Bridal Shower Games That Won't Embarrass the Bride

In reality, how many of us would like to be toilet papered? Or walk around judging toilet papered gowns on other people? Today's bridal showers have evolved into classy, elegant functions for today's modern bride. Is your bride not the body paint tattoo sort? Few are. What follows is a guide to keeping your guests entertained, the shower running smoothly, and the bride free from embarrassment and able to enjoy this special occasion.

One of the biggest problems with bridal showers is the element of surprise. Not surprising the bride, mind you, but dealing with all of the people who drive from different states to be there early for the surprise itself. They don't all know each other, and often, they don't care to know each other. How can a bridesmaid possibly handle the situation of a room full of strangers?

The best solution to this problem that I've ever seen was the game "Get to Know Jane." Jane, the bride, was due to arrive almost 45 minutes later than her guests, and not surprisingly, the room was stoically silent. Jane's maid of honor stood up, introduced herself, and then handed out a questionnaire about Jane. Everything from "Where was Jane born," a throwaway question for the family members, to "How many pairs of shoes does Jane own," and "Where was Jane and Steve's first date?" Steve, of course, was the groom. It was very clever, and the questions were assorted in terms of her childhood and her grownup life.

Our bride Jane had a terrible sweet tooth, and while we were picking at crudités and waiting for her to arrive, the bridesmaids unveiled a gigantic jar of gummy bears, Jane's favorite candy. Everyone was to write down their guess and submit it to one of her bridesmaids. The winner took home the jar of gummy bears. It was something else to keep us busy for 10 minutes.

When Jane arrived, after greeting her guests, she answered the questions, and awarded prizes for first, second, and third place. Imagine her surprise when her future mother-in-law took first place! It was very sweet.

There are plenty of other games that everyone enjoys, but place no stress on the bride-to-be. The most popular is "Bridal Shower Bingo," a game as simple as it sounds. Every guest gets a bingo template with a "free space" marker in the middle. In showers I've both attended and thrown, this marker has been in keeping with the theme. For Jane's shower, it was a piece of candy. For a princess shower, we used Cinderella as the free space. Be creative! The guests write in gifts that they think the bride will receive, and then cross them off as they are opened. The first one to Bingo (five in a row) wins a prize, and subsequent prizes to runners up are usually given as well.

"Complete the Lyric" is another popular bridal shower game. You play the first lyric of a love song, and guests write down the rest of the song lyric. For example, the bridesmaid would play the line of the Bryan Adams' song, "Everything I do," and the guests would be expected to answer "I do it for you." You can play with up to 10 different songs, and then reward the guests who have the most number correct.

For an outgoing bride, a popular game is the "How We Met" bridal shower game. Interview the groom-to-be before the shower, with such questions as "What did you both order on your first date," and "Which family member was she most nervous to have you meet," and then see how many the bride can answer! This does put her on the spot, but tends to be fun and not at all embarrassing.

For prizes, a great tip is to scour local stores geared towards women. You'll be amazed at what you can find in the dollar bins at Michael's, A.C. Moore, JoAnne Fabrics, and Bath & Body Works. Magnetic note pads, stationary, lip-gloss, hand soap and more are out there for the taking. You can even match the presents to the color scheme of the shower. One of the nicest presents given at a shower I attended was a small picture frame that came with a coupon, "good for one free photo with the bride," which was taken and then sent to the winner. A little thought and creativity go a long way.

The key to guest enjoyment and a calm bride is the attention of her bridal party. Good maids of honor know how to keep a party moving. Pay attention to the bride's needs, assist her with opening the gifts (don't forget that pen and paper to write it all down), and enable everyone to have a good time. This guide should help you plan the perfect shower for that special bride-to-be.