Bridal Shower Alternative: Give the Couple a Proper Toasting

courtesy of I Love To Laugh! via facebook.com

Recently, a friend of mine (holler for a dollar, Candice!) had her “bridal shower” here in town, and I couldn’t help but get a kick out of the theme.  Thrown by her mom and aunt, they decided to do a “Wine & Whiskey: Stock the Bar” themed celebration, and I gotta admit… I thoroughly enjoyed it :) 

Instead of bringing your typical BB&B / Target / Crate & Barrel / fill-in-the-blank-of-your-fave-registry gift, friends and family were requested to bring their favorite bottle of booze (be it beer, wine or otherwise) and / or their favorite barware accessory to stock the couple’s latest home remodel: their new bar!  Now, before anyone starts calling the authorities for potential abuse, I think it’s important for me to state their case :)

Candice is everything but traditional.  Since moving to Chicago six years ago with her long term beau, they’ve really already built a life together.  Candice is the kind of girl, if she wants a gravy boat – for whatever reason one would want a gravy boat – she’ll buy it.  If she wants to drop everything and take a trip to the Canary Islands next week??  Well then, by golly, she’ll book her plane ticket that day at lunch.

She really is one of a kind, and after already living together for such a significant time anyway, they really did have mostly everything they needed to make their house a home, which generally includes all the appliances, dishware, kitchen accessories, towels etc. that would normally be put on a registry.  Therefore, her mom came up with the brilliant bar themed idea to complement their newest renovation, as well as their love for entertaining! 

I mean, how can you not love that??  After attending such a celebration and seeing all the fun, it’s hard not to get wrapped up in the fabulousness of such an event… but what’s even more amazing is the practicality of it all too!  Candice and Jared (or her gentleman caller, as C refers to him, haha!) love to entertain!  With the majority of both their families living in Indiana and them posting up shop in the Windy City, they highly encourage their “open door” policy and vow to never turn away a wearisome traveler or friend from their welcoming embrace.  Hence, the theme becomes even more amazing!

Heck, even for the less open / more closed door couples, I still stand by this being a good idea!  While I may have hung up my party hat after an incredible four year stint at IU, there are still the throw back occasions that cause for toasting.  And while I’m country born and bred and will always have a taste for brew-ha-ha, it’d be nice to be able to offer something for the classier pallets that come my way when need be… especially without spending half the grocery budget to do so!  Haha, booze is expensive! 

In the end, it’s OBVS up to every individual couple on what will work best for them, but this was one I knew I had to share!

Cheers to C and Jared and many. MANY years of happy toasts!

C+J (courtesy of Candice)

Leave a Comment March 20, 2012

‘Sprinkle’ Your Bride with Love: Bridal Shower Alternatives

courtesy of news.asiantown.net

This day in age, there are all types of brides, and often times, many of those brides are second chance brides.  No matter what pomp or circumstance lead to it, there are several reasons why a first marriage maybe didn’t work out as planned, but more importantly than the reason why it didn’t is the fact that that these ladies continue to find enough faith to give it another try.  It’s these brides that I especially love… the ones who never stop believing in ‘happily ever after.’

Recently, a family friend (holler Jennifer!) got married to the man of her dreams, and even though it was her second husband, it was his first for everything; so, the sisters of said dream man wanted to spare no expense.  The dream man and Jennifer, however, had other plans in mind.  Being that they were both older and already living together AND that she already had the big, whoo-whoo celebration before, neither one felt the need to have all the hoopla a wedding can often bring.

One of the first “hoopla” items to go was the shower.  Because they already had several of your typical shower gift items under lock ‘n’ key, they didn’t find it necessary to register for a whole bunch of things they already had.  Plus, they were both already well established and struggled to combine what was already there in the first place…  But the sisters persisted and decided that if a shower was out of the question, then they wanted to throw a ‘Sprinkle’ for Jennifer instead. 

First of all, the name alone… Addddooorrrraaabbbllle… But the idea behind it???  Even cuter!  Instead of having Jennifer register at a bunch of places for gifts they didn’t need, they simply took her out to dinner at her favorite spot and showered her with well wishes, advice and sentimental gifts.  Ummm, helllooo?  Love!

And you wouldn’t even have to go out to dinner necessarily either.  You could even plan a luncheon or girls night in.  Really, the choice would be up to you!

It’s also a great idea for the non-traditional bride… or even the non-traditional groom to use.  Because Sprinkles are intended to be less formal, many couples may choose to make it a couple’s event.  This way, there’s no obligation for guests to get traditional gifts, but rather, still spend an afternoon or evening celebrating your love!  It would also work famously for older brides and grooms already living with each other, who don’t feel the need to register for new China or spatulas or couples looking to downsize what they already have.   The possibilities are literally limitless!

2 Comments August 16, 2011