Creative Wedding Shower Ideas

From Dana Ostomel, founder of Deposit a Gift, cash wedding registry service.

When it comes to today’s wedding showers, though the concept may be traditional, the execution runs the gamut. You definitely still see typical bridal showers, but even if it’s ‘ladies only’ people are giving themselves permission to mix it up and be more creative than, say, what your mom had. Also growing in popularity are co-ed showers, for a more shared experience.

For some the event may still be all about the gift-opening, but others are opting to skip that activity in favor of a gift table and focus more on the conversation and mingling amongst the guests. There are activity showers with cooking demonstrations and outings too. The point is, it’s really about the quality time that you get to spend pre-wedding with the ones you love and crafting an experience that is truly reflective of the couple.

All that said, lets get real about the gifting aspect. Gifts are a part of the wedding process in general, and usually when people are invited to a shower they would like to buy you something from your registry. But what if you are one of those couples who has opted for a less traditional registry, one comprised of gifts that contribute monetarily to what you want more than traditional household items, such as: a honeymoon, a new home, maybe new furniture or some fun date nights?

Is it possible for these “intangible” gifts to be part of the party? Absolutely! Here’s how…

The Host Sets the Stage for Success:

As with any new idea, people’s willingness to jump on board and give a gift from an alternative registry is all in how it’s presented to them by the host.

• Help guests understand why the guest of honor has chosen this type of registry and how it will be helpful to them.
• Tell them that they can print a gift certificate at checkout to bring to the party.
• Plan a party theme based on the registry to help guests have fun giving this type of gift.
• Sometimes even a cute invitation poem can get folks in the mood, like this:

Like many young couples these days,
Jack & Jill have most things anyways.
A honeymoon in Fiji is how they’ll start out their life,
In their beautiful journey, as husband and wife!
If you want to give a present we’d like to suggest,
that you make a contribution to their treasure chest.
For without the help of this little pun, their honeymoon would just not be as much fun!

You can find their honeymoon registry at XXX.mydagsite.com. We hope you enjoy picking out something with a romantic sheen, then bring the gift certificate wrapped in something fun like lingerie or sunscreen!

Offer Cute Ways for Guests to Give their Gift:

• Put out art supplies for guests to decorate their cards and envelopes. Then offer a pretty memory board or cork board to hang the gifts — it’s also a nice keepsake for later:

• Include the gift certificate in an envelope with a favorite recipe.
• Wrap the gift certificate in sexy underwear, a fun apron, or pretty cloth dish towel. A store like TJ Maxx carries nice stuff at low prices.

• Encase it in a picture frame that can be used for a wedding photo. Target is a reliable place for great finds.
• Attach the gift certificate to a kitchen gadget or slip into a reusable shopping bag like awesome Envirosax.
• For a honeymoon to paradise, buy a beach bag with towels, and have the guests fill the beach bag with the gift certificates attached to small tokens that would be perfect for fun in the sun like: sunscreen, chapstick, a frisbee or water bottles.

Keep in mind that the shower host is really the one to sets the stage for making this work. If they lay a positive foundation of sentimentality, guests won’t feel like they are missing out on selecting a tangible gift because they’ll be motivated knowing they are picking out a special gift that you’ll always remember them for, and definitely won’t return.

Dana Ostomel is the founder and Chief Gifting Officer of Deposit a Gift, a cash gift registry service. Years before Dana got married, she wondered how anyone could store so many presents—and even if they could, how they had the time to unwrap, return (often), track and use them all. Her marketing background led her to believe she could simplify the registry process—and not just for weddings, but for any big gifting event. And so Deposit a Gift, the next generation gift registry, was born. Read more about Dana. Follow Deposit a Gift on Facebook and Twitter.