Submitted By: Lei Lydle and Lisa Allen of Wine Insite

"Legend has it that the first bridal shower was given for a Dutch bride with a broken heart. Her father had refused to give her a dowry because she intended to marry a poor miller. The lovers married despite the threat of poverty, and the groom's friends pitched in and 'showered' the bride with gifts of household necessities for their new home. Thanks to the shower, the bride's heart was mended -- and her cupboard was stocked. That generous practice has become a wedding tradition, occasionally snowballing into multiple showers given by friends, bridesmaids, business associates, and both families."

By now, all of your friends, bridesmaids, co-workers and relatives have attended your fair share of showers. 'Room of the House,' 'Lingerie,' 'Kitchen Shower' and 'Around-the-Clock' are each traditional but perhaps overdone themes. Come on, the bride will have plenty of chances at tradition. Does "Something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue" sound familiar? How about something different? Unique? Special? Just like her!

Here's a new idea: A Wedding Shower Wine Tasting party. Friends and family enjoy a few relaxed hours of great wine, food and fun. It's a unique event that involves your guests and creates great memories.

Your shower could be run in one of two ways:

1. Hire a wine expert to come in, bring wines and teach your guests as they taste the wines, OR
2. Have each guest bring their favorite wine, a merlot for example. Cover and number each bottle. Have each guest taste from each bottle and vote on their favorite. Everyone gets to sample a variety of wines and the guest who brought the "favorite" wins a prize.

Nancy Baughan, a recent hostess of an event with a Wine Insite expert, says, "I recently hired Lisa to give a wine tasting at a bridal shower. It was the easiest party I have ever given! Lisa was not only professional, but also knowledgeable and very entertaining. There was nothing stuffy about this wine tasting!" You and your friends can fall in love all over again. Imagine enjoying a masculine Cabernet Sauvignon, coarser and firmly structured, a wine that usually gets better with age. Too much of a wine like that and someone could forget their toast to the bride and groom.

This is a fun idea but remember, you don't want guests to drink and drive. If you host a party like this, be sure to provide guests with transportation.

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Posted by: from on 10/26/2003

my daughter will be getting married in June. Although I have enjoyed wine tasting parties, I don't think I would invite people to one in leiu of a bridal shower. People spend enough on shower and wedding gifts which is appreciated by the bride and groom. Unless you have wealthy friends with lots of time on their hands, this seems ennappropriate.

Posted by: Christy from Atlanta, Georgia on 10/24/2003

I think this sounds like a fun and different idea for a shower. I am planning a shower for a friend and this sounds right up her ally b/c she loves wine. Bridesmaids take note! Wedding Date: 4/10/2004