3. PICK A THEME

Parties, particularly showers, are always better if they have a theme – you know, the "idea" of the party. (Alcohol is similarly helpful, but probably not if the bride-to-be is expecting.) You don't need to have one, but aside from being a lot of fun, the theme informs what decorations you will set up, activities or games that might take place, food and cocktails you might serve, and what kind of gift guests can/should buy the bride-to-be.

You need to make the guest list before you pick the theme, because some themes might be... er... "inappropriate" for certain guests. For instance, if you decide to invite her co-workers, you might decide to stay away from more sexually themed parties, or the bride-to-be might get a nasty reputation at work.

What theme you ultimately select is limited only by your imagination and sense of taste, or lack thereof. There are many books and links devoted to shower themes, and we have provided some examples in this SYW, but what you really need to know is how to come up with a theme that lets your own creativity flow. You are throwing the party, after all. To get yourself started, ask the following questions:

  • Does the bride have any hobbies or interests?
  • Where is her honeymoon going to be?
  • What doesn't she have that she has always wanted?
  • Has she dropped any hints for what kind of shower she'd like?

If you're at a total loss, or the bride is a picayune crank who becomes infuriated when things aren't exactly the way she wants them, you may want to ask the bride what she wants her shower theme to be. If you want to keep the theme a surprise but are looking more input, narrow down your theme idea list to three, then consult with the bride's mother, sister, or fiancé and get their say.

We have attached a decent sized list of shower theme ideas and have taken the liberty of fleshing out four of them for you. Of course, thinking up the theme and fleshing it out is the most creative part of throwing the shower, so go crazy. And remember: whatever you end up picking will probably be a lot of fun, so don't worry about it too much.