A Bubbly Bridal Shower
When I think of January, I think of a new year, celebrations, and lots of bubbly (LDS-style!). All of these are a perfect fit for a bridal shower.
Decorations: Anything for a New Year's party - balloons, streamers, tiaras, and funny noisemakers. Choose a color theme to tie everything together. If the bride knows her wedding colors, you could use those. If not, silver or gold paired with another color always looks nice. For a very elegant but feminine look, try a combination of silver, black, and pink.
Appetizers: For this party, think finger foods and lots of bubbly drinks! The recipes below are from A Bridal Shower.com
Chicken Puff Sandwiches
Ingredients
- 3/4 C. diced celery
- 1/4 C. diced green onion
- 2 t. relish
- 1/4 C. chopped almonds (optional)
- 1/2 C. Mayonnaise
- 2 to 3 dashes Tabasco Sauce
- salt and pepper
Cut the chicken into small pieces, add the rest of the ingredients and mix well. Chill until ready to assemble.
Puffs:
- 1 C. water
- 1/2 C. butter
- 1 C. flour
- 4 eggs
Add water and butter to a saucepan. Bring to a boil. Add flour and stir. Stir over low heat until mixture forms a ball, about 1 minute. Cool.
Add eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each egg is added. Mixture should be smooth.
Drop by tablespoons onto an ungreased cookie sheet. Bake at 400°F. for about 15 minutes, until puffed and golden. Cool.
When ready to assemble, cut the tops off the puffs. Add filling and put top back on. Refrigerate until ready to use. Makes about 35 small puffs.
Top off these yummy sandwiches with some pretty Cheese & Pineapple Appetizers
Ingredients
- Cheddar Cheese, cut into cubes of approximately ½ an inch
- Pineapple cubes
- Toothpicks
Top off these delicious appetizers with some sparkling apple or grape juice served in wine or champagne glasses. If you don't have fancy glasses, go to your local Deseret Industries or Good Will. I picked up sixteen wine goblets for fifty cents each for a Murder Mystery Party one year. I've pulled them out many times since just for fun.I loved these personalized mini-bottles of Martinelli's. They're so pretty and elegant! You can purchase them at Forever Wedding Store.com
A Bubbly Game: For this party, I'm going to suggest the one game every bride hates, but is soo much fun for pictures and strolls down memory lane. And hey, my version has a bubbly twist! You'll need lots of white tissue paper and some rolls of Scotch tape. Also, save all the bows and ribbon from the bride-to-be's gifts. You'll also need a paper plate and plastic cup.
Before the party, attach the plastic cup to the back of the paper plate. Be sure it's secure as the bride will be holding on to the cup. While the bride is opening her gifts, have one person assigned to creating a bow & ribbon bouquet. Fit as many of the bows and ribbons onto the front of the plate as you can.
After opening the gifts, the bride stands in the middle while everyone works together to create a bridal gown and veil by taping tissue paper together. Hint: It helps if you secure the tissue paper here and there with safety pins. This helps to keep it all from falling off the minute she starts walking.
Once the bride's dress and veil are done, hand her the bouquet. Take lots of pictures (be sure to tease her into some diva poses!). Then break out the bubbles! Split the guests up into two lines, just like when the bride & groom walk out of the temple. While the bride walks down the entry, the guests blow their bubbles over her. It's a good idea not to blow them directly at her so she doesn't get bubbles in her eyes!
I found these cute wedding cake bubbles at Oriental Trading.com
Another Fun Activity: To go along with the New Year theme, purchase a 365 day calendar. You know, the ones you tear off a page each day. Try to find one with a theme the bride would enjoy or think is funny - but be sure the pages are designed in a way that there's some extra writing room! Usually comics work great for this activity. Throughout the party, have the guests choose days (as many as they'd like). They can write in event reminders (such as birthdays, anniversaries, etc), marital advice, funny stories, or just decorate some of the pages with hearts or silly drawings. The bride will love finding out what each new day has in store for her!
Party Favors: Thank your guests for coming with a heart-shaped favor box filled with your own candy or nuts. I found these ones at Oriental Trading.comAren't they cute?I hope you've enjoyed another fun bridal shower idea! If you have any bridal shower or wedding related questions, please email them to me.
Happy Wedding Preparations!
Danyelle
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