Wedding showers can be fun, but they also can be very stressful for the planner, the maid of honor. As the maid of honor, she must make sure to plan everything to the letter so that friends and family can “shower” the couple with grace before the big day.

Danielle Gibbons, ISU alumna, was the maid of honor at her sister’s wedding. She planned the wedding shower and bachelorette party for her sister, Jessica.

Traditionally, wedding showers were only for women, but that isn’t always the case anymore. Gibbons decided to celebrate together with a co-ed wedding shower for her sister and brother-in-law.

First things first, send out invitations early. Because Gibbons sent her’s out early, people from out of town and out of state were able to attend, which she said “made it very special.”

Decorations were simple but still had the flair because she used the couple’s wedding colors.

“We had green and white tablecloths that we layered to make it ‘fancier.’ We also did cupcakes in their colors. We hung up a ‘bridal shower’ sign in the front yard,” Gibbons said.

Party favors added to the decoration scheme. Gibbons gave the guests little baggies of jelly beans that were the colors of the wedding, green and white.

Try not to stress about the decorations, because this day really isn’t about the party. It’s about the couple. One way to make the decorations special is to put up pictures of the couple together or possibly even pictures from their childhood.

“If you’re planning a bridal shower, put some time into it,” Gibbons said. “Put yourself in the bride’s shoes and think about how special this would be to you.”

Gibbons put a lot of time into planning several games for the guests. One of those games was the “ring game.” Everyone that came got a fake diamond ring. If someone said the word “wedding” and got called out, they had to give their ring to them. The person with the most rings in the end won.

The shower participants also played trivia game about the couple’s relationship, a wedding bingo game and a few other simple games.

“Make sure you plan ahead,” Gibbons said. “Plan four to five games to keep people entertained.”

If it’s a girls-only wedding shower, the “toilet paper gown” game is always fun. The shower breaks up into teams, chooses a “bride” and then has 20 minutes to construct a dress out of toilet paper. At the end, the bride-to-be or the party can vote on the winner. Think simple. Games like this won’t break the bank, but still are silly and fun.

Along with games, you can do something fun for the guests like have a themed party. Since it’s fall, a costume-themed party or a fall harvest party may be a fun idea. Be creative!

Do remember guests will need something to munch on. Food can range anywhere from hors d’oeuvres to a hot meal or desserts.

Lastly, it’s important to discuss presents with the couple before the shower. Some couples want to open the gifts in front of everyone, but some prefer to do it after. There is only so much “ooing” and “ahhing” guests can handle before getting bored, so take into mind the size of the party and the couple’s wishes.

“Just remember, don’t throw it all together at the last minute. She chose you to plan this for a reason and trusts that you’ll make it a very special day for her,” Gibbons said. “Make her the princess, or she’ll start to be bridezilla.”