Around the Clock Bridal Shower

A classic theme, the Around the Clock bridal shower puts a fun spin on gift-giving (and gift-receiving)!

Guests are assigned a particular time of day and asked to bring a gift that corresponds with what the bride might need during that hour.

You might interpret time in one of two ways. First, you could appoint each guest a numeric time, such as noon or 8 pm. You may want to avoid the very small hours of morning; after all, the bride only needs so much bedding! On the other hand, you could assign "descriptive" times, like breakfast time, bath time, tea time, or game time. This method offers more guidance to your guests, who might find themselves dumbstruck as to which gift to buy for three in the afternoon. If you choose this path, get creative with the times you allot: baking time, time to entertain, and so on! If you're expecting lots of guests, repeat the times that correlate with the gift essentials, such as mealtimes.

Although "Around the Clock" is traditionally a gift theme, why not let the other bridal shower elements take inspiration from the theme, too? Below you'll find original ideas for Around the Clock shower games, cake, favors, and more. Run with the theme to your heart's content!

1. Around the Clock Bridal Shower Invitations

Invitation Sayings

• We Can Hardly Wait...for (Bride)'s Around the Clock Bridal Shower!
• We're Counting Down the Hours...until (Bride)'s Around the Clock Shower!

Invitation Wording Example

Come celebrate with us
at an Around the Clock bridal shower
in honor of Nicole Bentley!
Join us on Saturday September 14th at 1 pm
at the home of Greta Johansson.
710 Summit Drive. Newburg, Vermont.
Please bring a gift that Nicole
can use during "coffee time."
RSVP by September 1st
Greta, 983.555.0624.

Around the Clock Shower Poem

The minutes tick by quickly; soon Nicole will be a bride.
A husband, a home, dreams to fulfill - what an exciting ride!
To help make her transition smooth, we'd do everything in our power.
So please, won't you join us at an Around the Clock bridal shower?

2. Inspired Bridal Shower Centerpieces

• Track the different phases or "times" in the bride's life with flowers. Bunch one kind of flower in a glass vase at each table, choosing a different variety for each table. Use the bride's birth month flower, the type of flowers her fiancee gave her on a special occasion, her favorite flower, and so on. The flowers tell a beautiful story that will surely touch the bride!
• Frame photographs of the bride at various ages, representing the progression of time in her life.

3. Around the Clock Bridal Shower Games

• Create a list of ten to twelve events/times in the bride's life. Use memorable times such as her first kiss with the groom-to-be, a trip she took, and the pro sports game she and her fiancee went to. Ask your guests to number each moment chronologically, and then have the bride announce the correct order. Make sure that the items you choose aren't so obscure that even she won't know their order!
• On your computer, open a new document and position the numbers 1 through 12 in a circle, resembling a clock face. Print out enough pages for your guests and one for the bride, too. Present each guest with a sheet and a penny. To play the game, ask a simple subtraction problem inspired by the bride. For example, you might say, "the number of letters in Olivia's middle name minus the number of times she has flown in an airplane." Your guests will place their penny on the clock number they believe is correct. After each question, the bride will answer. Those who guess correctly get to play the next round, which should progress from easy to difficult with game play. The bride's age, number of siblings, number corresponding with her birth month, her shoe size, number of countries she's been to, and number of kids she wants to have all make great items! Continue asking questions until one person wins.

4. Creative Menu Ideas
Serve versatile foods that can be translated for different times of the day. For example, stack one plate with crepes filled with chicken and mushrooms, another of crepes stuffed with strawberries and cream cheese. Offer both homemade pizza topped with green peppers, onions, or your other favorite toppings, as well as breakfast pizza. Or serve waffles with country-fried chicken and Belgian waffles to dress up with maple syrup, whipped cream, or fruit.

5. Bridal Shower Cake
The cake makes the perfect empty canvas to continue the Around the Clock bridal shower theme!

Cake Sayings

• Wishing You the Time of Your Life!
• We Love You Today, Tomorrow, and Always

Cake Designs

• Bake a round cake, and cover it in fondant or frosting. Pipe clock numbers around the cake perimeter. Place a chocolate nonpareil in the center of the cake, or draw a small circle with icing. Create the clock hands with chocolate chips, or simply pipe them on.
• Have your baker print a photograph or draw an image of a clock that the bride would like onto the cake. Would she most enjoy a retro clock, the black "Kit Cat Clock," a sleek, futuristic model, or even a bird clock? Next to the picture, pipe a fun saying inspired by the clock you've chosen. Beside the retro clock, for example, you might write, "Keen! It's Shower Time!"

6. Around the Clock Bridal Shower Favors

• Cute kitchen timers
• Bundles of clock cookies. Bake round cookie cutouts; frost them and decorate with icing to look like a clock!