As the friend or family member tasked with throwing a bridal shower, you likely already figured out the importance of the event. In case you’re still wondering why it’s so vital, keep in mind that it’s a time when the bridal party gets a chance to bond and make lasting memories together.
The bridal shower is the last opportunity the bride gets to live the single life, so this is your chance to help her live it up as the center of attention from her nearest and dearest friends. One frequent problem a maid of honor faces is coming up with bridal shower games for guests to enjoy, especially the guest of honor. Struggling to come up with fun and can’t-miss bridal shower games everyone wants to play? Don’t fret.
Here are three bridal shower game ideas you’ll love so much that you’ll want them included on the bridal shower invitations. Then again, we suggest keeping the specific party details a secret until the guests arrive.
1. Find the Guest
The bridal shower game “Find the Guest” serves as the perfect icebreaker to help guests meeting for the first time get better acquainted. As part of this activity, provide each guest with a checklist to help them identify someone with a particular set of characteristics. Then, ask everyone to roam the room and talk to other guests as part of their detective work. Here are a few sample items to include on the checklist:
- Once worked as a teacher
- Homeschools their children
- Has more than four kids
- Has a dog and a cat
- Enjoys family adventure vacations
The sleuth factor alone offers a lot of potential for fun and laughs, but once the competition comes to an end, your guests will feel more at ease and ready for the rest of the festivities.
2. Put a Ring on It
In anticipation of the wedding day ring ceremony, it never hurts to do a practice run at the bridal shower. Okay, this version will be quite different than the real deal, but the bride and guests of all ages will love it almost as much. If you’ve ever played a ring toss game at a carnival or fair, you know where we’re heading with this one.
Recreate the wedding ring toss by using some bottles and bangles. Find different sized bottles and bangles to keep things varied, so guests don’t catch on and figure out the best strategies too soon. You can also mix this one up and play with chopsticks and Lifesaver Sours. Place the candy in a bowl and ask the game player to put the chopstick between their teeth and scoop as many pieces as possible.
3. Wedding Movie Charades
With this game, your guests get the chance to show off their theatrical side by playing out the scenes from some of their favorite wedding movies. After a few cocktails and some chat, this game is sure to be a crowd-pleaser. Most of us have a favorite wedding scene or two. Consider recommending the following films to act out some iconic scenes, but also let guests choose their own to add the element of surprise:
- Love, Actually
- The Wedding Singer
- My Big Fat Greek Wedding
- My Best Friend’s Wedding
- The Philadelphia Story
Keep the Games Silly, Simple and Sweet
The true strategy for planning bridal shower games that guests actually want to play means going into it with the right attitude and spirit. As long as you focus on creating a fun and memorable experience for the bride and her dearest friends and family, you’ll be well on the path to success. Adding in a few bridal shower game favorites only adds to the event, giving everyone a chance to get to know each other, share some laughs and show their love to the bride.