Bridal Shower Invitations That Invite Guests to Really Celebrate

The cost of a wedding can cost more than most couples put down as a down payment on their first house. Many couples get lost in the details of table decorations and menu planning and forget about the whole idea of gathering loved ones together to help them celebrate their nuptials. The once sweet and innocent bridal shower has even been infected with the materialism bug. Bridal shower invitations often just obligate guests to purchase more presents. Guests should look forward to a bridal shower, not feel a tug on their bank account.
As more and more couples these days are in their 30s when they get married, the bridal shower should not be about presents. It should be about celebration. There are many ways to throw a bridal shower that get away from the traditional "buy a mixer and toast the pure bride" mold. So get your thinking cap on and start brainstorming for the sake of the people who will receive those bridal shower invitations. I will give you some freebies, in case you need a jump start on the brainstorming.
Something involving food or wine will always make people happy. Send out bridal shower invitations to a wine tasting party. Your guests can taste and then choose the wine that will be downed at the wedding reception. Do the whole nine yards, by covering up labels and giving everyone comment cards. Another option is to have a "stock the wine cellar" party, in which everyone brings a bottle to stock your home collection. Have sharpie markers on hand, so guests can sign the bottles. You will smile whenever you get a new bottle out of the collection in later years, as you toast to the person who gave it to you.
Now onto a few food bridal shower themes. One idea is to have all the guests bring the recipe of their signature dish. Have a nice blank book at the party for everyone to mount their recipe in and have them add any comments on a page dedicated to that recipe. You then have a cookbook of tried and true recipes and will remember your friends every time you make something from it. If you have culinary geniuses in your circle of friends, you can go with something more advanced. Each guest brings an hors doeuvre of their choice. Your guests vote on the best one via secret ballot (so no one will leave with hurt feelings). Feature the winning creation at the wedding reception and name it after your friend.
Let your guests receive those bridal shower invitations with a twitter of excitement, as they anticipate participating in something memorable and fun. Put your thinking cap on and come up with something different. You will be happy that you did not put pressure on anyone to buy you more gifts and will have fun appreciating the fact that your guests are there to help you celebrate.