When it comes to wedding planning, we would be remiss if we didn’t discuss the fact that more than 50% of weddings that take place annually usually involve at least one person who was married before. That was certainly true when my husband and I got married. He’d been married previously, although I hadn’t. He doesn’t consider our marriage a ‘second’ marriage – because that would indicate that he plans a third. His words, not mine.
However you view your upcoming nuptials, a second marriage for a bride who has been married before provides those who are throwing the wedding shower with a few unique challenges. For example, chances are she has most of the kitchen items she needs. She may have received them from her first marriage, during the course of it or during the period after hat marriage.
Going Beyond the Traditional
When it comes to a second marriage, you have a lot of opportunities to take a step out and beyond the traditional. There is nothing about any of the following ideas that precludes doing them for a first marriage, so if you see something you like – feel free to include it in your own festivities.
A joint shower is a new rage for couples getting married where one or both are on their second marriage. You skip the bachelor and bachelorette parties and roll them together into the wedding shower. Prospective bride and groom are presented with a celebration of their twining paths that brought their lives into orbit.
Presents might include:
- Couples Massage
- Dinner for two at a romantic restaurant
- Airplane tickets to their honeymoon destination
- Multiple Movie Passes for the Movie Buffs
- Shower gifts keyed to their doing things together ….
Bridal Only Second Showers
Want to throw a more traditional bridal shower, but still want a few more unique ideas to make the shower for a bride getting married for the second time? Focus the shower’s efforts totally on the bride. Throw it just for her, not for her marriage.
I used this idea for a woman who was having her third child in rapid succession. She had all the baby supplies she needed – so we threw a shower that was just for her. One of the guests said this would be a great way to have a bridal shower or any special occasion party that is supposed to mark a celebration of an individual.
If your friend is an artist and enjoys artwork – make the theme getting her art supplies from canvas to paints to pencils – items she may or may not be able to splurge on for herself right now. If she is a fitness nut, throw her a health shower with gifts for her home gym, her fitness regimen or even gift certificates to a fitness clothing outfitters.
The idea is to spoil her – if she doesn’t need something for her home or her marriage and the couple shower idea doesn’t work for you. You might also make up some creative ideas whether it’s a calendar of ‘pithy’ or joking advice for each day of the first year of the marriage. You might make up a tip jar with all your suggestions for how to promote fun and health in her life and her married life.
Showers Show That We Care
Whether helping a bride plan for her first marriage and first home or her second marriage and future life – a wedding shower is about saying ‘we love you and we support you.’ The theme you choose and the gifts you give reflect this. So whether you are helping her with appliances she needs or spoiling her with items she can’t afford for herself right now — don’t let tradition hold you back from new and creative ideas. Traditions are wonderful – but every tradition begins somewhere and who knows – you might be setting up a new family tradition for generations to come!
What are some creative wedding shower ideas you’ve seen done?