If you’re a bridesmaid-to-be tasked with the job of organising the bridal shower, and you’re wondering how to set your bridal shower apart from all the others. We’ve put together a list of themes and gift ideas that will make your bride-to-be feel uber special.

1 Travel shower

This is an excellent theme for lovers of travel, or for couples about to embark on an exotic honeymoon. Gifts might include luggage, camera equipment, language lessons, guidebooks, maps and journals. Design the menu according to the couple’s planned honeymoon destination – wine and cheese for France, tapas for Spain, tacos for Mexico.

2 Wine or cellar party

This will help the happy couple build their wine collection. In addition to wine or spirits, guests could also bring coasters, glassware, decanters, cork screws and other wine gadgets. It’s also an excellent excuse to celebrate your bridal shower at a whisky tasting or over a long, lazy lunch at a local vineyard. Perfect!

3 Think pink bridal shower

Choose the bride’s favourite colour… in this case pink, and build your party theme around the colour. Decorate with pink flowers and pink table decorations, drink rosé and pink lemonade and serve pink cupcakes, raspberry meringues and pink confectionery. Gifts might include anything you like… as long as they’re pink.

4 Beauty shower

Imagine a heavenly day spent in a day spa indulging in facials, manicures, and massages. This is a wonderful way to pamper the bride in the lead up to her wedding (however, don’t schedule it the week before, as facials may cause unexpected skin reactions). 

5 Library shower

If your bride-to-be is likely to want a shower that’s a little more low-key, and she’s an avid reader. Ask each guest to bring a beautifully bound book, or a gift certificate to a bookstore. 

6 Destination shower

In a destination shower the gift is the shower itself. That might be a weekend with the bride and bridesmaids in a beach house on Tasmania’s East Coast, a trip to a vineyard, a stay at a swank city hotel, or a cabin in the Central Highlands. 

7 Kitchen shower

Yes, they’re an age-old tradition, but kitchen-themed bridal showers are practical too! Think gadgets and smaller kitchen items, such as champagne stoppers, small appliances, cake stands, garlic crushers and cheese boards. Or each guest may choose to bring a treasured family recipe or cookbook.