Bridal Shower

The bridal shower is a traditional celebration which allows friends and family a chance to show their affection by "showering" the bride with gifts. The shower can be held at any time (generally no earlier than two months prior to the wedding), and a few days prior to the wedding is very convenient if the bridesmaids live out-of-town. You could have a bridal shower at someone's house, Women's club, country club, restuarant, garden, or an apartment clubhouse. Anyone who wants to host the shower can; traditionally it is hosted by the maid of honor or the bridemaids together. The hostess sets the limit on the number of guests since she will be paying the bill. In general, no one should be invited to the shower who has not been invited to the wedding. (This does happen sometimes. If this happened to you and you have a suggestion on how to handle the "Do I have to now invite her to the wedding" question, please email me.) The bride can help will the guest list. Sometimes favors are handed out to the guests at showers. Check out a compiled List of Favors for a Bridal Shower. For more info on showers, there's a book out on the subject called Showers by Beverly Clark.

Showers often have themes or games which are played. Here are a bunch of ideas for shower games and themes:

ABC Shower: Each person is assigned a letter and they bring a gift that starts with that letter.

Advice Game: This is a variation of the Problems and Solutions Game. First a list of problems/difficulties/situations that married people might encounter is made (before the shower). At the shower, the guests write down advice for the bride on pieces of paper and they are mixed together in a basket. Going down the list of problems, pieces of paper are then randomly chosen as advice to answer the problem.

Always a Bridesmaid:Invite the guests to wear a bridesmaid's dress (or prom dress) from another wedding. Have all guests vote on the most ugliest, out-dated, obnoxious, etc.

Around-the-Clock Shower: Each guest is assigned (or picks) an hour of the day and brings a gift that can be used during that time. You can assign common hours to several guests...
6:00 am - morning newspaper subscription, bathrobe, coffee pot, waffle iron, alarm clock, set of juice glasses, the toaster, etc.
12:00 pm - lunch bag, gift certificates to local lunch restuarants, frame for your desk, name plate (with your married name) for your desk, pen/pencil, coffee mug, etc.
5:00 pm - pieces of china/cutlery/cookware, toaster oven, crock-pot, pasta maker, cookbooks, candles, CDs/tapes for the ride home from work, work-out clothes/gear, etc.
7:00 pm - movie/theatre/restuarant gift certificates, video/CD/tape, book, wine, etc.
10:00 pm - bubble bath, towels, slippers, sheets, blankets, book, etc.
late night - lingerie, candles, etc.

Around the World: Each person is assigned a country and they bring a gift from or symbolic of that country.

Bath Shower: Everything from makeup, bubble bath, bath oil, towels, bathrobe, bath accessories (toothbrush holder, cup, hand-held mirror, soap dish...) to personal care products is given.

Boudoir Shower: The bedroom remains the focal point for this theme. Gift ideas might be sheets, blankets, pillows, clock radios, picture frames, slippers, etc. If you prefer to be specific, indicate a linen shower or lingerie shower.

Bride-and-Groom Trivia Quiz: 15 - 20 multiple choice questions about the bride and groom (like how they met, where they had their first kiss, what kind of jobs each has held, what the groom might be found doing on a Thursday night, etc.) are written. The guests then answer the questionaire and whoever gets the most correct wins a prize.

Can't Live Without It: Each guest should bring something that they have found that they just can't live without as a gift for the bride. It can be really fun and interesting to see what other people think they can't live without.

CD Shower: Each guest brings a CD/tape as a gift.

Centerpiece Giveaway: If you have centerpieces at the shower and don't want to keep them all, here's an idea. Get everyone to fill out their name and address on some thank-you note size envelopes. Put them in a bowl and have the bride draw names at the end of the shower to give the centerpieces away. This way door prizes are given and when the bride goes to write her thank-you notes they will already be addressed!

Chair Game: Have everyone turn their chairs around and have their backs to the tables. Begin by asking questions like "Did you kiss your husband good-bye this morning?", "Are you wearing a dress?", "Did you go to the store yesterday?", "Do you have at least 1 child? 2 children? Three?", "Are you under 30?", "Are you married?" etc. For each question to which the guest can answer yes, the person gets to move down a seat. The guests get piled up on one another -- If a heavier person comes to sit on a smaller person, they may not switch places. It can get quite funny. Prizes are given to the tallest column of people, who moved less/more, etc...

Christmas Shower: The guests bring gifts such as Christmas ornaments or decorations, Christmas cookie cutters, cookie sheets, wreaths, etc.

Clothespin Game: When everyone walks in the door they get a pin attached to them. The hostess picks out something that will make them loose the pin if they get caught doing that thing. Examples are crossing your legs, scratching your nose, coughing playing with your hair, etc. (common behaviors). If someone notes another person doing the said behavior, then they get to take away the clothes pin of the person who was caught. The person who ends up with most clothes pins at the end of the shower wins a prize.

Another Clothes Pin Game: String a clothes line across a doorway or have two people hold the ends. Clip clothes pins all along the line. The guests then take turns picking the pins off of the line with only one hand, holding all the pins in that hand (with no help/support from anything else) as she goes along. The person who can pick the most pins off in this way without dropping any wins.

Fit For Married Life : Guests are asked to dress in work-out or sports clothes and bring sports, fitness, or health related gifts. Gift ideas might be makeup, bath/body goodies, gift certificates to a health club/fitness salon, sports equipment or clothing, certificate for a makeover or massage, gift certificate to a favorite restaurant, etc.

For Professionals Only: Each guest is asked to bring a professional type of gift. Gift ideas might be a pen/pencil, calendar, diskette holder, day planner, calculator, personalized name plate for a desk, personalized stationery, etc.

Garden Shower: Whether the couple lives in a house or apartment/townhouse, possible gift ideas for this shower might be: gardening tools, potted plants, flower pots/window boxes, flower seeds/bulbs, trees, watering cans/bottles, fertilizer/plant food kits, gardening books (on plants, gardens, herbs, etc.). You can even have the food at the shower follow the garden theme by including a chocolate mud pie, lined flower pots for serving bowls, etc.

Get Acquainted: At many showers a large percentage of the guests don't know one another. For this shower, have each guest fill out an index card that has the following questions on it:
How are you acquainted with the bride/groom?
What is one unique fact about you?
Where are you from? Where do you live?
What's your fondest memory of the bride?
What is your advice for a happy marriage?
Once everyone has filled out their cards, guests take turns reading the answers out loud. Prizes can be given for the funniest, most imaginative answers.

Hide and Seek: This shower game usually takes place outside. Someone (usually the host) buys household items (bath bubbles, oven mitt, kitchen utensils, laundry basket, special soaps, clothes hangers, gourmet coffee/tea, etc.) and hides them on the property. Then the guests are told to get in groups of two. Each group gets an index card with 4 clues on it, each clue representing one of the household items. Whoever finds the four correct items first, wins a prize. The bride & groom get to keep all the items collected, however, as a gift.

Holiday Shower: This is a celebration of a whole year's holidays in one night. Each guest should pick a holiday, and bring a gift suitable for that day. Some suggestions for a few holidays are:
New Year's Eve - clock, set of champagne/wine glasses, wine coaster, wine rack, other party-ware
Arbor Day - potted plant, tree, flower seeds, gardening tools, flower pots/window box
Fourth of July - picnic basket, cooler, blanket
Valentines Day - gift certificate for dinner for two at a romantic restaurant, box of chocolates, vase for the flowers, silk rose, romantic movie on video, CD/tape of love songs
Thanksgiving - cookbook, roaster pan, cookware, piece of china/flatware, napkin rings, apron, serving pieces, trivot
Christmas - Christmas china/bowls/serving pieces, Christmas knick-knacks, tree ornaments, Christmas jewelry or sweatshirt


Interchangeable Gifts: Before the shower the host wraps several gifts (usually a number less than the number of guests) in boxes of all sizes and colors. The gifts should range from really cheap joke gifts (like from an Everything's a $1 store) to a few nice gifts (such as a picture frame, bubble bath, special soap, etc). At the shower, gather everyone in a circle and place the gifts in the center. Set a timer for about 10 min. Starting with the bride, pass around a set of dice. Each person rolls the dice. Anyone who rolls doubles gets to take a gift from the center. Once the gifts from the center have all been chosen, the guests start trading gifts with other guests if they choose when they roll doubles. The dice are continually passed around until the timer goes off. Whoever has a gift at this time gets to keep it. It can be quite funny to see what gifts the guests fight over because of the shape/size of the box or the color of the wrapping paper!

Kitchen Gadgets: Find about 20 items from the bride's kitchen (no sharp objects though) and seal them in brown paper lunch bags. Number the bags and pass them out to the guests. Give each guest 15-30 seconds to feel a bag and write down what she thinks is in it. Then have everyone pass the bag to the person on their right so that each person has a new bag. The guests guess what is in this second bag, and then the bags are passed to the right again, and so on, until everyone has felt each bag. The person with the most correct answers wins a prize. This game can be surprisingly difficult, especially if a fast pace is kept.

Linen Shower: Gift ideas are tablecloths, napkins, placemats, apron, dish towels, towels, sheets, blankets, pillows, etc.

Memory Game: Place several items on a tray and have the bride walk around the room showing the tray to the guests. The bride then leaves the room and the guests' memories go to work. There's a slight twist though -- instead of asking the guests to describe the items on the tray, have them describe what the bride was wearing. It really throws people off!

Name That Spice: Take a bunch of spice bottles with various spices or cooking ingredients (such as corn starch, powdered sugar, etc.) in them and make sure the lids are closed. On the outside of the bottles or on the lids number the bottles. The bottles are passed around and each person has to guess what each of the bottles contains (not as easy as you think!). A variation on this is to allow the guests to touch and smell the items (but no tasting).

Name the Ad: Magazine ads are cut out, and prepared by removing the name of the products. From the remaining text/slogans/pictures on the ad, the guests guess for which products the ads are.

Newlywed/Engagement Game: Before the shower, someone asks the groom a bunch of questions about his fiance and their relationship. Example questions might be "How many children do you want?", "How many children does your fiance want?", "Where did you meet?", "Where did you first kiss?", "What did you do on your first date?", "What are you most excited about regarding married life?", "What is your favorite quality about your fiance?", etc. Make sure there is at least one question per guest. Write the questions on index cards, with the answers on the back. At the shower, first tell the guests about the game and tell them to write down the percentage of questions they think the bride will answer correctly (i.e. match what their fiance said). The cards are then passed out to the guests, who take turns asking the bride the questions. The bride answers each question with what she thinks her fiance said was the answer (which might not be the correct answer by the way). The groom's answers are read aloud after the bride's answers, and the guests judge whether or not her answers match those of the groom. Someone keeps a tally of how many of the bride's answers match the groom's. When all the questions have been asked, the guest who correctly predictd the number of matches wins a prize. This game works well for coed showers as well.

Pass the Present: This works well at Christmastime. Wrap Christmas ornaments or decorations in different paper. Have each guest pick one, then pass around the wrapped gifts like in the game musical chairs. Whatever gift they have when the music stops is theirs to keep.

Penny Game: Each guest gets a handful of pennies. Then each person takes a turn naming something that they have never done. If another guest has done it, that guest has to put a penny in the hat. This game is a good ice-breaker and helps the guests find out things they have in common. The host may want to specify that this be a 'clean' game before starting so that no one is put in an uncomfortable position.

Problems and Solutions: This is a variation on the Advice Game. When each guest arrives, they are given a pen and two pieces of paper. On one sheet, everyone makes a list of problems that the bride and groom might encounter when they're married (ex. John snores). On the other sheet of paper the guests write the solutions to these problems (ex. make him sleep on the couch). All the sheets of problems are put in one basket and the sheets of solutions in another. A sheet from each basket is then randomly drawn and the problem and solution are then read aloud. The combinations can be really hilarious!

15/20 Recipe Shower: For this shower, everyone brings with them a recipe that will not take more than 15 - 20 minutes to prepare. This helps the newlyweds get off to a good starting spending romantic dinners together after a hard day at work, with little effort!

Recipe Shower: Guests are asked to bring a recipe and some of the ingredients needed to make it. This helps the bride stock her pantry and have recipes to use for the food.

Recreation Room Shower: Gift ideas for this shower are videos, CDs/tapes, games, puzzles, dart board/darts, cue sticks if they have a pool table, etc.

Sex in the Kitchen: Guests are asked to bring one gift for the kitchen and one for the bedroom that are somehow related. An example would be The Joy of Cooking and The Joy of Sex books.

Shower by Mail: If family and friends are spread across the country, this "shower" works well. Think of a theme, and send shower invitations to friends and relatives. Include extended family (i.e. aunts and grandmothers) as well. Send them in advance and specify a weeks period of time in which to mail the gift. During that week, the bride will be showered with gifts via the mail. Usually the bride will be very surprised, not expecting a shower at all. She will feel very much loved by the end of her shower week!

Songs about the Bride and Groom: Guests are broken up into teams and then each team composes a short song about the bride and groom based on what they know about them. It is usually set to a tune that people are familiar with (i.e. "Happy Birthday," "Star Spangled Banner," "Jingle Bells," etc.).

Stock the Bar: Each guest brings a bar utensil, libation, etc..

Timer Game: Set a timer while the bride opens the gifts. When the timer goes off, the person who gave the gift the bride is currently opening wins a prize.

That's Entertainment: Possible gift ideas for this shower are tickets, gift certificates, or seasons passes to the movies, theater, opera, orchestra, choir, sporting event, theme park. Or consider giving a magazine subscription, movie on videocassette, book, etc.

Toilet Tissue Bride: Split up into groups of three or more. Each group is given a pair of scissors and a roll of tape. There should be a roll of newspapers or toilet paper available to the groups as a whole. Then each group proceeds to pick a bride (a person in the group, if this is a coed shower choosing a male is really fun) and then make a wedding dress out of the available supplies. One or two people should sit out as judges. The group who makes the best dress wins. A 5 - 10 minute time limit makes this game even more fun.

Tool Shower: A wonderful event in which to include the men, this format creates an opportunity to help the new couple maintain a house, apartment, or yard. Variations would include Garage, Garden, and Do-it-Yourself showers.

Traditions Quiz: Here's a quiz about wedding traditions as posted by carlast@bcarh647.bnr.ca (Carla StGermain).

Travel/Honeymoon Shower: Ideas for this shower might be luggage, a travel alarm, camera, binoculars, maps, travel guides, travel clothes, etc.

Trivia Quiz: Here's an example list of trivia questions used by madhaus@netcom.com (Maddi Hausmann) for a trivia quiz game.

Wedding Album: Have all the guests bring their wedding albums to the shower. It's fun to look at the old photos and see people in funny hairdo's and dresses, etc. It's a could way to get the guests to mingle and meet each other.

Wedding Bell Book: This makes a great keepsake for the bride and is best compiled at the shower before the bride arrives. A paper book in the shape of a wedding bell book is made with each sheet of paper labeled with times in the bride and groom's lives. Examples are "Bride Starts Elementary School," "Bride and Groom's First Date," "The Marriage Proposal," "The Couple's First Apartment/House Together," "The Honeymoon," etc. Then the guests cut out pictures from magazines that depict the labels and paste them onto the corresponding page in the book. The book is given to the bride once she arrives at the shower.

Wedding Bingo: Make up Bingo cards with various wedding gift items listed in each box. Every time the bride opens a gift that fits into the category listed on their Bingo card, they cross it off. Once a guest has an entire line crossed off she wins a prize.

Wedding Pictionary: Get a big artist sketch pad and magic markers. Write up slips of paper with wedding related items to draw. Keep the ideas simple: bouquet/garter toss, first dance, cake cutting, honeymoon cruise, etc. Depending on the crowd (i.e. is Grandma present? Is it a couple shower?), you may choose to be a bit more daring in the things to draw...

Wedding Word Scramble: Choose several words that deal with the bride and getting married. Mix up the letters in each word and then put a line next to the word so that a person can write down the word unscrambled. Set a timer for 5 - 10 minutes and tell the guests to unscramble the words. The person to unscramble the most words correctly within the time limit wins.

Another Wedding Word Scramble: Have the guests make words out of the letters in the couple's names. Then read the lists and relate each word to the couple, their relationship, or their honeymoon.

Wedding Crossword Puzzle: Choose several words that deal with the bride and getting married and put them into a crossword puzzle format. Fill in blank spaces with random letters. Give the guests several minutes to find as many words as they can and whoever finds the most words gets a prize.

What's In a Purse?: Before the shower, the host makes a list of several common and uncommonn things that may be found in a purse (i.e. hairbrush, mirror, hand lotion, wallet, money, tissues, lipstick, etc.). Assign each of these items a point value, with common items receiving a lower point value (ex. money = 5 points) than uncommon items (ex. hand lotion = 15 points). At the shower, have all the women get their purses out in front of them. Using the point system the host has designed, have everyone tally up their scores. The person who has the most points wins.

Who Am I?: Write the names of famous or commonly known people (e.g. Babe Ruth, Tom Cruise, Madonna, the bride's name, the groom's name, the President, etc.) on several index cards (1 name per card). Tape an index card on the back of each person present (other than the person who wrote out the cards). Each person then walks around and asks yes or no questions of the other guests in an attempt to figure out what name is on their own back. The first person to guess who they are wins a prize, but keep playing until all or most of the guests figure out who they are.

Who Knows the Bride the Best?: First, the bride fills out an information sheet on herself made by the hostess. This list can include such things as favorite color, favorite place to visit, pet peeve, favorite food, favorite place/store to shop, etc. Then the list is read aloud and the guests try to guess what the bride has written.

Wishing Well: The guests bring either a small kitchen utensil or a can good with the label removed (makes for interesting and fun dinner planning!). It is also a nice touch to have each guest write a short message on an index card to the couple. These items are all placed in a basket and given to the bride.


Other Ideas

• Buy a small blank book and have all the guests write a short message/words of advice in it to the bride.
• Have each guest write their name and address on one side of an index card. This will help ensure that the bride has the most current/correct address for the thank-you notes. On the other side of the note cards, the guests can write a short message or words of advice to the bride.
• Have someone warn the bride before she opens gifts that for every ribbon or bow she breaks, she'll have a baby.
• Have someone write down every single thing received and from whom. Someone else writes down what the bride says about things as she opens them (i.e. "Oh, it's just what I wanted!" or "It's so big!"). These comments are then read aloud after all the gifts have been opened as "Things the bride will say on her wedding night."
• It is a common tradition for someone to collect all the ribbons and bows after the bride has opened all her gifts. These ribbons and bows are then taped to a paper plate. This ribbon "bouquet" can then be used as a practice bouquet at the rehearsal.
• On a sheet of paper or on the back of the corresponding card, have the hostess or other guest write down each gift, who it was from, and a short description (like "GE Toaster" rather than just "toaster" since duplicates are common). This helps the bride with the thank-you notes (especially if the card gets separated from the gift).
• Take a set of napkins and have all the guests sign their names on them and decorate them. Makes a nice keepsake for the bride!

1.  Maddi was born in:
a.  New Jersey  b.  Brooklyn    c.  Manhattan   d.  The Bronx

2.  Maddi's brother's name is:
a.  David       b.  Robert      c.  Daniel      d.  Bernard

3.  Cliff was born in:
a.  West Virginia       b.  Houston     c.  Berkeley    d.  Santa Monica

4.  Cliff's sister's name is:
a.  Elizabeth   b.  Druscilla   c.  Joanie      d.  Anna

5.  Maddi's parents met at:
a.  A synagogue b.  A fund-raiser       c.  A recycling party   
d.  A blind date

6.  Cliff's parents met at:
a.  A rent party        b.  A music class       c.  A movie line
d.  A fire

7.  Cliff and Maddi met at:
a.  A movie line        b.  Her office  c.  1989 Earthquake     
d.  A CRAZIES party

8.  Cliff and Maddi's first kiss was notable because:
a.  It was in a boat    		b.  It was raining      
c.  She threw up afterward      d.  It was videotaped

9.  When Maddi and Cliff first noticed each other she was dating:
a.  Tom Pendle       b.  Dave Smithson  c.  Bob Burkess   d.  Richard Lanel

10.  And Cliff was dating:
a.  Catherine Olo    b.  Kathryn Elderidge    c.  Kathy Blay
d.  Kathy Wren

11.  And they first noticed each other at:
a.  A beer bust   b.  A TAL class c.  A Tupperware party  d.  A movie line

12.  Which one of these places have Cliff and Maddi NOT had a date?
a.  Symphony    b.  Opera       c.  Pizza Hut       
d.  Concord Pavilion

13.  What is the name of Cliff and Maddi's boat?
a.  Sail Naked  b.  Irreverence c.  Integrity   d.  Primordial Sloop

14.  When Maddi's parents came to visit, they suggested she move the wedding to:
a.  The Fairmont        b.  Temple Beth-El      c.  Jewish Center
d.  St. Francis Yacht Club

15.  Which historical event occurred two weeks after Cliff was born?
a.  JFK assassinated    b.  Berlin Wall built   c.  Beatles came to U.S.
d.  Launch of Sputnik

16.  Which grade did Maddi skip?
a.  third       b.  fourth      c.  seventh     d.  twelfth

17.  What is the difference between Maddi's and Cliff's college educations?
a.  She never graduated   b.  He took 1 more year c.  She went Greek
d.  $30,000

18.  Tandem is not the first company that laid off Maddi.  The other company was:
a.  Bechtel     b.  McGraw-Hill c.  Lane Heuristics     
d.  Callan Associates

19.  Before Tandem, Cliff worked for:
a.  Jerry Brown b.  Altair      c.  Republican Party    
d.  Southern California Edison

20.  Cliff published an academic paper on:
a.  1984 election       b.  Hacker food choices   c.  Ohlone Indians
d.  Physics of sail trim

21.  Maddi's thesis was about:
a.  1984 election       b.  WWI economic policies       c.  Oil prices
d.  Management perks

22.  Which of these 1992 election issues did Maddi and Cliff vote
differently on?
a.  Term limits   b.  The President   c.  Prison bonds        
d.  Measure A (sales tax)

23.  Maddi and Cliff became engaged on:
a.  Income Tax Day      b.  Passover    c.  Vernal equinox      
d.  April Fool's Day

24.  Which sticker is on BOTH Cliff and Maddi's vehicles?
a.  Darwin fish   b.  Peninsula Marina    c.  Alumni Assn.
d.  Salmon--Our Miner's Canary

25.  Which of these electronic publications is Maddi NOT involved with?
a.  alt.fan.dan-quayle  b.  TeleJoke    c.  rec.humor.funny
d.  CRAZIES

26.  Cliff's favorite word for breasts is:
a.  bazoombas   b.  globulas    c.  huevos rancheros    d.  gorgonzolas

27.  If Maddi gets pregnant, she wants the baby to be the same as:
a.  Queen Victoria's    b.  Golda Meir's   c.  Indira Ghandi's
d.  Margaret Thatcher's

28.  Maddi and Cliff will raise their children:
a.  Jewish      b.  Unitarian   c.  Pagan       d.  Atheist
e.  Episcopalian    f.  Buddhist

29.  What habit did Cliff have to give up in order to date Maddi?
a.  Bourbon     b.  Cigarettes  c.  Marijuana   d.  Romano Cheese

30.  What habit did Maddi have to give up in order to date Cliff?
a.  Meat and poultry    b.  Credit Cards    c.  E-mail
d.  Clearing her throat

31.  Why did Cliff and Maddi pick October 10th as their wedding date?
a.  Double numbers    b.  Taiwan Freedom Day  c.  Site available
d.  Grandma's birthday

32.  When was Cliff and Maddi's original 1994 wedding date?
a.  April Fool's Day    b.  Memorial Day    c.  Labor Day
d.  Mother's Day

33.  When was the infamous 'deadline' that Maddi gave to Cliff?
a.  April Fool's Day    b.  Flag Day    c.  Canada Day  
d.  Secretaries' Day

34.  Which instrument has Maddi not studied?
a.  Guitar    b.  Trumpet     c.  Dulcimer    d.  Violin

35.  Which instrument has Cliff not studied?
a.  Piano       b.  Acoustic Bass     c.  Dulcimer    
d.  Electric Bass

36.  Cliff is registered to vote as:
a.  Green Party   b.  Democrat    c.  Libertarian   d.  Decline to State 

37.  In her high school yearbook, Maddi was predicted to be:
a.  Least likely to succeed     b.  A millionaire by 30 
c.  Albert Einstein     d.  Editor of The New Yorker

38.  Which do Maddi and Cliff have in common?
a.  >4 years in college   b.  7 first cousins     c.  Blew up chem lab
d.  Played water polo

39.  How many people did Cliff & Maddi, respectively, want at their wedding?
a.  15 & 400    b.  30 & 300    c.  50 & 200    d.  75 & 150

40.  How many questions do you think you got right?
a.  Fewer than ten     b.  Ten to twenty     c.  Twenty to thirty
d.  Thirty to forty

1. In the rhyme, "Something old, something new, something borrowed,
   something blue," "blue" is symbolic of:

   a) The time before the bride met the groom.
   b) True love.
   c) The clear skies hoped for on the wedding morning, and symbolically,
      throughout the marriage.
   d) The blood of royalty, since both the bride and the groom were once 
      considered to be "royal" on their wedding day.
   e) None of the above.

2. "Thrice a bridesmaid, never a bride" is an old charm that can be broken by:

   a) Hanging a true love knot made from the skin of frogs in the window
      during a full moon
   b) Making a paste from mistletoe berries and rubbing it into your
      pillowcase on the night of a full moon.
   c) Being a bridesmaid five times.
   d) Being a bridesmaid seven times.
   e) None of the above.

3. Bridesmaids dress the same as each other and in similar style to the bride
   because:

   a) In early times, when arranged marriages were still common, if
      someone objected to the proposed marriage during the ceremony, a
      substitute was readily available.
   b) It has come to be considered tasteful in the 20th century, while in
      previous centuries it was thought to be a sign of rudeness to compete
      with the attire chosen by the bride.
   c) Evil spirits have a more difficult time distinguishing which one is the
      bride and putting a hex on her.
   d) It has evolved as a cost-effective measure to have the bridesmaids'
      dresses made at the same time.
   e) None of the above.

4. Which one of the following is not a wedding tradition:

   a) Feeding the cat out of an old shoe on the wedding day.
   b) Preventing the groom and bride from seeing each other on the 
      morning of the wedding.
   c) Sipping milk fresh from the cow on the morning of the wedding.
   d) The bride throwing one stocking over her left shoulder as she
      undresses on the wedding night.
   e) The bride placing a dime in her shoe the morning of the wedding for
      good luck.

5. "Droit de seigneur" refers to the practice whereby:

   a) In medieval times, in the absence of a priest, a lord could perform a
      marriage between tenants on his own land.
   b) In medieval times, a man's lord had the right to sleep with the man's 
      virginal wife on their wedding night.
   c) In medieval France, the newlywed wife addressed her new husband
      as "seigneur" until the birth of their first child made her a matron,
      and elevated her to equal status as "Maitresse."
   d) In medieval times, 20% of a young married couple's income
      was owed to their lord for the first year of their tenancy on his land.

6. Yer standard medieval chastity belt:

   a) Became popular among upper class families in the Middle Ages while
      the husband was overseas fighting in the crusades.
   b) Was a lockable device that some aspirant female saints voluntarily
      enclosed themselves in and then threw away the key.
   c) Contained one or more narrow apertures to enable normal bodily
      functions to continue, but which were often faced with spikes or
      metal teeth to discourage the truly hardy suitor.
   d) All of the above.

7. If the ring is dropped by the groom before it is placed on the bride's       
    finger, it is:

   a) A sign of bad luck.
   b) A sign that the groom is clumsy.
   c) A sign that the groom would like to back out.
   d) A sign that the groom is nervous.
   e) Possibly all of the above.

8. The word "wed" is derived from:

   a) The Nordic tradition of wedding on Wednesday, the luckiest day of
      the week because of its association with Woden, king of the nordic
      pantheon.
   b) The Anglo-Saxon word for "pledge."
   c) The contraction of "with Ed," in Queen Isabella's famous defence
      against royal European suitors after the death of Edward II: She used
      to avoid accepting any of them by claiming "But I'm w'Ed."
   d) Anglo-saxon, from the same root as the word "weld," meaning to join
      together.

9. The groom must carry the bride over the threshold:

   a) To appease the goddess of chastity, Diana.
   b) To avert danger from the envious witchcraft of the evil eye.
   c) To show that the husband will carry the burden of the work done
      around the house.
   d) None of the above.

10. The origin of the word "honeymoon" is not known. Among conjectures,
    however, are the following (choose one or more):

   a) The "moon" or month after marriage when all goes well (like honey).
   b) The short, changeable period in the emotions after the marriage when
      love for one's spouse has no sooner waxed to the full than it begins to
      wane.
   c) Derived from a once common situation in which young elopers found
      themselves: Having steered clear of the bride's father for a moon,
      they were forced to crawl back and offer honey (gifts, good 
      behaviour) to restore familial peace.
   d) After capture marriages, the couple hid from her parents until the
      search was dropped. They would hide for a month while drinking 
      honeyed wine.
   e) The Bulgarian tradition of locking the bride and groom up for a
      month (a moon), during which they were not permitted to see visitors
      or each other.

11. Which one of the following throwing traditions is false:

   a) In India, a coconut was passed three times over the bride and groom,
      then shattered on the ground to drive away demons.
   b) In Morocco, the groom would throw an egg at his wife so she would
      have ease at childbirth.
   c) Greeks and Romans tossed kernels of wheat and corn at a new couple.
      The grain was a symbol of food and childbearing.
   d) The throwing of the garter comes from a British tradition called
      "Flinging the Stocking." Friends would storm into the wedding
      couple's bedroom, remove the bride and groom's stockings and while
      sitting on the bed, take turns "flinging" the stocking at the 
      newlyweds. The first to have their stocking "flung" on the nose of the 
      bride or groom would be the next to marry.
   e) In Palestine, the wedding party tossed fig leaves at the bride and
      groom before the festivities began to wish them a fruitful and
      fertile marriage.

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Answers: 1-b, 2-d, 3-c, 4-c, 5-b, 6-d, 7-a, 8-b, 9-b, 10-a and d, 11-e