If you don't want to have a "traditional" bridal shower where you spend hours playing games and opening gifts in front of your best friends and family members, that's totally OK. Like your big day, celebrating the fact that you're a bride-to-be is special and something you can make entirely your own. You can have a small get-together instead, or opt for one of these cool bridal shower alternatives.
The options are endless, and going off the beaten path might make your experience more memorable than you could have ever believed. You may find yourself checking into a dreamy Airbnb in Paris and laughing with your people under the Eiffel Tower at midnight when it's sparking and looking so magical. You might opt to have a sleepover, complete with facials and goodie bags. It may remind you of being in high school, when you'd talk about your crush over popcorn and re-runs of TV shows, and make a wish at 11:11 p.m. that you'd marry them one day.
Back then, you might not have known what true love is all about, but now you do and get to plan a bridal shower however you so please. Don't be afraid to think outside of the box, and take your crew to an exciting and new place before you say, "I do." These five unique ideas for alternative bridal showers will surely get you started.
Going to New York City is always a good idea. It's where love stories came to be in some of your fave sitcoms and is filled with many sights to see. For your bridal shower, you can spend an entire day visiting museums, having a picnic in Central Park, taking pictures in Times Square, and going shopping in SoHo.
Be sure to scope out some trendy, new restaurants ahead of time that have a delicious menu, or a rooftop bar with speciality drinks and spectacular #views. The day will feel so magical from the moment you hop on the train in the morning to the minute you leave with lots of new memories.
If you consider yourself to be an adventurous, outdoorsy, and spontaneous person, then you may want to go glamping in a national park for your bridal shower. You may want to trade elaborate floral arrangements for hiking trails, and brunch dishes for s'mores over a campfire. Instead of playing games like "would you rather" and "wedding ring toss," you may want to tell stories or see who can take the most epic top of the mountain pic.
Marriage is going to come with all sorts of adventures in itself, but having a few moments with your best friends before you seal the deal is essential. Not to mention, it may give your maid of honor some additional content for her speech.
Leading up to your wedding day, you might feel a little stressed. You may be in the depths of planning everything, from the song you and your partner are going to dance to for your first dance, the way the tables are going to be arranged at the venue, and what kind of cupcakes will be on the dessert table. It might be necessary to take a break and participate in a yoga class for your bridal shower instead of going the traditional route.
It'll let you spend some quality time with your people and get in touch with your self, body, and soul. Most notably, it doesn't require buying another dress for a special occasion — only a pair of stretchy pants and your favorite sports bra.
When you were planning your bachelorette party, you might have thought about going on a bar crawl in Nashville or seeing what the new pub in your town was all about. That's all well and good, but for your alternative bridal shower, you may want to revamp that idea and go on a coffee shop crawl with your people.
Simply pull out a map and mark the cutest and most aesthetically-pleasing cafés in your area. Put stickers on the ones that also serve food, and then get ready to go out on the town. Take a disposable camera with you and snap pics at every destination. Then, get those pics developed to see what brews you enjoyed and how much you loved your bridal shower.
Last but not least, consider taking an essential oils class. Learn about the healing powers of lavender, peppermint, or grapefruit from an expert, with your greatest supporters by your side.
I've participated in these kind of classes near my hometown, and would highly recommend them. It sparked a new interest for me, and felt like a great way to have an experience that wasn't on the beaten path or totally expected.
