Bridal Shower: Around the Clock Theme

There are endless ideas when it comes to hosting a memorable bridal shower. These days it seems that traditional showers like tea parties and luncheons are giving way to more creative themed parties instead. One popular idea is the "Around the Clock" bridal shower.

The idea behind this type of shower is to ask guests to bring presents that relate to different "times" in a bride and groom's life. For example, you can ask guests to bring gifts that pertain to a particular time of day, or, ask for specific occasions in the couple's life such as dinner parties, picnics in the park or travel.

This way the bride and groom get everything they need for their new life together and your traditional bridal shower gets a makeover! Have fun with this idea and see what your guests decide to give for each specific time of day!

Around the Clock Bridal Shower Invitation Tips

The invitation plays a critical role in an Around the Clock bridal shower. Many of your guests may not have attended one before, and the idea can be confusing if not properly explained. Make sure that invitation clearly explains the concept.

Don't forget to make sure the "time of day" or "occasion" you've assigned a guest is in an obvious place on the invite!

Brides and grooms often host their own wedding websites where they provide guests with information surrounding their big day. If a website is available, consider asking the bride and groom to include the details of your shower on their website. Guests can even RSVP this way making everyone's life easier.

Feeling poetic? Try the classic Around the Clock Poem (below) to explain the theme of your shower.

We're having a party! And won't it be fun
Many cheers and best wishes before we are done
A shower for (name), our esteemed bride-to-be
A reason to revel, we know you'll agree
The times of our life is the theme for this day
To help the new couple get on their way
Breakfast at home, lunch in the park
Playtime and funtime from morning til dark
Filling each second, each minute, each hour
That is our challenge for this bridal shower
We hope you can join us, we hope you'll agree (address) is the place to be!
Your time of day is __________.

Gift Ideas for the Shower

Assign a wide variety of times to shower guests to guarantee a fun range of gifts.

If you're feeling creative, the "time" ideas are literally endless. Some fun options include:

Breakfast in Bed
Tea Party
Bath Time
BBQ Time
Cocktail Hour
Dessert Time
Bed Time
Sunday Brunch
Holiday Time
Weekend Getaway

A more basic idea is to assign an hour of the day to different guests. Make sure to leave two-hour intervals between assigned times. If you assign guests times for each consecutive hour, you're likely to get confused queries from people unsure of the difference between a "9 am gift" and a "10 am gift."

Decor Tips and Ideas

Decorating for an Around the Clock Shower can be a lot of fun. Create pretty centerpieces inspired by the different "times" listed on your invitations.

If you're planning a large shower, assign guests to sit a the table that corresponds with their time. So, there might be a morning table, an afternoon table, an evening table and a late night table.

Stop by a local craft or dollar store and pick up some cheap clocks. Choose different sizes - everything from an alarm clock to a wall clock - and place them throughout the room. You can even use them as table centerpieces.

Remove the batteries and set each clock to the different times on the shower invite. You can use the clocks as table cards. Tell guests to find the table with their time of day and that's how they'll know where to sit.

Not only is an Around the Clock shower fun to give, but it will also ensure that the happy couple receives a wide variety of gifts to get them started on their happy new life together.