Throughout the years, bridal shower themes center around one thing … lingerie. Just how many nighties could one bride need? Besides, after a while the new wears off and the lingerie gets stuck in a drawer somewhere. How about throwing a bridal shower with gifts the bride can actually use for longer than a few months or even few minutes?
Bridal Shower Themes
Send out invitations for this unique bridal shower theme to everyone on the list including the older ladies at church. Everyone will have a special bridal shower gift to give the bride-to-be at this type of shower. When you make out the invitations, state that this will be a cooking and kitchen bridal shower. Add a few examples to the invitation so that there is no confusion as to what to bring the bride.
Through the years, we have gone through the “Harriet Nelson and June Cleaver” eras and straight into women working, but times are changing again. Many women are staying at home and taking care of the kids just as our grandmothers and great-grandmothers did. With times the way they are, many mothers are turning more-and-more to homeschooling and cooking dinner every night after soccer practice.
Stocking up on kitchen items, kitchen appliances, cooking utensils, cook books, and tried-and-true recipes are what some brides dream of. Cooking Thanksgiving dinner, Christmas dinner, and birthday breakfasts are all within reach with this bridal shower theme.
Bridal Shower Ideas
You will want to plan to have this bridal shower in a large room with plenty of place to pile the bride’s gifts. Food can be anything from traditional bridal shower foods to take-out from Subway. Decorate the room with items the bride will be able to use later such as:
- vases with measuring spoons in them (vases can be used later for cut flowers)
- glass pitchers with ladles, spatulas, wooden spoons, tongs and so on
- small wicker baskets with pizza cutters, dish rags, spices, non-stick cooking spray and so on
- baking stones (various shapes & sizes)
- cutting boards
- fabric tablecloths can also be reused
- pots & pans
These items can get a little expensive, so you may want to have the whole family contribute to these types of bridal shower decorations. If the husband-to-be loves to cook, make it not only a bridal shower but a couples wedding shower. Many men love to cook these days. You can throw in some special gifts just for him such as: grill mitts, grilling apron (humorous), aluminum foil, grill brush, vegetable basket, wood chips, skewers, fish turner, grilling cook book and so on.
Bridal Shower Kitchen Gifts
First and foremost, brides need recipes. When you send out the invitations, ask that everyone bring four to five recipes. Here is what to put on the invitation:
Whether you will be able to attend the bridal shower or not, please send or bring at least one recipe (more if you’d like) in all of the following categories written on large index cards:
- breakfast recipe
- lunch recipe
- dinner recipe
- snack recipe
- dessert recipe
If everyone brings the recipes asked for, the bride will have more than enough ideas to begin her new life of marriage and cooking. Be sure someone will be giving the bride a recipe box as a gift and that the large index card recipes will fit nicely into the box selected. Here is a list of other gifts for the kitchen:
- sandwich grill
- blender
- toaster oven
- mixer (stationary or portable)
- juicer
- pots & pans
- roaster
- crock pot
- toaster
- can opener
- casserole dishes
- coffee pot/coffee
- coffee mill
- microwave
- ice cream maker
- stock pots
- kitchen fire extinguisher
Of course, different types of cook books are always nice. Aim for cook books with little to no preperations such as: Sandra Lee’s Semi-Homemade Cookbooks. This type of cook book allows the new bride to cook, yet use some already prepared items from the store. Also, some women love to raise their own herbs. For an additional bridal shower gift, purchase an indoor/counter top herb garden. These can be found at many online sites. By the way, it may be nice to throw in a couple of nighties just for fun. She won’t be expecting them and it will surely be a surprise full of laughter.
