Picking the Right
Bridal Shower Games

Games and planned activities are a fun addition to a great bridal shower. Because most showers involve guests from different generations, as well as friends who may not know one another, games and activities – if thoughtfully planned – are important for putting everyone at ease.

Recipe Book

Before the shower, instruct all the guests to bring a favorite recipe to the shower. Guests can also include a little story about the significance of that recipe, giving the bride-to-be ideas for starting her own traditions around meals shared with her future husband. It’s helpful to have everyone use the same format, so all the recipes work together in booklet. As guests arrive collect the recipes and place them in a recipe book you’ve prepared in advance. Present the completed book to the bride as she’s opening gifts during the shower.

Words from the Wise

Tuck a pretty blank card into the shower invitations with a note asking guests to pen their advice for a successful marriage. Encourage guests to be creative, suggesting that advice be written in any form – a haiku, a recipe, a fortune or a letter. After guests have read their cards to the group, the maid of honor can compile them in a scrapbook prepared in advance as a gift for the bride.

Famous Couples

Before the party, make a list of famous romantic couples, choosing couples that your guests are likely to know. Write each name down separately on nametags and as each guest arrives, put a nametag (without showing them) on their back. Their task is to go around the party and ask yes or no questions about their “secret identity.” Then, they have to find their “better half.” The prize goes to the first couple to find each other, and the game ends when everyone has found their partner.

Newlywed Trivia

Before the shower, ask the groom 20 questions about the bride and their relationship: Where was your first kiss? What’s her most annoying habit? Which of these are you most likely to fight about: messiness, social plans or wedding stress? At the shower, ask the bride the same questions and see how many answers they have in common.