The Shower Diva: Where Fun Reigns!

Answer:

Dear Debi,

Long distance bridal showers are an evolving trend and we predict they'll become even more popular in the next few years. Time, distance and budget constraints created this new party niche. Creative women who are savvy on computers took a hard look at these liabilities and whipped them into assets!

Here's your 411 on how to have a great Card Shower:

1. Find out from the Bride-to-Be if she's registered at a national registry such as Crate & Barrel, Pottery Barn, Bed Bath & Beyond, Target, etc. If she isn't, encourage her to pick one or two big chain stores and register with them. This will make it easy for invitees to shop for her.
2. Get a guest list from the Bride-to-Be. Make sure you have everyone's full name, address, phone number and email. You'll need to communicate more than once with each guest, so get the info at the outset.
3. Have the Bride-to-Be choose a shower date, but make sure that the date she picks allows you at least 6 weeks ahead so that you have time to plan, coordinate and organize the card shower.
4. Ask the Bride-to-Be what kind of theme she'd like for her party. What are her favorite colors? Does she have any favorite images, icons, or design preferences? Finding out her design style will dictate the kind of invitation you create.

Keep in mind that the invitation you create will also serve as a memento, so you and the Bride-to-Be will want to make sure the invitation looks special and is reflective of her personality. A simple icon such as an angel, heart, cat or flower might turn out to be the ticket, but if she's keen to feature a special photo on the invitation cover, she'll need to send you a photo that you can use on your card design.

The invitation should state that each guest is invited to a "card" shower and that their participation will make the Bride-to-Be's long distance party a happy and loving occasion. In the lower right or left hand corner in a smaller typeface, name the Bride-to-Be's registry (or registries). State in parentheses that these registries will ship gifts free of charge directly to the Bride-to-Be.

Once you've taken care of the first 3 steps (including getting the invitation printed and ready for mailing) you're ready to roll on the next phase.

• Purchase enough 3x5 cards so that you have enough to send two to each guest.
• Purchase a package of stationery that matches elegantly with the shower invitation.
• Send two 3x5 cards, one piece of stationery and an SASE (self-addressed, stamped envelope back to you) to each guest.
• Enclose an instruction sheet where you advise each guest that the 3x5 cards are for them to write down one of their favorite recipes so that the Bride-to-Be can start her memento collection of friend's favorite foods.
• The single sheet of stationery is for the guest to write a short paragraph of "advice to the bride." The handwritten note can be funny or serious. It can be very personal or even turn out to be the guest's favorite love poem. There are some pre-printed "Notes of Advice" that I personally enjoy.
• Finally, instruct each guest to purchase a wedding card and place the 3x5 cards and "advice to the bride" page into the SASE and mail it back to you by a certain date. Make sure each guest understands that the deadline is firm as you'll be express mailing the whole lot of cards to the bride on a certain date. That way she can get them all at one time and revel in opening each nonstop!

There are a lot of details to manage when you throw a card shower, but on the whole it really isn't that difficult to put together. It's the small touches on the invitation and the choice of stationery that make all the difference. With some upfront organization and firm deadlines, you can achieve from a distance what you so wish you could do for the Bride-to-Be in person!

Happy Showering,

 

Susan "The Shower Diva"
Where Fun Reigns!™