Jack and Jill Bridal Showers

The bridal shower is rooted in the history of bridal dowries. A dowry is a sum of money, land or belongings that a woman takes with her into a marriage, which is given to her husband. Although it is an ancient custom, in some countries it is still a practice. Traditionally bridal showers were given for women who did not have a sufficient dowry. Guests would shower her with gifts to make up for what her family could not afford to give. For many years bridal showers were attended by women only. But that has also begun to change and now it is becoming more popular to have coed or Jack and Jill bridal showers. Both the bride and grooms family members attend as well as other close friends and the wedding party.

Games help break the ice

One of the long standing traditions at bridal showers is for the guests to play games. That hasn't changed with coed showers but the games are different. The games have to be more unisex in nature in order to be engaging for both men and women. One popular game is a variation on pin the tail on the donkey. It is called pin the lips on the bride or groom. All that is needed is an enlarged photo of the happy couple and a few cutout lips, tape and a blindfold. The idea is the same as the children's game and of course the fun is when the participant misses the mark. As you can see the bridal shower is all about having fun and celebrating the union of the happy couple. Games can be fun and lighthearted. Through the course of the evening there will be both heartfelt moments and moments of laughter.

A video introduction

Another good idea at the shower is to have a short video about the bride and groom. The couple can talk about how they met and how they grew to be in love and family and friends can give a little history on each of them. This is a good way for the guests to get to know more about them. It's also a good time for anyone who wants to say a few words of encouragement to have the chance to do so. As the shower planner you would have to start planning the video at least a month in advance but it is a nice way to introduce the bride and groom to each other's friends and family members who may not be as familiar with them.