Any ideas on what to do after or during the bridal shower?

We're going to a spa during the afternoon and then dinner afterwards. And I was wondering if there was anything we (bridesmaids) can do to spice it up a little? Do we open gifts after we eat or before or during? Should we put up balloons? There's only going to be a few of us..maybe 7 or 8. So would the balloons look weird? Any ideas? Any ideas would be greatly appreciated!

What should we do after dinner? This is my first time planning anything so I really need some advice. Thanks!

Where is the male stripper in all these plans, it is mandatory in todays wedding showers. dont want a stripper, go to a strip club and have some fum

I went to one, and we played games first and then we ate while she open the gifts and then came the strippers and then we toast (some hypnotic..lol) and then we all conversated. Don't do balloons..a little too much.

http://www.rosemarycompany.com/4811.html...

We also played some freaky games, like eating jello out of a bowl shape like a penis...lol
We played only like 5 games and whoever won got little dollar gifts. Some trivia games are fun, questions about the bride, stuff like that

Food we had:
chicken wings, sausage platter (w/cheese, barbeque sace, crackers) macaroni salad, meatballs, collard greens, rolls, macaroni and cheese, tuni and crackers, cookies, chips, mints, cake, champange, and mix drinks, fun foods. No decorations though.

Game Ideas:

WHO AM I BRIDAL SHOWER GAME
This is very popular ice breaker wedding shower game. Prepare index cards with the names of famous people written on them. When guests arrive, attach a card to each guest's back so that the guest cannot see who the name is, but everyone else can. Each guest must then ask the other guests for clues to the identity of the famous person whose name is taped to their back. To prevent cheating from clever guests trying to read it in a mirror, place a 2nd index card over the title to hide it.

THE WEDDING ALPHABET GAME
The host starts with a sentence using the letter "A" to describe a wedding item or or tradition. In the sentence she describes that she went to a wedding and brought an album. The next guest must repeat this sentence and add another item at the end of the sentence, and it starts with the letter "B", such as "I went to a wedding and brought an album and bubbles." The next guest does the same thing and adds an item starting with the letter "C". Anyone unable to add a wedding related item must drop out of the game. The person who stays alive the longest wins the prize.

FAMOUS COUPLES CHARADES
This is a very popular bridal shower game. The guests separate into groups and write down the names of famous couples from current times or past. Usually it's only necessary to get one name and you'll guess the couple (Brad Pit might become braid and pit is pretty easy!) Each team then selects a person to act out the charade and they draw from the opposing teams list of names. From here, we all know how charades work, so your team members must guess who the couple is as the appointed team member silently acts out the clues.

BRIDAL SCRAMBLE
Use about 20 words ( could be less ) that have something to do with "wedding". The words are scrambled and everyone has 10 minutes to unscramble them. The person who unscrambles the most wins the prize. Some examples of words: bride, groom, bridesmaid, maid of honor, limousine, garter, tuxedo, flower girl, rings, shower, honeymoon, church, reception.

PIN THE BRIDAL BOUQUET
Each player draws a bouquet on a small piece of paper. The players name is written on the paper, and a piece of double faced tape is attached to the back. A large piece of paper with a bride picture is put on a card table and the player is led blindfolded to the table, where she must try and put the flowers in the brides hand. The winner is the one who gets the closest to the brides hand.

I think balloons would be great and not weird at all. I don't know the bridal shower etiquette but I would open the gifts after dinner.

That sounds more like a bachelorette party. A bridal shower is where women and girls from both sides of the family, as well as friends and co-workers, get together at someone's house one weekend afternoon, and chat, play games, laugh a lot, have munchies and desserts, and the bride opens the gifts.

Well start the alchohol early, then eat, open pressie, do some girly bit***** (that's a must)- top up more alcohol and then let the party takes it's course!!!

Go Dancing! Always fun with a group of girl friends and everyone is clothed (strip clubs my offend some.)

open the gifts after you eat, while everyone is having dessert and coffee. I'd skip ballons or you can have one special balloon tied to her chair.

Well im confused if your are having a joint shower/bachelorette party..
A bridal shower would be a nice get together with cake maybe and some cute decorations would be nice even with just a few of you.. I would play a few light hearted games, have some drinks and a light meal, then gather around and open gifts. That is usually all a bridal shower entails.

A bachelorette party on the other hand, would be much closer to the wedding, and you get together with the girls and depending on your lifestyle get wild and crazy or have a night outing doing fun things like the spa, movies, and food etc.

For my bachelorette party, there will be ten girls, we are renting an awesome limo, staying in a nice hotel in downtown portland, going out to eat, getting physic readings, and visiting lingere shops!.. no strippers though lol.. so have fun with it and enjoy the night

I think it would be cute to put up balloons and decorations specially since its just going to be a few of you. Do it. Open gifts after dinner so that nothing gets dirty. Also, play some games.

Take a shower together.