Tag Archives: bridal shower

A Flamingo Bridal Shower

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Several weeks ago a few of the girl flamingos came to me with a problem. Or really a question. One of their friends, a flamingo named Fiona, had just gotten engaged, and they wanted to give her a bridal shower. 

Not just any bridal shower though, but one she’d remember for years. A very special, and of course, very pink event. And since they remembered the wedding I’d helped them with a few years ago for another friend, they figured it would be much easier if my friend Karen from Main Stream Events and I helped plan and coordinate it.

How do you say “no” to a group of flamingos when they’re looking at you with those big flamingo eyes and ruffling their bright pink feathers?

Knowing Karen would happily agree to help, I told them to get a guest list together, give us a couple of dates and a few of their ideas and we’d take care of it.

Of course, they already had all that ready for us, and after thanking me several times, they flapped their wings in excitement and headed out to buy shower gifts for their friend while Karen and I set to work!

The first thing we did was to select shower invitations. We presented the girls with several styles to choose from. With so many opinions it took a while, but they finally selected their favorite and Karen sent the order to the printer. 

We even found a special flamingo bridal shower stamp to use for mailing the invitations! How awesome was that!

Next on the list: decorations. They had to be feminine, pink of course, with a hint of gaudiness that flamingos just love! And we gave them a lot of ideas to choose from! So many, in fact, they wanted to use them all and use every room on the first floor of our house (where else?) for the party!

“Only if you flamingos clean up afterwards”, we said. And they agreed. Fortunately.

And no bridal shower is complete without a few games, and we ordered some really nice ones to use! (With Karen and I volunteering to host the games so we wouldn’t have to play.)

Next came ideas for the food. Flamingos love their shrimp, as we all know, so of course their favorite shrimp dishes were included, along with some colorful charcuterie boards.

And of course, no flamingo party event is complete without cocktails, including of course, pink champagne to toast the bride-to-be.

Flamingos also love fancy desserts, and this event absolutely has to have an array of beautiful yet delicious cakes and cookies, of which the leftovers, if there were any, would be boxed up in treat boxes for shower gifts for the attendees as they left. Karen and I actually saved a few of them in the kitchen just in case there weren’t enough left to fill up the leftover boxes!

We gave them a choice of cookies and cakes to choose from, and although they wanted them all, we insisted they pick only two cakes and four trays of cookies! Which do you think they chose?

And of course, all the gifts were wrapped in pink! Fiona had a wonderful time opening everything, and wondering how she’d get them all home!

And just before the party ended, Fiona handed out these cute little message in a bottle gifts to her “flock” to ask them to be in her wedding. Perfect ending to the shower! We also made sure everyone signed the guest book as well as getting a special treat box to take home filled with leftover goodies from the shower.

Yes, it was a lively party, and the perfect bridal shower. Every flamingo had a great time, and they cleaned up as promised, (while drinking more pink champagne of course!) and we sent them all home in a limo. After all, you can’t let flamingos drive after they’ve had a bit too much to drink!

Photo Sources: 1st Row: SE paper designs; Card Hunter; Kristen Smith via Etsy; PaperandInkDesigns; Pumpkin Design Cards – 2nd Row: minted.com – 3rd Row: Eve’s Crafts; Jessmy via Emmaline Bdide; Kaxixix; Pioneer Woman; Soiree Love- 4th Row: LooseyGoosey; Big Dot Of Happiness – 5th Row: source unknown- 6th Row: source unknown; Little Creek Creativity via Emmaline Bride – 7th Row: source unknnown via Etsy; Kazana via Emmaline Bride; Hooray Days; Sweet by Natalie; Lucansandme creations; CookieCutterBaking – 8th Row: ; pexels.com- 9th Row: KseniyaaRevia-Need My Flock; Twisted Velvet; Amazon – 10th Row: hqlimo,com

Toilet Paper Dresses!

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I remember my first time. It was scary. I had no idea what to do. Or how to even start, for that matter. Should I act like I knew what I was doing and hope everyone else was just a novice like me? But then who’d know how to make the first, well, roll? So I stood there, a soft squishy roll of fresh white toilet paper in hand, and thought, what am I doing here??? I don’t know where I’m supposed to start, and my bride is sort of counting on me to get the party started, so to speak! (Note to self: ALWAYS talk to the hostess if you’re the planner and invited to the bridal shower to be sure you know what she has planned, so you can make suggestions, or in this case, look up the game and see what you’re in for!)

That was several years ago. And now I absolutely know what to do, even though it’s not a game I’m really good at! At least I can sort of fake it until I figure out who in my group is the “expert”, or better yet, I try to volunteer to be the “bride”!beautydart wordpress com

Yes, it’s that fun-filled and creative game of “toilet paper dresses”! One of those really creative and challenging team games at a bridal shower that seems to take forever, but can really bring out the creativity and talent in the guests. Especially if they’ve had a few mimosas before they start!

Traditionally, the game involves teams of 3-4 participants. It’s a team effort, you know. Each team is given 3-4 rolls of fresh white toilet paper, and twenty minutes to create a designer masterpiece. One of the team members “volunteers” to be the model, and the “seamstresses” work together to create their gown, many times complete with veil, and even a toilet paper bouquet! At one of the bridal showers I attended, the flower girl was actually a guest, and she was of course chosen to be the model for her team. She had a blast! We’ve seen some creations that are absolutely amazing! And some that are, well, obviously not made by the most gifted “seamstresses” around!

I won’t tell you which category I fall into, but I will say that I hope whoever does a bridal shower for our daughter DOESN’T include this game!

When the time is up, there is a “fashion show”, of course, with the bride-to-be judging the contestants, and of course, picking the winner! Fortunately, she doesn’t have to wear their designer creation on her wedding day. Or we’d all be in a lot of trouble!via-tumblr

And believe it or not, we’ve even heard about, and seen pictures of, some of the guys getting into the act at co-ed bridal shows and serving as the models for the dresses! I just couldn’t bring myself to post those pictures though; well, maybe just this one (and the poor guy looks a bit embarrassed!)….inspiredbride net

Toilet paper wedding dresses aren’t just for bridal shower games any more though. There is actually a national contest held every year by Cheap Chic Weddings, with the winners receiving a cash prize for the best dresses made from Charmin (and only Charmin!) toilet paper! And we’re amazed at the winners’ creativity and talent! (For more information on the contest, go to cheap-chic-weddings.) We’ve found a lot of fabulous creations that some very talented ladies have put together! I’m just wondering how they managed to make them, model them, and actually send them in for judging without totally destroying them!

Now remember what I said earlier about knowing what to do now during the toilet paper dress game? Well, there are actually a couple choices. Normally I try to be the one to run the game, going from group to group and talking with the “designers” while they’re working, and of course making some of my wonderful constructive comments to encourage the ladies’ design skills. And also reassuring the “model” about how lovely she’s looking in her beautiful creation….

The other choice, if all else fails…I prefer to hide! Or help serve another round of mimosas!mimosas

Photo Sources: 1st Row: beautydart.wordpress.com – 2nd Row: thebestthingislove.blogspot.com; ribbons.com; mealsandmiles.com; brittanyandmurray.blogspot.com; hellokirsti.com – 3rd Row: via tumblr- 4th Row: inspiredbride.net – 5th Row: sheknows.com; Katrina Chalifoux 2008; Susan Brennan 2013 2nd place; Jaymi Horne Honorable Mention 2008; ewednewz.com; Cynthia Richards dress by Karen Nickel Photography; Charmin Contest winner Mimoza Haska with 2 finalists; Carol Touchstone 3rd place 2013; Ann Kagawa Lee 2009 – 6th Row: source unknown