Table Of ContentTHE
WEDDING	SHOWER	BOOK
Thrill	the	bride	and	amaze	the	guests	with	a
celebration	to	remember
Jennifer	Jenkins
Copyright	©2000,	Adams	Media	Corporation.	All	rights	reserved.	This	book,	or	parts	thereof,
may	not	be	reproduced	in	any	form	without	permission	from	the	publisher;	exceptions	are	made
for	brief	excerpts	used	in	published	reviews.
An	Everything®	Series	Book.
Everything®	is	a	registered	trademark	of	Adams	Media	Corporation.
Published	by	Adams	Media	Corporation
260	Center	Street,	Holbrook,	MA	02343
ISBN:	1-58062-188-0
Printed	in	Canada.
J		I		H		G		F		E		D		C		B		A
Library	of	Congress	Cataloging-in-Publication	Data	Jenkins,	Jennifer.
The	everything	wedding	shower	book	/	by	Jennifer	Jenkins.
p.	cm.
ISBN	1-58062-188-0
1.	Showers	(Parties)	2.	Weddings.	I.	Title.
GV1472.7.S5J46	2000
						99-048060
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Contents
Introduction
Chapter	1	Wedding	Shower	Basics
Who	Typically	Hosts	the	Shower?
Who	Should	NOT	Host	the	Shower?
She’s	Got	a	Bunch	of	People	Who	Will	Want	to	Throw	Her	a	Shower
Do	 You	 Want	 to	 Do	 It	 All	 Alone?	 Money	 Versus	 Authority
Considerations
If	You’ve	Decided	to	Cohost	the	Shower,	Here	Are	Some	Tips
If	You’ve	Decided	to	Go	It	Alone	…
Am	I	Nuts	for	Doing	This	Shower?
What’s	The	Difference	Between	an	Engagement	Party	and	a	Wedding
Shower?
What’s	 The	 Difference	 Between	 a	 Bridesmaids’	 Luncheon	 and	 a
Wedding	Shower?
What	If	We	Cannot	Have	It	Before	the	Wedding?
Special	Notes	for	Coworker	Showers
Special	Notes	for	Church	Showers
Special	Notes	for	Club	or	Sorority	Showers
Special	Notes	for	Showers	for	Pregnant	Brides-to-Be
What	if	the	Groom	Has	Been	Married	Before,	But	She	Hasn’t?
Getting	Married	Again—Can	We	Still	Give	Her	a	Shower?
Special	Notes	for	Showers	for	Second	Marriages
Special	Notes	for	Senior	Citizen	Wedding	Showers
Who	Does	What?
Chapter	2	Shower	Themes
Hawaiian	Party
A	Gala	Event
Walk	on	the	Wild	Side!
Western	Hoedown
Southwest	Fiesta
Totally	Cool	California	Shower,	Dude!
Fourth	of	July/Independence	Day	Party
Christmas	in	April/June/July	…	or	Even	December!
Other	Holidays	Near	the	Wedding	Day
Garden	Party
Ladies	Tea	Party
Wedding	Shower	by	Mail	Party
Recipes
Home	Repairs	Party
Paper
Make	the	House	a	Home
Pamper	Yourself
His	and	Hers
Bottle	and	Bar
Honeymoon
Wishing	Well
Service
Entertainment
Cary	Grant	Special
Gone	with	the	Wind
Ceramics	Studio	(or	stained	glass,	knitting,	or	some	other	craft	where
the	guests	all	take	home	their	own	handmade	“souvenir”)
Wilderness	Trek
Road	Trip
Ski	Party
Nifty	’50s	Party
Slumber	Party
Appliances	Party
Toga	Party
Egyptian	Party
Costume	Party
Books	Party
Dr.	Ruth	Party
Dance	Class	Party
’70s	Again
Elvis	Commemorative
Flowers	Party
Balloons	Party
Picnic	in	the	Park
Chocoholics	Party
Linens	Party
Quilting	Bee
Wine	and	Cheese	Party
Housewife	Party
Amusement	Park	Party
Japanese	Party
All-American	Party
Surprise	Parties!
Chapter	3	Show	Me	the	Money!	How	to	Budget	the	Shower
I’m	a	Bit	Low	on	Funds	for	This	Shower.	Who	Can	Help	Me?
Chapter	4	Choosing	a	Venue
The	Pros	and	Cons	of	Having	It	at	Your	House
How	to	Find	a	Good	Spot	to	Rent
Chapter	5	Inviting	the	Guests
When	Should	We	Have	the	Shower?
Which	Day	Should	We	Have	the	Shower?
What	is	the	Best	Time	of	Day	to	Have	the	Shower?
How	Long	Is	a	Typical	Shower?
Who	Should	I	Invite?
Do	I	Need	to	Invite	Her	Family	to	the	Shower?
Can	Children	Come	to	the	Shower?
How	about	Guys?
How	Many	People	Should	I	Invite?
When	Do	I	Send	the	Invitations?
I	Want	to	Do	Something	Unique	with	the	Invitations.	Got	Any	Ideas?
What	Do	I	Include	with	the	Invitations?
How	Do	I	Make	Sure	They	All	Get	to	My	House?
I	Want	to	Make	Sure	All	Her	Best	Friends	Show	Up.	Any	Ideas?
How	Do	I	Track	the	RSVPs?
Chapter	6	Ringing	the	Dinner	Bell
What	Do	I	Feed	These	People?
Planning	Your	Menu
Designing	the	Menu
Planning	for	Variety	on	Your	Buffet	Table
How	Much	Do	I	Need	to	Feed	Each	of	Them?	How	Much	Food	Does	a
Typical	Woman	Eat?
Can	I	Do	This	Potluck?
How	Can	I	Feed	These	People	Cheaply	and	Still	Make	It	Look	Nice?
I	Don’t	Have	Much	Time	to	Cook	the	Day	of	the	Party.	Now	What?
The	Do-It-Yourself	12-Step	Shower	Catering	Plan
What	Can	I	Prepare	in	Advance?
What	Should	I	Not	Prepare	in	Advance?
How	Do	I	Make	a	Shower	Cake	Easily	and	Fast?
How	Do	I	Buy	a	Shower	Cake?
Is	Alcohol	Appropriate?	Is	It	Required?
Nonalcoholic	Drinks
What	about	Catering	the	Shower?
5	Steps	to	a	Flawless	Catered	Event
Can	I	Cater	Just	Part	of	It?
Chapter	 7	 Decorating	 Your	 Party:	 All	 about	 Room
Decorations
Party	Goods
Choosing	Colors
Decorating	the	Shower	Location
Decorating	with	Paper
Decorating	with	Candles
Decorating	with	Balloons
Decorating	the	Gift	Table
When	You’re	Ready	to	Think	about	Seating	Arrangements	…
Creating	the	Seat	of	Honor
If	You’re	Doing	It	at	Home	…
HELP!	I	Need	Furniture!
Tableware
All	about	Party	Flowers
Food	Presentation	101:	Decorating	Your	Buffet	Table
Decorating	the	Tabletop
Planning	Table	Layout
Garnishing	Your	Platters
Making	Apple	Birds
Making	Watermelon	Fruit-Salad	Baskets
How	to	Serve	Beverages
How	to	Make	Floating	Ice	Bouquets
Chapter	8	Women	Bearing	Gifts
Does	the	Hostess	Traditionally	Get	the	Bride	a	Gift?
We	All	Want	to	Buy	Her	a	Big	Gift.	How	Do	I	Handle	That?
When	Does	She	Open	Gifts?
What’s	the	Best	Way	to	Record	What	She	Gets	from	Whom?
The	Ribbon	Bouquet-?	Tradition	of	Good	Luck
After	She’s	Unwrapped	Everything
What	about	the	Gifts?	How	Do	I	Tell	Guests	to	Bring	Them?
What	Kinds	of	Gifts	Are	Appropriate?
What	If	My	Bride	Doesn’t	Have	a	Bridal	Registry?
Chapter	9	Seamless	Party	Management
The	Taming	of	the	Shrew
Let	Your	Fingers	Do	the	Talking
Have	a	Backup	Plan	for	Your	Backup	Plan
How	Do	I	Properly	Acknowledge	Anyone	Who	Helps	Me?
Countdown	to	the	Party!
Minding	the	Phone
Dealing	with	Emergencies
Who	Should	Arrive	First?
I’ll	Never	Forget	Ol’	What’s-Her-Name!
What	Do	We	Do	During	the	Shower?
Do	We	Eat	Before	or	After	the	Gifts	Are	Opened?
Does	the	Bride	Have	Any	Responsibilities	During	the	Shower?
What	Is	the	Order	in	Which	Things	“Should”	Happen?
Chapter	10	Cha-Cha-Cha-Choices:	Getting	the	Right	Music
Chapter	 11	 Great	 Shower	 Activities,	 or	 How	 to	 Entertain	 a
Bunch	of	Women	for	Two	Hours
Following	Your	Theme
Doing	a	Funny	Skit
Memories	Activity
Getting	to	Know	You
Not	Him	Again!
This	Is	Your	Life!
Entertaining	Ideas
Hire	a	Local	Marriage,	Love,	Sex,	or	Relationship	Book	Author
Hiring	a	Palm	Reader,	Astrologer,	or	Psychic
Hiring	an	Impersonator
How	to	Hire	a	Male	Dancer/Stripper
How	to	Hire	Any	Talent
Take	Them	Dancing
Get	a	Piñata!
Let	the	Games	Begin
Conducting	a	Raffle
Getting	Prizes	Donated	to	Your	Shower
Let	Them	Eat	Cake!
Chapter	12	Parting	Gifts
Taking	Great	Pictures	of	the	Shower
Do	Yourself	a	Favor!	Create	Memories	to	Go
Other	Ideas	for	Party	Favors
Chapter	13	Cleanup	Tricks
Index
Description:The Everything Wedding Shower Book is the perfect reference for planning a shower the bride will always remember. Using its clever tricks and tips, you’ll be able to throw a terrific shower that suits your budget and your busy schedule. There are dozens of handy checklists so that you can track ev