Traditionally, an invitation to a bridal shower delivered up connotations of a women-only tea party designed to bathe the hopeful bride in a torrent of toasters, electric fry pans and fondue pots with which to begin her marriage. The highlight of the party was usually the creation of a hat for the guest of honor to wear, or a keepsake bouquet to use at the ceremony rehearsal, constructed out of the ribbons taken from the wrappings on the gifts. Thankfully, times have changed (although fondue pots are back in) and a bridal shower can be as exciting and experimental as your imagination will allow. St. Louis has a myriad of places to host a bridal shower and is filled with places offering up creative ideas to inspire something new for all those involved.

Bridal protocol historically states that it is considered improper for the family of the bride to throw the shower party-the impression is gifts are being requested rather than bestowed. Therefore, it is usually an aunt, cousin or friend of the bride who is responsible for organizing the event. The host of the event would probably want to consult with the bride to determine the guest list as well as the theme or activity for the party. There are several different ways to approach a bridal shower; from the interactive, where guests partake in an actual event, to the thematic shower where the shower is specific to an interest, to the traditional teacup shower. We have stepped out of the shower to give our readers and future shower hostesses some suggestions to get your ideas flowing in new and interesting directions.

Interactive Shower Ideas

Often times, shower guests range in age, live in different locations, and have never met before. The only common link is the bride-to-be. Consider throwing a shower in which both the guests as well as the guest of honor partake in the celebratory ritual. By focusing around an activity, as a way to have fun and break the ice, guests will not only learn something but also have some fun! Everyone loves to cook (well, almost everyone), so how about throwing a cooking shower? The Kitchen Conservatory in Clayton holds wonderful cooking classes that are not only fun, but also open up a host of ideas for gifts. For example, coordinate a Paella Party and give the bride-to-be Spanish olive oil, imported saffron, heavy glass goblets for wine or sangria-the possibilities are endless, and everyone gets to take away something, learn something, and eat something!

If your bride-to-be despises cooking but has a passion for fine wines, The Wine Merchant, with stores in Clayton, Ellisville and Creve Coeur offers wine tastings and cheese tastings throughout every month. Why not plan an afternoon for your bride and her friends to learn about a plethora of artisan cheeses and wines from all over the world. Gift ideas for the bride could include wineglasses, cheese knives, and picnic baskets or wine racks. The experience would be both enlightening and gastronomically satisfying for everyone.

Yoga anyone? Showers soothe the soul and so does yoga! A very progressive and innovative idea would be to sign up the party for an introductory yoga class at the Big Bend Yoga Center in Webster Groves. This is truly an interactive way for the bride-to-be and her friends to learn about the healing and calming powers of yoga, the art of breathing, and the epiphany of mind and body connections the practice can bring. The party can then be followed by a celebration of the body over fresh carrot juice and fruit smoothies at St. Louis Smoothie. Guests of the shower could then present the guest of honor with gifts that heal the mind, body, and soul, such as aromatherapy oils, a membership for more yoga classes or a certificate for massages or reflexology.

If culture is your idea of the perfect way of interacting with the bride and her friends, how about a trip to the Saint Louis Art Museum that could commence with brunch (on Sunday) or lunch at the Museum Café and continue with a visit to the latest featured exhibition or a stroll through the permanent collection. With a phone call well ahead of time, docents can easily be arranged to lend some insight into the featured exhibition and add an educational spin to the day's event. Gift ideas could be artistic in nature, giving the bride a myriad of items from the museum's wonderful gift shop such as coffee-table art books, Louis Comfort Tiffany glass ornaments, fine art inspired jewelry, architecturally designed house wares, and timeless stationary sets from artists of the past. Keeping in the vein of art, another idea would be pooling funds from the shower participants to purchase a gift certificate towards an original piece of artwork from one of the many fine art galleries located around St. Louis.

From appreciating art to making art, what about a shower centered around a class in jewelry making at the Craft Alliance in University City or a class at Krueger Pottery in Webster Groves, or the St. Louis Artist Guild? An art class for the bride and her guests could result in some incredibly unique and special gifts for the bride-to-be. Just imagine having your friends making a functional teapot especially for you. It's a wonderful gesture and think of the fun everyone will have learning to create a piece of original artwork. Remember, the intention is far more important than the final result, so it doesn't matter if you look at the finished product and laugh hysterically, the memory of that afternoon slinging clay or welding metal together will be something to remember for a long time.

One common interaction between women that is a "shoe-in" is a shopping trip or spree. Organize a weekend trip out of town to "shop till everyone drops." A weekend getaway to nearby Chicago would be perfect and convenient. The bride and her friends and family could spend a leisurely day shopping along Michigan Avenue (The Magnificent Mile), have celebratory tea or mimosas at the Palm Court in the Drake Hotel and culminate the day's events with dinner at one of the many terrific restaurants within the city. The most important gift that the bride will take away is the life-long memory of spending a wonderful weekend with some of the most important people in her life, not to mention the fabulous pair of pumps she bought on sale at Nordstrom's for her rehearsal dinner outfit. A gift like that is priceless.

Thematic Shower Ideas

Birthday parties are themed, New Year's celebrations are themed, why not bridal showers? There are many ways one can create a bridal shower with exciting thematic underpinnings. What about a Decorate a Room in Her New Home Shower? Plan a party in which the bride picks a room she'd like to re-do and have all the guests pick out gifts, such as wall hangings and pillows, that would help realize her vision. You can up the ante to this home bridal shower idea with a Feng Shui consultant to teach everyone how to optimally arrange their homes in order to produce a more conducive and positive energy flow. This way her kitchen will look fabulous and have good energy!

What time is it? Organize a shower that would involve every guest receiving an invitation with a designated time of day. Each person would then give a gift that would correspond with that hour. For example, 5 p.m. could inspire a cocktail shaker and martini glasses, or 9 a.m. would give way to a waffle-maker and coffee-grinder, and 3 p.m. could result in the purchase of a beautiful cashmere or chenille blanket for the bride and groom to curl up under for a nap. You could have a lot of fun with this one, not to mention the bride is guaranteed to always have the perfect appliance to make a drink or breakfast for her new husband.

Think out of the box and the United States. How about having a shower with an international/multi-cultural theme? Each guest could choose a country anywhere in the world to look for inspiration for finding a unique gift for the bride. Ideas could include some wonderful wines from France, a beautiful rug from Pakistan, a tea set from Japan, top-quality vodkas from Russia or hand-blown stemware from Italy. Planning the food for this party could also be spectacular; have it catered by several ethnic restaurants in town in order to have a multi-cultural feast including dishes from India Rasoi, Café Provençal, Mai Lee, Shiitake, Zhivago's and Cafe Natasha, just to name a few. This would also be the perfect venue for a "couples" shower where both the bride and groom and their closest friends and family can partake in a pre-wedding celebration.

Traditional Shower Ideas

St. Louisans thrive and pride themselves on tradition. In some families, legacy and tradition outweigh innovation. Even more traditional ideas can be updated. The ubiquitous "tea cup" shower, in which the guests purchase a setting from the bride's registry pattern, can be expanded to include a tea tasting and brewing party. Tea has been elevated from a "proper-lady drink" to one of today's most prevalent beverages of choice. Plan a party that includes tasting a variety of teas and learning how to brew the perfect cup using fresh, exotic blends. Additionally, indoctrinate everyone about the medicinal and spiritual benefits of these powerful leaves. Gifts could include cups and saucers, Bodum Tea Brewers, mixing bowls for making cookies to serve with the tea, as well as books on tea including Aromatic Teas and Herbal Infusions by Laura Fronty and The Book of Green Tea by Diana Rosen.

There are really no thematic boundaries or physical limitations when it comes to designing the perfect bridal shower. The best ones, however, take the bride-to-be's interests and temperament into consideration, and are mindful that it is meant to celebrate the wonderful and exciting time in her life as she anticipates the transition from single person to marital partnership.

This article was contributed by Saint Louis Bride Magazine, working in partnership with Wedding-Club.com. If you have questions or comments about this article, please email their editor at nancy.slade@wheremagazine.com.