ATSH Shower Tips
By Izabela
When the Schoolhouse was transformed into a trendy wedding venue in 2007, the focus was to leverage our collective skills and experience towards creating a beautiful, classy, stress-free and affordable wedding day solution! Now, 7 years later, we can proudly say that it’s mission accomplished, and then some…
As business rapidly increased, it also took on a life of its own. Word is quickly spreading that our charming and unique venue is also a great place for Bridal Showers and Baby Showers!
We have even been so fortunate to have shared in some of my couples’ wedding day and subsequently held their baby shower. It is truly an amazing and gratifying feeling to know that you have been a very special part of these two very special days. Similarly, I’ve hosted bridal showers and even a few weddings for couples who were part of a previous wedding or shower. Hmm, could a wedding plus shower truly be the ultimate package?? ;) LOL!!
With this entire shower hosting experience, comes knowledge. While I’m no savant, I’ve picked up quite a few tips and advice, games and themes that I love sharing. Peruse through my lists and feel free to steal any ideas that seem interesting. After all, I stole a handful of these concepts from some creative and clever hosts that I’ve worked with in the past. I’ve also borrowed a few from my pal, GOOGLE;)
Here are my top ten favorite baby shower games:
1.Dolly Hot Potato
All you need is a baby doll (or any other baby-themed item) and a timer. Have the guests sit in a circle and pass the doll from one person to another. The timer should go off at sporadic intervals; when it does, whoever's holding the doll is out. The last person in the game wins a small prize. Variation: Whoever's caught holding the doll has to give one piece of advice to the mom-to-be or share a story about a tough or funny parenting moment. Guests without kids of their own can share an episode from their own childhood.
2.Baby Telephone
Ask one guest to think of a parenting tip and whisper it to the person sitting nearest to her. That person has to repeat the tip by whispering it into the next guest's ear, and so on around the room. The very last person who hears the tip should be the guest of honor. Once she hears it, she should announce it out loud to the room. Chances are it'll be thoroughly jumbled up – and worth a few laughs!
3.Daddy Knows Best
Before the shower, ask the dad-to-be a series of questions about babies and write them down. (Again, warn him it's for a shower game.)
At the shower, explain to all the guests what you've done, and tell the mom-to-be she needs to guess how her partner answered each question. The other guests have to guess how many of his answers she'll predict correctly; whoever ends up closest wins a prize.
After the mom-to-be guesses how the expectant dad answered a question, reveal his answer. You can have the guests take turns playing emcee, too.
Here are some sample questions:
· How many diapers does a baby need each day?
· How many diapers do you plan to change each day?
· How many hours does a baby sleep each day?
· At what age does a baby start sleeping through the night?
· At what age does a child stop needing naps?
· At what age does a baby start eating solid food?
· Do you think your baby will be born with a lot of hair?
· How many kids do you want to have?
· Who'll be the firm parent, and who'll be the pushover?
4.Birthday Card Time Capsules
Pass out blank greeting cards along with consecutively numbered envelopes to each of your guests. Instruct each guest to write a birthday card to the baby-to-be for whatever age is listed on her envelope. For instance, the person who receives envelope number 13 will write a birthday message for the baby's thirteenth birthday and might say something about what a big milestone it is to become a teenager. The cards will make special gifts for the baby throughout the years.
5.Guess That Baby Food
Get five different kinds of baby food and put each into a separate bowl. Label the bowls from one to five. Have everyone sniff and examine the baby food, then write down a guess for what each one is. The person with the most correct answers wins the door prize.
6.Thank you Card
If you know the mom-to-be will be writing thank you notes after the shower, this game can help her out. Buy a box of thank you cards. As guests arrive, ask everyone to write a self-addressed envelope and place it in a bowl. At the end of the shower, draw one of the envelopes at random and award that person a door prize. After the party, give the blank cards and the addressed envelopes to the mother-to-be. She'll appreciate how easy this makes it for her to send her thank you notes.
7.Name that baby tune
Play a song that contains the word ‘baby’. Guests will have to guess the name of the song and the artist.
8.Guess how many
Small baby themed items are placed in a container and guests will have to estimate how many items are in each container. Items can be safety pins, q-tips, ball of baby wipes (how many individual sheets), basket of bibs (everyone brings a few bibs and mom-to-be can keep them), basket of baby socks (same concept as basket of bibs) and finally – the diaper cake…how many diapers make up the diaper cake.
9.How big is the belly?
A simple favorite – guess the perimeter of mom-to-be’s belly. Closes to the exact measurement wins a prize.
10.Baby bingo
Just like classic bingo but the letters from baby items are used instead.
Can’t leave out my top 10 Bridal Showers favs as well…
1.Memory Lane Mysteries
This game is every bride’s sentimental favorite. When you send out each guest’s shower invitations, include a blank note card along with a request to write down his or her favorite memory of the bride, groom or the couple. When they arrive, have your guests drop their memories into a card box. At the shower, read each memory out loud and ask the bride and/or groom to guess which guest wrote it. From childhood memories to milestone moments, each card reflects the personal bond that each guest has with the couple. And, at the end of the day, the bride has a stack of personal keepsakes to cherish always.
2.Two Truths and a Lie
This is a great icebreaker for guests who are just getting to know each other. Each guest tells the group three experiences he or she has had with the bride or groom; two are true, one is a lie. Guests then guess which one they think is a lie. Often, the most unbelievable stories are the truth!
3.Clothespin game
Popular classic! Every guest is given a clothespin upon arrival. If he/she mentions the word ‘wedding’ the guest who catches that person takes their clothespin. The person with the most clothespins wins a prize.
4.Trivia Time
Prior to the shower, the groom is requested to answer questions about the bride, and their relationship. The answers can either be written or video recorded (this is better for a laugh)! During the shower, the bride is asked the same set of questions. The answers are then compared and the entertainment begins!
5.Couples Quiz
This activity puts guests in the hot-seat, as their knowledge of the couple is put to the test. Create a short quiz and give it to the bride and groom to complete together before the shower. Include questions about their relationship -- How long have they been together? What is their favorite thing to do as a couple? Make copies of the quiz and pass them around to shower guests to complete. Read the couple's answers aloud and give a small prize to the guest with the most correct answers.
6.Love Story
The Gist: It’s like the story-telling version of mad libs.
How to Play: Players take turns thinking of lines to add to a romantic story about the bride and groom (example opener: “Tess and Toby met at the office”). Pass the sheet around and have each person write a new line, folding the paper to only reveal the freshest sentence. After everyone has contributed, the final piece is read aloud to the bride.
7.Words of Wisdom
Guests “shower” the bride with marriage and life advice.
How to Play: Tuck a pretty blank card into the shower invitations for guests to share their advice for a happy marriage – this can also be in the form of a recipe, a poem or funny story, and so on. At the party, guests take turns reading their words of wisdom to the group, and everyone tries to guess who gave that piece of advice. After all the cards have been read, the host can compile them in a scrapbook as a keepsake for the bride.
8.Celebrity Hubby
All guests put their fantasy celebrity husband on a piece of paper and put it in a bowl. The bride reads the names one at a time and everyone has to try to match the celebrity husband with the guest that choose him.
9.How Old Is The Bride
Display several photos of the bride throughout her life from baby to current age. Do not put them in chronological order. Ask your guests to put an age to each photo. The guest that is closest in guessing all the right ages wins.
10.What's the Bride Wearing
After the guests have arrived and have had a chance to speak with the bride then ask the bride to leave the room for a few minutes. Give each guest a piece of paper and pen and have them write down in as much detail what the bride is wearing. Then have the person to the left of the guest read their detailed list out loud. The person with the most details wins.
Hope these lists helps bring out the crazy, creative and fun in your next shower. While I try to avoid shameless self-glossing, I’d be remiss if I didn’t mention some of the benefits of planning and hosting your next shower with us.
Another list??? This is the last one…I promise;)
1. You can bring your own food. We’ll supply all the dishware, platters and barware. We also do the set-up and clean-up.
2. BYOB – you can supply your own alcohol (if desired). You just need a Special Occasions Permit (but that’s very easy and we help you through the process).
3. We have all the amenities you need, including: Tables, contemporary chairs, decorative articles, service kitchenette, break out suite and full audio visual capabilities to provide your own music or slideshow.
4. Cake / gift / favours tables are included and are professionally decorated.
5. Tons of photo opps in our 1890s Schoolhouse venue – both inside and out.
6. Since we thought of everything needed for the perfect shower, you the host, don’t have the headache and stress of planning
7. Our intimate setting is perfect – very elegant, not too big, but not too small.
8. Experience – I can be a wealth of knowledge and ideas. Even if you’ve planned a few showers before, it’s always good to solicit other opinions to keep things fresh and new.
9. Our tasteful décor, while very classy and contemporary, can easily complement any theme.
10. Let’s not forget value. Simply put, for everything our all-inclusive package offers, our rates cannot be matched!!
For all our shower package inclusions, go to: http://www.attheschoolhouse.ca/#!vstc2=showers-and-special-events/vstc0=packages
