When it came time to plan my wedding shower, I knew one thing for sure: I didn’t want a traditional bridal shower. I’ve been to so many that felt stiff, overly formal, and—let’s be honest—a little boring. Watching someone open gifts for two hours? Not my vibe.

So instead, we threw a couples wedding shower—and it was one of my favorite parts of our entire wedding journey.

Why a Couples Shower?

I wanted this celebration to reflect both me and my now husband. This season of life is about us as a couple, and it only felt right to have a party that celebrated both of us equally. Plus, I’m very close with many of the men in my family, and I couldn’t imagine having a wedding event without them. So we opened up the guest list, cranked up the energy, and created something totally our own.

The Theme: “It’s Crystal Clear, They’re Tying the Knot”

The inspiration for our theme came from two of my current obsessions:

• Vintage crystal
• Bows (yes, I’m that girl)

I’ve recently gotten into collecting vintage crystal, and I knew I wanted those beautiful, sparkly pieces to play a major role in our décor. The color palette was elegant and a little edgy: metallic gold, silver, white, and black. The mix of warm and cool tones gave everything a modern-glam feel that felt super “us.”

Branding the Shower (Because, Yes—I’m Extra )

We had a custom logo designed just for the shower because… why not?! The logo was on everything—from signage to custom dessert bags—and helped tie everything together in such a chic, cohesive way. It made the whole party feel curated and elevated, without being stuffy.

The Decor: Bows, Bud Vases & Vintage Glam

I poured so much love into the details of this shower:

Each table had bud vases with pink florals, surrounded by votive candles for a soft, romantic vibe. (Shout out to Costco for the flowers, they were amazing!). I bought the bud vases off Amazon during one of their Prime sale days.

We also had high top tables for people to be able to talk and hang out for those who weren’t dancing. Or just enjoy the mimosa bar. Each high top had photos of us and votive candles.

I sourced candle holders for months—mixing vintage and new, crystal and gold/silver finishes—to create tablescapes that sparkled from every angle. We used different shades of neutral, gold, and black ribbons to tie bows on everything—because again: obsessed.Our table numbers were black and white photos of us (Karen & Allen!) tied to fun facts about our relationship. It was such a fun, personal touch that guests loved reading.

For escort cards, we had small succulents with signs with their name on it. I used my cricut to print out everyone’s name. I bought the succulents and holders off Amazon. And of course to tie it into the theme, I added the same ribbon I used with the candle holders.

Making It Fun (Not Boring!)

I wanted the shower to feel like a celebration—not a formal luncheon. So we skipped the gift opening and focused on making it interactive, high-energy, and full of laughter.

We played 4 games:

1. What Did the Groom Say?
   My maid of honor interviewed my now husband ahead of time, and I had to guess his answers live at the party. Guests guessed whether I’d get them right or wrong—so fun!
2. Him or Her
   A printed quiz with funny prompts like “Who takes longer to get ready?” or “Who said I love you first?”
3. Would She Rather
   Guests guessed my preferences on fun topics—perfect for friends and family who think they know you best.
4. Bring Me (Musical Chairs + Scavenger Hunt)
   A total crowd-pleaser! Each round, players had to run and bring back an item (like a red lipstick or a driver’s license) while chairs were slowly removed. Pure chaos, in the best way. Initially a ton of kids were the first to line up to participate and we thought “Oh no, the adults are gonna let the kids win, this is going to be lame”, But boy were we wrong. It got super competitive and so entertaining.\

Entertainment for Everyone

We wanted guests to party, not just sit—and we had something for everyone:

A cigar bar for the guys (which was a huge hit)

My cousin was our DJ and kept the music perfect all afternoon. We hired a Dance Instructor (DI), which is a Filipino tradition. Amy, our DI, hyped up the dance floor, taught line dances, and made sure no one stayed seated too long. She truly made the party!

The Dessert Bar of My Dreams

We didn’t just have a cake—we had a full-blown dessert bar. And yes, it was as extra and amazing as it sounds:

• A two-tier cake: funfetti (my forever fave) and dulce de leche, which was honestly the best cake I’ve ever had.
• Custom cookies, chocolate-dipped treats, cupcakes, dessert shooters, and macarons.
• Absolutely nothing was left at the end—and our custom dessert to-go bags (with our logo, of course) let guests pack up sweet treats for later.

This shower was such a joyful, meaningful celebration—and the best part was having everyone we love in one room. From the personalized decor to the interactive games to the music and dancing, it felt like the perfect blend of who we are as a couple.

As for our shower gift to our guests, we wanted to give something that people would use and want. And doesn’t scream wedding. (Lets be for real, how many shower gifts have you thrown away because they were heart shaped or had the bride’s name all over it?). We also wanted our gift to be something that is very us. Allen and I both love hosting and charcuterie boards, so we gifted all our guests a mini personalized charcuterie board.

Since we have many family & friends that traveled to come to our shower, we also had a hotel block near the venue. And of course we had custom welcome bags for all our guests who traveled. We got these super cute I Love NY totes. We also wanted guest to be able to use this tote again after the shower so we didn’t print our names on it, instead had tags that had our personalization.

If you’re thinking about doing a couples shower instead of a traditional bridal shower—do it. Make it fun, make it personal, and don’t be afraid to go all out. You deserve to be celebrated, your way.

Because it’s crystal clear: this party was unforgettable.