower, we aren’t kidding!
A letter has been circled so you can tell
How we will fill her wishing well.
Please buy a gift that starts with your letter.
Something silly, something sweet or something much better.

“T” could be tongs, toothpicks or tacks
“S” could be spoons, spices or sacks.
Your imagination is your only limit,
Be clever, be crazy, just get into it.

Then come to the shower, to join in the fun
To honor our sweet bride. Cheers everyone!

Bag Full Of Gifts Poem For Bridal Shower

This concept is very similar to the Wishing Well that’s been part of bridal showers for years. We really love this poem!

A Bridal Shower is being held
For a very special Bride
So please use this handy bag
To tuck an extra gift inside.

It can be a dishcloth for the kitchen,
Cleanser for the sink,
Perhaps soap for the dishes,
Whatever you may think.

They will need items for the bath,
Perhaps some light bulbs too,
Combs, Kleenex, soap
The choice is up to you.

We would also like to ask you
For your favorite recipe,
It’s something ___ will treasure
For a lifetime of cooking you’ll see.

The gifts will come in handy
For both the Bride and Groom
And their cupboards will be stocked
In each and every room.

The information follows
It’s a very special date.
We hope that you can join us
It’s time to celebrate!

Invitation Poem For Bridal Shower

_____ met _____ somewhere along the way,
They fell in love and have now set their wedding day!
Come and join us for frivolity, fabulous food and fun
As we shower her and celebrate their decision to become one!

On (day), (date), at the (location of the shower)

Invitation Poem For Lingerie Bridal Shower

___ and ___ are tying the knot -
And this bridal shower is gonna be hot!
Gifts sure to make it one hell of a night,
and certain to make ___ squeal with delight!

The rest of the invite has the pertinent when and where information on it.

Another Poem For A Lingerie Bridal Shower Theme

___’s getting married and I’d like to say
Come to her shower and bring lingerie.

Fun we will have and laughter we’ll make,
For ___’s getting married, for goodness sake.

Please enjoy an evening with our friend,
Come around six and stay ’till the end.

She’s excited and nervous and you ask why?
____’s in Love and you can’t deny!

Bridal Shower Poems For Picture Frame Favors

Pretty little frames are thoughtful favors for your guests. In lieu of including a photo of the happ

A Poem to Place in a Picture Frame - Version 1

True Hearts that share
One Life
One Love
Will always know true joy

A Poem to Place in a Picture Frame - Version 2

Love does not exist
By gazing at softly each other
But grows strong whilst looking united
In the same direction together

Bridal Shower Invitation Poem For Dressing Up Theme

As little girls we all dressed up,
And walked around in Mommy’s stuff.

Lipstick was the brightest red,
With fancy hats upon our heads
Now that we’ve grown,
We proudly wear our own.

In all the softest colors that we know.
But underneath, we wear much more
And that is what this party’s for.

So for the little girls who’ve grown
And want those pretty things for their own
Come join us as we try them on,
And remember that it’s all for fun.

Bridal Shower Poem For Travel Or Bon Voyage Theme

This poem is perfect for a sassy, fun filled travel theme, and designed to help young couples with their Honeymoon costs.

____ and ____ will soon be sailing away
Honeymoons are expensive, let’s help them pay!
Join us to celebrate at _____’s Bon Voyage bash
In lieu of gifts, please consider giving cash!

Around The Clock Invitation Poem For Couples Shower

Don’t be late!
For this important date!
Join us for a shower
That will be on the hour.
Listen to your watch tick tock
For the theme is Around the Clock.
To honor the bride and the groom
with gifts to fill up every room.

You are invited to a
couple’s bridal shower
honoring ___ and ____.
Bring a gift that they can
use at this time ___ .

Invitation Poem For Recipe Theme Bridal Shower

Enclosed for you is a recipe card.
To fill it in, shouldn’t be hard!
______ (bride’s name) might like to try your favorite cake,
or that special dish you’re always asked to make.
Fill it in now, don’t hesitate!
And bring this card on the special date.
At the shower will be a recipe box to fill
With delicious recipes guaranteed to thrill!

Invitation Poem For Alphabet Theme Bridal Shower

This version of the poem is for a couples shower, but can easily be revised for a bridal shower.

Their wedding day is on the way
Let’s get them prepared for the BIG day
An Alphabet Shower is what we’ll do
_______ and ________
Would love to see you
(Date and time)
We’ll have a party in honor of them
(Location) is where it will be
If it’s not too much trouble please RSVP
The ribbon and letter attached you must lift
And tie it neatly to your special gift
The gift must begin with the letter enclosed
They don’t like surprises so leave it exposed

Poem For “Wish For The Bride” Insert

This poem is designed to accompany a card that will collect special wishes from your shower guests that will be gathered and given to the bride, along with a request for a money gift.

Spices, detergents, and gadgets galore,
Perhaps predictable and slightly a bore
Instead, let’s give ____ a wish for the future!
One that’s exciting, and not quite verbatim.
Just write down your wish on the card we’ve enclosed
And bring a little something to help get it started

She is sure to appreciate your most thoughtful wish
As well as your helping to make them come true

Couple’s Shower Invitation Poem

This invitation poem is perfect for incorporating the bride and groom’s name, along with friends and family. Very fun!

There’s a girl named ____ and her favorite beau,
____
Who have decided to enter into marital bliss.
Let’s throw a big party,
said _____ to _____(friend’s names).
Then, ___ called up ____ (friend’s name) and they all chipped in.
We’d love to see you there,
__________ is the date.
It’s at ________(time) sharp, so please don’t be late!
We’ll be showering gifts on the future bride and groom,
The place to be you ask?
___________(location).
The more the merrier is what we say,
So, please don’t miss the fun on their special day!

And there’s this slightly different version:

Put the proper names at ____ and complete poem for the bridal shower.

A girl named ____ decided on this
The time was right for wedded bliss.
____ her choice, a lucky guy
said, “Oh, I’m glad she chose I.”
Her friends, so many, wanted to be
a part of the joy there was to see.
“Let’s have a party!” said ____ to ____
and all of their friends agreed to that.
____ will be the date,
at ____ sharp, so don’t be late!
We’ll shower some gifts on the bride & groom
at the ____ church if there’s room
The more the merrier is what they say,
so don’t miss out on ____ special day!!

Invitation Poem For Outdoor Entertaining Theme Bridal Shower

Try and try with all your might,
Think of a gift for the Garden of Delight.
They’ve purchased a home but the yard needs a lift,
Keep this in mind when selecting your gift!
Below are some ideas, just for a start
Be creative, have fun…choose a gift from your heart!

Gift ideas: Indoor/outdoor plants, seeds, garden tools, gloves, watering can, stepping stones, lanterns,
lawn/patio furniture, patio lights, garden centre gift certificate.

Who Should Host The Bridal Shower

The bridal shower can be hosted by a close friend of the bride, or a family member. Traditionally, it may have been considered improper for a family member to host the bridal shower. Since the bridal shower can result in overflowing gifts for the happy couple, in more “proper” times, the mothers of the bride were careful to not convey the impression that the family was hosting a shower for the purpose of securing as many gifts as possible.

The maid of honor or bridesmaids traditionally are the shower hosts. Since the maid of honor is often the sister of the bride or a close relative, it has become quite acceptable for close family to host the bridal shower. Having the bride’s family or extended family help in the planning of the bridal shower also helps when the bridal party is young or from out-of-state. Many moms are so excited to be involved in planning their daughters special event, there’s no holding them back! If you want to help with the bridal shower but don’t know where to start, try asking the maid of honor; if she’s not hosting the shower, she’ll know who is!

When To Have The Bridal Shower

There are no set rules regarding when to host the bridal shower. If the bridal party, or many of the invited guests are from out-of-town, and will be traveling to attend the shower, make sure you give enough advance notice so they are able to make travel arrangements. A shower can take place the week before the wedding, or six months before. It can be a surprise shower, or she can know every detail - it’s up to you! Once you pick the date, get together with everyone who will be co-hosting with you to talk about the theme, locations and entertainment. That will help you get started with the next step, setting the budget.

Who Pays For The Bridal Shower

The person or group of people hosting the shower are usually responsible for paying for it. If the bridesmaids are hosting the shower, everyone should contribute to the costs. It’s best to make a budget, outlining costs for the bridal shower you are planning, and noting who is paying for what. Because so many items for the shower need to be paid in advance, or at the time of purchase, select one person to act as the treasurer for the event. Taking the time to put together a budget will not only help keep unforeseen expenses to a minimum, but it will also help with the overall planning. The bride’s family and friends often pitch in to help with the location, food, supplies and/or invitations.

The Bridal Shower Theme

Maybe the most fun you’ll have is determining what the theme of your bridal shower will be. Is the bride a fun loving, up for anything type of girl who is expecting something totally out of the ordinary? Or she all about tradition, and has been dreaming of the perfect tea party since she was little? Themes can also be inspired by the bride’s hobbies, like cooking, traveling, entertainment, or well known loves, like classic movies, the color pink, or an obsession for everything spa-related. Themes can harness the energy of the shower, and actually make the planning a lot easier since everything becomes driven by the selected theme.

Get inspired by the hundreds of Bridal Shower Themes and tips

Choosing The Location To Host The Shower

The old adage, “location, location, location” can apply here! Put on your creative hat and start thinking about all the different places you could possibly host the bridal shower that’s coming together. Things to take into consideration - the theme, number of attendees, accessibility and logistics. Some ideas to get you started: a quaint French restaurant, a barbecue at a park, a picnic at the beach, a spa, a hotel garden, a historic home. Remember that besides your bridal shower, there are constantly events that are also booking available spaces. Book early, especially during the busy holiday season. Call about availability and costs, as those items with both impact your final decision.

Selecting The Guest List For The Bridal Shower

Anyone who has planned a bridal shower will tell you that the most complicated part of the planning is putting together the invitation list and sending the invitations. The immediate female family members from both the bride and groom’s families should be invited, as well as members of the wedding party and close friends of the bride and groom. Make sure to include the bride when you’re drawing up the list of people to invite. Anyone that’s invited to the bridal shower is usually invited to the wedding, so you’ll want to coordinate lists with the bride to avoid any hurt feelings or misunderstandings. Conversely, everyone invited to the wedding does not have to be invited to a shower.

Here’s how it works: Cousin Amy is assigned 8:00 am or morning on her invitation, she may choose to bring a waffle maker. Or espresso beans and syrups. Or a subscription to the local newspaper. You get the idea! Each guest is assigned a different time on the clock. By the end of the shower, the bride will have received gifts that are not only useful, but also very varied in form and function!

You’ll want to get a guest list from the bride. As with any shower, it should be manageable in size, but you want enough attendees to cover various times of the day! Consider hosting the shower with another friend or bridesmaid to cut down on costs. Take the list and marry it up to a listing of the hours in a day. 8:00 am all the way through 9:00 pm tend to be the most popular times as far as gift-giving go…you can imagine what someone assigned the 2:00 am slot might come up with! That could be fun and maybe even another shower theme, like - Up All Night!

Invitations

Now that you have the guest list, you need invitations! If you are a traditionalist and want to make your own invitations, include a cute insert detailing the specifics of the Around The Clock shower. Here are some bridal shower poems to consider that have around for years and passed around from friend to friend. They do a great job conveying to your guests what an Around-The-Clock shower is!

Around The Clock Shower Poem #1

We’re having a party! And won’t it be fun
Many cheers and best wishes before we are done
A shower for (bride’s name), our esteemed bride-to-be
A reason to revel, we know you’ll agree

“The times of our life” is the theme for this day
To help the new couple get on their way
Breakfast at home, lunch in the park
Playtime and fun time from morning til dark

Filling each second, each minute, each hour
That is our challenge for this bridal shower
We hope you can join us, we hope you’ll agree
(Hostess’s address) is the place to be!

YOUR TIME OF DAY IS_______________

Around The Clock Shower Poem #2

A shower we’re giving
For the new husband and wife
For the things they may need
As they begin their new life.

A ‘Round the Clock Shower
To help them get set,
The clock above shows the hour
For the gift you should get

(For this invitation, make either a drawing or paper craft of a clock, with the dial pointing to the appropriate hour. You could also take a picture of a clock, and attach it to the invitation!)

Around The Clock Shower Poem #3

Please join us for an
Around the Clock Shower
Look below and you’ll discover your hour.
As Jane and Matthew approach the big day
We’d like to celebrate in a most timely way.
For a shower and supper, hope you’ll be there
As we celebrate the life they will share.
Please bring a gift they can use at
____ o’clock

Around The Clock Shower Poem #4

Tic Toc, Tic Toc
Their love goes ’round the clock
Your gift for the shower
Should be something right for the hour
We have written it here for you to see
So be creative for the bride and groom-to-be

Include “Your hour is ____ ” at the bottom of your invitation similar to RSVP placement

As far as filling in the Time of Day blank that assigns each guest their time, you can put specific times, like 8:00 a.m., or you can put general times such as “breakfast time” or “cocktail hour”. Some other ideas for ‘times’ include: dessert time, bath time, exercise time, yard work time and even bedtime! You might indicate on the invitations that you’d like guests to mark on the OUTSIDE of the gift what ‘time’ their gift is for…that way, the bride-to-be can easily open gifts in order, from morning til night!

If you’re interested in ordering custom invitations online, try one of the cute designs from Paper Style. This M. Middleton design showing a die-cut clock, where you can position the hands on a pretty clock, is so adorable! It’s available at Invitationbox.com.

Gift Ideas To Help Shower Guests

It may be helpful to provide a few ideas with your invitation for guests who will be attending your Around the Clock bridal shower, to help stimulate their thinking and show that there are many good selections to choose from for each time of day. Here are some ideas to get you started, that can be added to an insert noting where the bride has registered.

For guests assigned an early morning hour, gifts like coffee makers, toaster, waffle makers, omelet or crepe pans, blenders, coffee cups, and breakfast food cookbooks are all great ideas based on the kitchen, as are things like towels, bathroom accessories, luxury soaps centered around getting ready in the morning.

Guests with mid-morning hours can purchase things like gourmet coffee or teas, teacups, coffee pots, newspaper or magazine subscriptions, things that you may use on a commute to work, etc.

Afternoon items could include gifts that you would use for a luncheon, like salad plates from the bride’s selected china pattern, sandwich makers, dessert plates, cake plates, bakeware and servingware.

Dinner hours are probably the easiest to shop for when you’re attending an Around the Clock shower. Guests could give china, pans, cooking utensils, a cute apron, wine, wine glasses or other wine related accessories – the list for dinner hour ideas is practically endless!

The evening hours are fun to be assigned, and you can select bed linens, lingerie, bath items, a subscription TV service like TiVo or movies the couple might like and don’t forget the more flirty choices.

With invitations in the mail, it’s time to think about FOOD!

The Menu For An Around The Clock Shower

This is a fun shower to have around the time for brunch, and incorporate a few food stations, featuring dishes that represent the various meals associated throughout the day. The stations could include Breakfast, Lunch, Dinner, Tea, Dessert and Late Night Snack.

Another fun idea for serving food at the event is to present the buffet on a large round table, with dishes arranged to match the face of a clock. The food in the dishes correspond to different times of the day, like quiche and mixed fruit for breakfast, small sandwiches and salads for lunch, crudites for snack times, favorite dinner foods served in bite sized portions for the dinner hours and dessert and late night treats for the evening hours.

Or you could keep it simple and serve food that you normally would for the time of day you are having the shower. Here’s a sample brunch menu, including an awesome recipe for French Toast that can be made ahead the night before and popped into the oven the next day! I always get compliments on this whenever I make it.

Baked Orange French Toast
o 8 slices French bread, cut ¾ to 1” thick
o 6 eggs
o grated rind of 1 large orange
o 2/3 cup orange juice
o 1/3 cup orange liqueur
o 1 C half-and-half
o 3 T sugar
o 4 T butter
o powdered sugar for dusting

Butter a 9-inch square pan. Lay bread slices evenly in pan. Combine next six ingredients and pour over bread. Dot with butter. Refrigerate. In the morning, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Bake 30-35 minutes, or until puffed and set. Dust with powdered sugar. **Especially good served with a topping of butter and orange marmalade melted together in the microwave!

Other serving suggestions for the bridal shower bunch are:
• Fresh Fruit
• Bacon or Sausage Links
• Orange Juice (have champagne available for Mimosas!)
• For an easy mimosa, fill half a champagne flute with chilled champagne and top off with chilled orange juice.
• Hot Tea and Coffee

Hosting The Party

As the guests arrive, take the gifts and place them in chronological order, starting whenever you decide – like early morning or at midnight – really whatever you want! If you’re planning a large shower, you can have guests sit at tables that correspond to their time of day. For example, you could have a morning table, an afternoon table, evening and late night table. This is a fun way to mix up the seating arrangements to encourage mingling.

As for decorations, you could go with the clock theme or even use kitchen timers as a centerpiece, but sometimes a clean house and several vases of fresh, seasonal flowers will be more than enough. If you’re going with the clock theme, pick up some inexpensive clocks at the craft store, or make some out of cardboard. They can be used as table cards, if you’re using the “table by time of day” seating arrangement.

Around The Clock Shower Games

It’s easy to customize tradition bridal shower games and activities for the Around The Clock theme. Here are a few examples to get you started.

Treasure Hunt Game
Guests hunt for items related to getting married or the bride-to-be. The items are hidden throughout the room, and the clues for guests are time-of-day based, like for a glass of orange juice, the clue could be “This refreshing item is consumed during the hours of 7 – 10am”, or for a fork, the clue could be “This handy item is often used 3 times a day, every day”.

Bridal Shower Bingo
Adapting this party staple to your Around The Clock theme is easy, and will give your guests something to do while the bride-to-be is opening presents. Give each guest a piece of paper with a blank clock face on it – make it two sided if you assigned the entire 24 hours as gift giving opportunities!

Have each guest write their best guess of what gift will be given to the bride at the appropriate time – your guest will at least get one correct, as she knows the gift she brought! Have them complete this part before the bride begins opening presents. Then, as the bride opens her presents, guests keep track of how many they answered correctly. The guest who has the most correct answers, wins!

Favors and Goodbyes

Lastly, you’ll want to provide a favor for each guest to take home. A kitchen timer or other kitchen gadget is always thoughtful…or, you could do small calendars or day planners to go along with the theme. Have fun with these traditional, tried-but-true bridal shower ideas!