Ladies, it’s that time again. The time of year that is embraced by one woman and dreaded by the rest of the female population: wedding season! As you all get the inevitable phone calls to host the bridal shower of the year, please allow me to be your guide through the financial and logistical hell that is being a bridesmaid in ICT.

A theme is always important, and with a theme, picking out each individual element of the party begins to fall into place. While I am a huge proponent of drunken debauchery, the bridal shower is not the time or place. Any bride will appreciate the effort you took to make this a classy gift-giving event, sans penis paraphernalia. There is plenty of time for this during the bachelorette party! Themes I would recommend include a Breakfast at Tiffany’s-style luncheon or a Tea Party afternoon. This doesn’t mean the party has to be completely subdued, just be mindful that the shower is traditionally a “ladies” event.

Next, let’s talk invites. I’m not a fan of the e-vite for such important occasion, but to each her own. Having said that, this is my article, and my opinion is that a personalized paper invite via snail mail earns brownie points with both the bride and the party’s older invitees. But this doesn’t have to break your budget! You can get high quality invitations for relatively little scratch if you just know where to look. First, try Maxine’s, located at Central and Edgemoor. She has a huge selection of both fill-in-the-blank invites for the time challenged and a great assortment of invitations that she will print with your party information for a modest charge. In that vein, Bradley Paper, located in the Tallgrass Centre, has more options for printable invitations than you’re probably prepared to peruse; however, once you find that paper that suits your theme, they can print or emboss your choice for a very reasonable rate, making your discount purchase look like the most extravagant part of the planning. Buy a roll of the cutest stamps you can find, and you’re well on the way to a great presentation of party style.

Next, it’s location, location, location. Yes, you can have it in your home, or that of a friend. However, for the amount of cleaning, stressing, and frantically throwing underwear into random hiding places that you will have to do to make this feasible, may I suggest hosting it at a restaurant? Go with me here… Many restaurants have meeting rooms or private corners and will gladly accommodate your mid-afternoon soiree. Also, aside from the cake, this takes away any responsibility you might have to provide food or beverages. You can still offer to buy appetizers to share, or provide a signature drink that has been prepared at the bar, but in all honesty, the weight of refreshments is off your shoulders. Old Chicago East has a great banquet room and delicious apps and drinks; The Anchor will also clear a corner for you to enjoy all of their tasty goodness while showering the bride with gifts galore. Margarita’s Cantina might be my favorite for this plan – they will allow you to reserve the upper level and party your hearts out – with margaritas, of course! For my yuppie crew, The Fox and Hound offers great accommodations for such parties, and you can’t beat the ambience, especially for those classy little affairs.

I already mentioned it, but let’s go back: The cake. Yes, it’s a party – let them eat cake! My personal favorite is to get a tasty treat from Monica’s Bundt Cake and have them decorate it with ribbons and bows and all kinds of wedding goodness – again, very little prep time on your part and a delicious, fancy feast for the bride-to-be. If you’d rather have something a little more formal, Cameo Cakes is a great choice for your festive needs. They can put anything you want on the cake – grab a picture of the lucky couple, decorate with rings, and definitely coordinate with the bride’s color scheme. Pick up some paper goods at Maxine’s or Party City (which also happens to have beautiful balloons, decorations, and party-favor mints) and you’ve got an easy and impressive presentation.

Remember, it’s the bride’s turn to be pampered – do it in style. It really is all about the presents, after all, so make sure that’s the main attraction, and you’ll be fine. I’m going to leave the games up to you – they’re certainly a personal preference. But follow these steps, ladies, and you’ll be the most calm, cool, and collected hostess around. What else do you suggest? Leave me some tips in the comments!

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1. [do] Planning a Wedding in Wichita
2. [do] Planning a Bachelorette Party in Wichita
3. [do] Wichita Party Buses
4. [do] Where to Go on a Mom-Date
5. [eat] We All Scream for Ice Cream