It is believed that the first bridal "shower" took place during the 18th century in the Netherlands, when a bride's father did not approve of his daughter's choice for a husband.  She was in love with the local miller.  Her father refused to give his daughter the traditional dowry, which was ruining her chance to marry the man she loved.  The miller shared their plight with the townspeople.  And, because the miller had always been generous to hungry families, giving them flour when they could not afford it, the people joined together and shared what they had, 'showering' the young lady with enough household goods to make a proper dowry.  In the end, the father was so impressed by the generosity that he consented to the marriage.

Showers should be intimate gatherings of close friends and relatives.  Some hostesses may want to have a theme shower,  Food, beverages, decorations and gifts can all be coordinated to create just the scene you would like.  Use your imagination!  Here are a few ideas to get you started:

• Gourmet Cook Shower - gourmet foods, fine wines, cookbooks, gourmet utensils, exotic spices
   
• Great Outdoors Shower - badminton set, croquet set, picnic basket, flower seeds, gardening tools, Japanese lanterns, gift card to home improvement store
   
• Happy Holidays Shower - decorations are available for nearly every holiday of the year
   
• Honeymoon Shower - travel clock, travel book, disposable camera, tote bag
   
• Kitchen and Bathroom Shower - towels, soaps, robes, utensils, everyday glasses, trivets, tablecloths, placemats
   
• Labor of Love Shower - Bring promises not gifts!  Pledge to help paint or wallpaper a room in the couples' new home.  Offer to cook a meal or bake a favorite dessert.
   
• Leisure Time Shower - movie tickets, board games, DVDs, CDs, cocktail glasses
   
• Round-the-Clock Shower - Each guest brings a gift appropriate for a different hour of the day.  For example, if the hour is four in the afternoon, the gift might be a teapot with two cups and gourmet tea.
   
• Recipe Shower - Guests are given recipe cards and asked to make up a menu of their favorite recipes.  The cards are collected and put into a recipe box provided by the hostess.
   
• Spa Shower - gift certificates for massage, facial, manicure, pedicure, aromatherapy oils and candles, personal grooming items
   

Although the maid-of-honor will be invited to every shower and party for the bride, she is not obligated to take a gift to each gathering.  Instead, she could go the practical and personal route and present the bride with a Wedding Day Emergency Kit.  Purchase a beautifully decorated box and fill it with hand wipes, super glue, breath mints, scissors, white masking tape, bottled water, tissues, a small sewing kit, safety pins (all sizes), nail file, nail polish, extra pair of panty hose, hair pins, small mirror, hair spray, brush and comb.  This may seem a bit mundane, but it will come in very handy.

There is a popular trend these days to choose a theme for the bridal shower.  Here are a few options to consider, or be creative and come up with your own unique theme.

• Alphabet Shower: Each guest should bring a gift that starts with a letter that was assigned to that guest on the invitation.  Using the letters of the bride and groom's names is one alternative.
   
• Entertainment Shower:  Gifts may include a DVD player, DVDs, CDs, movie tickets, gift certificates to movie rental stores, concert tickets or sporting event tickets.  This is perfect for the couple that has all of their household items already.
   
• Paper Shower:  Each guest brings a gift made of paper such as stationery, photo albums, journals, books, prints for framing or magazine subscriptions.
   
• Quilting Shower:  Send each guest a fabric square included in the invitation along with instructions to decorate the square with a motif relating to the couple.  Assemble the quilt at the shower.
   
• Service Shower:  Each guest will present the bride with a "labor of love" coupon promising their time, talents and energy instead of a typical gift.  These personal gift certificates could be for sewing, yard work, cooking a meal or a night out.
   
• Special Supper Shower:  This is fun for the guys as well as the girls.  Choose an Italian feast, Mexican dinner, barbeque gourmet dinner or another meal the couple likes.  Guests cook and serve the meal and bring gifts related to it.
   
• Special Interest Shower:  Most every bride has a hobby like gardening, reading, sewing, scrapbooking, etc.  Include in the invitation a note explaining that gifts should relate to her hobby or interest.  This is especially fun for a bride who has most of her household necessities. 

Showers can be a lot of fun and a chance for people to talk and relax.  Be creative with the decorating and make it a truly memorable time for everyone.

Setting up a household takes more than kitchen ware, linens and decorative items.  Tools are necessary to keep any home up and running.  But when was the last time a bride open a hammer as a shower gift and was happy about it?

Why not start a tradition in your area by hosting a "Boy Toys" party for the groom?  It would be an ideal event for the best man to host this "groom shower" and invite the groom's wedding party and other male relatives and friends.

Start by sending postcard invitations to everyone on your guest list and include that this is a party to fill "the groom's tool box."  Small hand tools are perfect gifts for this type of "shower."  This can include hammers, screwdrivers, pliers, wrenches, cordless drill, stud finder, socket sets, tool belt, small levels, tape measure, various sizes of nails and screws, a small organizer, flashlights, batteries, clamps, wood glue and anything else similar to these.  Gift certificates to a home improvement store would be another option.

If the groom has a passion for a particular sport, consider including items that pertain to that as well.  For instance, if he enjoys golf, purchase a small cooler filled with golf balls, golf towels and tees or get him a gift certificate to the local pro shop.

The food could be as simple as a deli buffet.  Most supermarkets have deli meat and cheese trays available for your convenience.  Buy several types of bread or rolls, as well as sandwich spreads.  Add a platter of sliced pickles, juicy tomato slices and crisp lettuce to the table.  Be sure to have plenty of cold beer available too.

You may run into some resistance to the idea of a guy shower but in the end, you will have honored your friend with some much needed items as well as a great party.  Be brave; do something different.

One of the highlights of being a bride's maid of honor is planning the shower.  This is a fun celebration with the bride's female relatives and close friends.  Be sure to include the mothers of the bride and groom on your guest list.

This should be an intimate affair perhaps in your own home.  A simple and elegant way to make this gathering extra special is to decorate everything in pink.  Begin the theme by sending out pink invitations and be sure to note that this is a "Pink Party."  Most of the guests will love the idea and come dressed in pink as well as use pink wrapping paper, bows and gift bags for all of the presents.  Set up a gift table in a prominent area and this will become a stunning centerpiece for the event.

Pink table coverings, napkins, paper plates and cups can be found at all party supply stores.  But do not worry about different shades; they will add to the festive feeling you want.  For an added treat, purchase inexpensive pink boas for everyone and watch the divas emerge.

A delicious pink punch made from one part ginger ale, one part Sprite and one part Hawaiian Punch will also reinforce the theme.  For an extra flair, consider mixing a very small amount of red food coloring to a gallon of water and fill some ice trays.  Kitchen specialty store carry a variety of ice trays with unusual shapes like flowers, bows and bells.  These little touches will certain make a lasting impression.

Pink votive candles with pink ribbon tied around the clear glass holders would be an inexpensive but striking way to add atmosphere.  Ask you local florist what pink flowers are in season and purchase a couple dozen to arrange in vases around the room.

If you are artistic, consider finding an old wooden chair with interesting lines to sand and paint.  Paint the entire chair white and decorate it by painting pink flowers and greenery around the edges.  The bride will certainly cherish this piece of furniture.  Be sure to sign the chair underneath the seat with your name, the date and that the color pink represents friendship and affection. 

Have you ever asked yourself what is the purpose of a bridal shower? Do you think is just another way for the bride to accumulate more gifts? Are you planning a shower and need some advice? Here is a little history and some advise for planning a bridal shower.

A bridal shower is a way to honor the bride by ‘showering’ her with good wishes and gifts. It is believed the first wedding shower can be traced back to a Dutch story of a young girl who fell in love with a poor miller. Her father was not pleased with his daughter’s choice and refused to bestow a dowry (a sum of money and/or goods) necessary for the couple to set up a household. The miller was a generous man who had shared his possessions and helped several villagers who had fallen on hard times. When the villagers found out the bride’s father refused to bestow a dowry on the newlyweds, they came together and ‘showered’ the couple with gifts so they could establish a home together. And thus began the tradition of bridal showers.

Even though more and more women are marrying later in life and have already accumulated sufficient household items, the tradition of ‘showering’ the bride still persists. It is a good time to pamper the bride, make her feel special and help her to relax from all the wedding planning. Showers are no longer just for the bride. More and more showers are being held for couples, commonly called Jack and Jill showers. These ‘Jack and Jill" showers have increased in popularity over the past ten years and are a great way for family and friends to kick back and take a break from all the wedding planning.

Traditionally, the maid of honor plans the shower party. But today, any close friend or relative of the bride can plan and host a bridal shower. The bridal shower should be held four to six weeks before the wedding. ‘Surprise’ bridal showers should be avoided for several reasons. First and foremost, the bride is very busy planning her wedding and most likely holding down a full time job. So the bride needs to be consulted about the best day and time to have a bridal shower. Secondly, another shower may already be planned and you do not want to schedule your surprise shower on the same day. Thirdly, you need to consult with the bride on the guest list. Because guests are expected to bring a gift to these parties, it is important that the same guests are not invited to several showers. This can become quite expensive for guests if they are invited to several showers for the same bride.

Read Part 2

If you are planning a shower, one of the first things you will need to decide is what kind of shower to have. Are you going to have an all-girls shower or a co-ed shower? Barbecues are popular for co-ed parties. Guys are not usually interested in the gifts received and might get bored during gift opening, so consider having an alternate activity for the guys during this part. Depending on the guys, they might also not be into games. If you think the guys might be up for shower games, give it a try. Most games work with co-eds or can be slightly modified to fit the bill. As with the wedding, it is wise to choose a theme for the bridal shower. The theme can be used throughout the shower and incorporated in with the invitations, decorations, favors and refreshments. There are countless ‘theme’ choices for bridal showers. Some of the most popular are Room theme (kitchen, living room, bedroom, etc.), Pamper the Bride (soaps, perfumes, etc.), Lingerie, and Honeymoon (luggage, travel gifts), etc. You should fit the theme around the bride’s (or the groom’s) likes or lifestyle. The food served at a bridal shower should also fit the theme of the party. For example, if you are planning a Honeymoon themed party, you can serve foods that are relevant to the place the bride and groom plan to honeymoon.

A bridal shower can be held anywhere, a restaurant, a spa, a garden, or at someone’s home and at any time. If you are having a Jack and Jill shower, it is best to schedule it on a weekend. The majority of people tend to work Monday through Friday, therefore a weekend is a safe bet in that most of the couples’ friends and relatives can attend. If you are planning a shower with work and business colleagues, the ideal time would be on your lunch hour or right after work.

When planning a shower, you should keep the guest list to a comfortable 10 to 20 people. You do not want to invite too many people, as large groups tend to split up into smaller groups. You want everyone to interact with each other and the best way to do this is to keep the guest list small.

After you have finalized plans for the shower, it is time to order the invitations. You do not necessarily need to buy expensive shower invitations. Since the guest list is relatively small for a shower, handwritten invitations would also be appropriate. Or you can purchase blank stock invitations and print them from your computer.

Every bridal shower should include games and everyone attending should be included in the games. Shower party games are a great ice-breaker for people to get to know each other. Games can include bridal shower bingo, "What’s in the bag" (memory game), trivia questions about the bridge and groom, or making a wedding dress with toilet tissue.

After the party is over, do not forget to say thank you to the guests. Not only should the bride send a thank you, but the host should send them as well. A personal, handwritten note sent to each guest is the best way to express your appreciation.

Even though bridal showers require a lot of careful planning, they are meant to be fun. It is a great way to ‘shower’ the bride and groom with gifts for their home, or just an excuse to get together with family and friends and have a good time.

Read Part 1

Here is an ideal and fun way for any bride to convey her affection for her attendants. Spend an afternoon with "just the girls" and let them know how much you appreciate their participation in your wedding plans.

In the early twentieth century a different type of party gained popularity — it was called the Chocolataire. The menu included chocolate candies, chocolate cake and chocolate ice cream!

Why not treat your attendants to an updated version, and have nothing but chocolate desserts to munch on! Let your sweet tooth be your guide, and let that inner chocoholic out into the open.

Keep the decor simple by using white lace, or linen table coverings. Blooms from red roses floating in clear glass containers will be all the flowers you will need, except for one long stem chocolate rose at each place setting for every guest. These edible roses are available at gourmet thod stores that specialize in desserts.

For a special touch, you may want to shop the flea markets and resale stores for unique, one of a kind china tea cups and saucer sets. Purchase one for each attendant, and have them on the tables when they arrive. Be sure to have hot chocolate and any of the chocolate flavored coffees that are available to serve for refreshments. Let the girls know that the tea cups and saucers are for them to take home as a thank you gift.

Tiered serving trays piled high with dark, milk and white chocolates, fudge, brownie squares, chocolate covered cherries and chocolate truffles will be the main course. If you have access to a fondue pot, melt milk chocolate in the pot and let your guests dip fresh strawberries, marshmallows, pineapple chunks and sliced bananas. YUM! For the guests watching their waist line, they can eat the fruit without the chocolate -- bummer!

For the "dessert," serve chocolate pie, chocolate cupcakes, chocolate ice cream or chocolate mousse. After that, serve everyone a night cap of crème de cacao! Take the time to savor each and every silky morsel as well as the wonderful friendships you have in your life.