How to Throw a Green Wedding Shower

Green is chic these days, but it’s not an easy road to travel, especially when we’re too excited by the sound of wedding bells.  Contrary to popular thought, throwing an eco-friendly wedding shower doesn’t have to be difficult or expensive.  The following are small changes you can make to standard wedding shower décor, food, and more to make the special day special for the earth, too.

Invitations

• Buy invitations made with recycled paper and printed with vegetable-based inks. Think Green Printing.
• Send postcards so you don’t have to waste paper (or money) on envelopes.
• Alternatively, send e-vites.  With an elegant design, there’s nothing cheesy about them.  For recipients without an email address, give them a good old fashioned phone call.
• Politely announce that you are throwing an eco-friendly shower.  (This can be tricky.  Try not to make too many specific requests, except for the one below.)
• Politely ask guests not to wrap their presents with conventional wrapping paper and to instead use napkins, bandanas, clothing, bath or dish towels, and other reusable items.

Location

• Opt for a room with lots of windows so you can cut down on the electricity bill.  Sunlight is more flattering than fluorescent lighting, anyway.  Alternatively, have the party on a grassy lawn.
• If it rains on the day (grumble, grumble), just use CFLs, compact fluorescent lights, which come in a variety of shades and styles to suit your needs while eating up less energy than incandescent bulbs.

Food, Drink, and Utensils

• Two words: farmers’ market.
• Talk to local growers and discuss what sort of shindig you’re planning.  They’ll be happy to help you with their tried-and-true recipes, organic and fresh flowers, and maybe local wine.
• If you’re already buddy-buddy with the vendors, they might offer you a discount (but try to resist pushing for one; farmers have it rough these days).
• For dishes and utensils, avoid plastic and paper, even if it’s recycled.  The best way to go is by using your own dishes.
• Consignment shops and thrift stores will also have nice dishware and silverware for cheaper prices than many other stores.  (Best of all, you won’t be consuming so much as re-using, making your carbon-footprint smaller.)  Bring the shower into the kitchen when it’s time to clean up instead of throwing plates away.
• Use real napkins instead of paper ones.  Keep them for yourself or wash and present them to the bride.

Décor

• Potted plants like succulents and flowers in terra cotta pots make great centerpieces.  Try to get your plants from the farmers’ market.  Columbia is today the dominant producer of American cut flowers.  That’s a lot of CO2 for a few roses.
• Soy wax candles burn cleaner and longer than conventional candles.  Make sure the wick is lead-free.
• Instead of streamers and balloons, strategically place potted bamboo shoots or even dried stalks in tall vases for an eco-chic feel.
• Sprinkle the tables with flower petals, seeds, or pretty leaves instead of confetti.

Favors and Gifts Ideas

• Organic, fairly traded chocolate
• Homemade and naturally scented soaps (if you’re just not the DIY type, look for a local soap maker on Etsy)
• Organic and cruelty-free beauty products
• Reusable tote bags
• Bamboo kitchen items like cutting boards, spatulas, bowls, and dish towels
• Indoor composters (try the Bokashi bin)
• Cotton or hemp shower curtains

Bio: Alexis Bonari is currently a resident blogger at College Scholarships, where recently she’s been researching federal student loan consolidation as well as teaching MA scholarships. Whenever this WAHM gets some free time she enjoys doing yoga, cooking with the freshest organic in-season fare, and practicing the art of coupon clipping.

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Popular Winter Wedding Shower Gifts

The winter wedding has become more popular as time goes on. It used to be that the majority of couples married in the summer. But today’s couples marry year-round – with many choosing to marry during the winter. The winter is a magical and very romantic time. Couples often choose to marry in the winter as it holds many holidays and celebrations ideal for gathering families. You can easily have the family gather to celebrate Christmas, Hanukah, Kwanza or New Year’s Eve and also celebrate the couple’s wedding.

There are some wedding shower gifts that are simply more popular in the winter than others. It is ideal to give one of these to the wedding couple as it will always remind them of their wedding season and day. Every year as the time of their wedding approaches, they will use your wedding shower gift and smile as these happy memories come back. Your thoughtful gift can play a special part in evoking those touching memories – and even creating new ones!

Keep in mind that the very best wedding shower gift is one that the couple will enjoy and use. Don’t give kitchen gadgets to the couple that loves to only eat out at restaurants. Don’t give fitness equipment to the couch potato couple. You get the idea. A wedding shower gift should celebrate the couple as they are – and especially give them something that they can enjoy together or do as an entire family or with other company over.

Winter sport lessons are one of the best winter wedding shower gift ideas for today’s couple. Many couples are trying to stay active, and your gift can help them do this. There are many winter sports. Try looking at skiing, ice skating or even long distance hiking. Snowboarding may appeal to especially active couples. Match the sport to the couple’s personality and tastes.

Cooking gadgets are a perfect winter time gift. The classic crock-pot has been making a big comeback in recent year – this gift is a fun one for new couples. There are so many delicious meals you can make with your crock-pot, knowing that your meal will be ready when you come home at the end of the day. A waffle maker is another sweet idea offering an indulgent treat. A fancy espresso maker or very good coffee maker is another great idea. Cooking gadgets are terrific for so many couples, especially those on the go. Couples with children will also appreciate cooking gadgets as they will help them make delicious meals.

Holiday decorations are another excellent choice. Many religions have winter holidays and most couples will want to decorate their homes to celebrate the holidays. Starting a home together means sharing your traditions with each other. New holiday decorations is a wonderful way to enjoy these holidays every day during the season. Remember to keep the couple’s tastes and personalities in mind when choosing holiday decorations. This is especially a season when families create happy memories with each other – and your decorations will help them do so!

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What Not To Do At A Wedding Shower

Wedding showers are all about the bride.  Sometimes you know her really well and the shower is a happy, fun-filled occasion.  Other times, you barely know the girl and you have no idea how to act, what to get her, or what to say.  In each situation and every one in between, here is a cardinal list of rules of what not to do at ANY wedding shower.

Unless it’s ONE OF THOSE Showers, Stay Away from Inappropriate Gifts

Unless the shower is designated for gifts of the *ahem* more intimate nature, stay away from sex toys and risque lingerie.  One famous story is floating around the internet that regards a ninety-year-old grandmother who was so offended at a shower gift that she spit her dentures out and stormed away.  We want to avoid offended grandmothers.

Keep Your History To Yourself

There are countless stories out there about girls who attend the bridal showers of women who are marrying their ex boyfriends.  Maybe that’s not clear, so let’s put it into second person narrative.  You’re at a shower.  The girl who is getting married is getting married to a guy you used to date.  Whatever you do, do not talk about your relationship with this girl’s groom-to-be.  It’s in poor taste and makes everyone feel awkward.

Other Don’ts

Don’t:

tell dirty jokes
get naked
encourage anybody else to get naked
get wasted
get wasted and  naked
be mean to the  bride
be mean to the bride’s mother, grandmother, sister, best friend, etc.

If you follow these simple rules, you should be fine.  If you think of something other than one of these things to do to offend people, PULEASE write to tell me about it.

Bridal Shower Themes

One of the jobs of a bridesmaid is to help throw a bridal shower for the bride. Depending on your personality, this can either be a very fun task, or a very daunting one. If you are not accustomed to entertaining, you may not know where to begin.

A great way to give a party a distinctive style is to pick a theme. The theme is some idea or design element that you choose to help bring the whole event together. It is fine to be eclectic, but you do not want to host a bridal shower that seems to have no direction or unified look. The theme will give you ideas about the invitations, decorations, food, music, games, and maybe even the gift.

There are some themes that are very traditional for bridal showers. One popular idea is a kitchen based shower. It dates back to the time when it was expected that every wife would be a homemaker. In considering this type of old-fashioned theme today, it is important to know the bride well. If she is a real “foodie”, then no doubt some gifts from the gourmet cooking shop would thrill her. However, if the bride is very career-oriented and has no interest in cooking, she might be insulted by a kitchen themes bridal shower.

These days it is more common to pick the theme based on the bride’s interests or her personal style. For instance, I once co-hosted a bridal shower for a very dear friend who loved cherries (she even had a tattoo of a cherry on her shoulder). We chose invitations with a cherry pattern on them, had dishes of chocolate covered cherries, and for the favors, I handmade soap with a cherry design. Of course, not everything at the shower was based on cherries; we served many of her favorite foods, and chose flowers in her favorite color combination, purple and orange. Remember to use your theme as a starting point, but not to take it over the top.

You can also use the bride’s wedding as an idea for the bridal shower. For example, if she is having a destination wedding, then why not throw a beach themed shower? It would be a great warm-up to the main event. You could send invitations with seashells or starfish on them, fill hurricane lanterns with shells and white candles for decorations, and ask all of the guests to bring a beach themed gift. The bridesmaids might even chip in together on a special present, such as a piece of handmade jewelry for the bride to wear at her wedding. For a destination wedding, a casual piece of wedding jewelry handmade with organic pearl wedding jewelry would be a great idea.

Another source of ideas for a bridal shower could be the bride’s background. Let’s say that the bride is a Southern belle who has relocated to New York City. She would be touched to have a shower that featured her favorite Southern things. You could serve regional foods and decorate with magnolias floating in water.

The most important thing to remember when choosing a theme for a bridal shower is that it should look like the bride. This is not the occasion to inject the taste of the hosts. Ask yourself, “would the bride love this?”, and if the answer is yes, you will know that you have found the perfect theme.

Look to Bridget for advice on planning your wedding. Check out how we can help with your bridesmaids jewelry at SilverlandJewelry.com. Handmade wedding jewelry is a beautiful and thoughtful gift.

Popular Winter Wedding Shower Gifts

Are you attending a winter wedding shower? You’ll want to get the bride something special. That truly makes her feel like a bride and especially something ideal for winter. Fortunately, there are many terrific winter wedding shower gift ideas you’ll love. Try some of our favorites!

The key to giving a winter wedding gift is to think of something ideal for the season. Some gifts simply lend themselves more easily to the season than others do. Giving the bride and groom a gift that is suited for the winter is something that is more thoughtful than you might at first think. If the bride and groom get married during the winter, your giving them a winter themed gift means that they will think of winter and their wedding every time they use it. Some gifts they may use year-round – but for special winter themed gifts they will use them even more during winter months and this will bring a special smile to their faces as they remember their wedding day and the moments they shared with you.

Hot chocolate machine. This is a sweet treat ideal for the bride starting a new life. A winter wedding means moving into a new house when it is cold and often snowy. A hot chocolate machine makes yummy hot chocolate at the push of a button. This tempting treat is sweet and also romantic. Chocolate is actually an aphrodisiac, ideal for newlyweds. Include all of the hot chocolate fixins’ with this gift like whipped cream and sprinkles.

Bread maker. A bread maker machine is a great gift for a new bride. What could be more delicious in the wintertime than hot, freshly made bread? Bread makers today are quite easy to use. A bread maker used to be a bit tricky to operate but today they are rather simple to use and create delicious fresh bread at the push of a few buttons. You can make many varieties of bread in a bread maker.

Ice skating lessons. Many say that the first year of marriage is the hardest. Often couples simply have to adjust to being with each other, and not “dating.” Giving newlyweds ice skating lessons is some romantic fun for them to look forward to. They can have fun on the ice and enjoy ice skating during this winter – and then for every winter following. Your thoughtful gift of ice skating lessons this year could mean they ice skate for the rest of their lives – thinking of you as they start of on the ice! Those couples certainly look happy as they skate side by side holding hands on the ice. We’re sure you’d agree.

Tanning sessions. This might look funny on a winter wedding shower gift list, but the fact is that many winter wedding couples go to tropical destinations for their honeymoon. It is so important to get that base tan for protection before you go into the sun. A nice tan also looks wonderful in your wedding photographs. If the bride and groom enjoy tanning, tanning sessions could be a thoughtful gift they would enjoy. A little imported summer sun for the wintry weather.