All Fun. No Games.

Fun ideas for events other than cheesy party games

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At my age, I have not attended too many bridal or baby showers, bachelorette parties, etc., so I already do not have much to work with in terms of personal observation. But one thing I know for sure based on the little information I have is that most parties of this sort have one thing in common–cheesy games to keep the guests engaged. However, here I am, planning a bridal shower for a close friend who wants her celebration to have absolutely nothing to do with trivia, guessing, fill-in-the-blanks, or the like. So without further ado, here is my take on a unique type of party–one that has all of the fun, but none of the games.

First things first, as you brainstorm, do not be surprised when every single idea you come up with turns into a game. That's what we're used to! It's how we've seen people keep all age groups engaged. But not at this party. The best way to start your brainstorm is by considering who the party is for, and what this person's hobbies are. What would they have fun doing–gardening, painting, singing, dancing, drinking? What are their favorite places–parks, cities, countryside, beaches, mountains, Vegas, Paris, their own hometown? I assume if you are throwing this loved-one a party, you know some personal interests or at least know someone else that does–use these personal interests and hobbies to guide you towards your best ideas. This particular friend of mine loves plants. Her house plants are her pets, her children, and are of about 20 total, found all over her apartment. The girl loves her plants. She also practices sustainability and minimalism in everything she does. So that is where I started.

After coming up with a few topics from this individual's personality, begin to develop these topics into potential activities. You can literally get out a pen and paper and make a list. Go through each topic, one at a time, and list several ways you spend time with others regarding the topic. Think crafting, creating, individualization, conversation starters, ways you can relate to others and help people feel comfortable. Will this activity be for the guests to take home as a gift or for the hosts to cherish? General examples that come to mind may be making food together, decorating a dessert, reminiscing and recording memories or advice, creating a keepsake for the guests or the hosts, providing a "make-you-own-blank" activity, etc. Again, the most beneficial part of this process with be the change in mindset from gamified activities to activities that promote quality time spent together and creativity. This transition will allow guests to bond over the bride, couple, parents, etc. rather than play guessing games and compete with each other on who knows the most about the happy hosts.

When you have come up with several ideas and have narrowed them down to a few you like best, think realistically about the logistics of the activity. Decide whether the activity or activities is/are feasible for the amount of people involved, in the amount of time allotted. Consider going over your ideas with another person to get a second opinion on whether the ideas with work well (in my situation, I bounced ideas off of the bride's mother and it actually allowed us to bind over the bride!). Additionally, you might even consider practicing the activity depending on what it is, to create an example for guests, perfect the process, and help people when the time of the activity comes. This is a great way to make your final decisions on what will and will not work, so there are no big surprises at the event.

As mentioned before, the bride-to-be that I was planning for is a fun-loving, creative, minimalist, who loves her plants! In the end, these are the activities we chose for her bridal shower: decopauged flower pot decorating activity (seeds and soil included for planting to take home!), date suggestions on popsicle sticks, guest advice for each month of marriage (in an "open when..." letter format), and a make-your-own-mimosa bar. If these activities sound like exactly what you're looking for, check out the links for better instructions, alter them to fit your purposes, or use them to start your activity brain storm! These activities were hit for guests of all ages and were simply fun! And imagine that...I didn't hear anyone ask games at all!

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