If you’ve been tasked with hosting a lingerie party for a soon-to-be bride (or groom), you might be asking yourself, “What exactly is a lingerie party?” Also called a lingerie shower, these pre-wedding parties are a fun and sexy way to help a newlywed build the intimate side of their trousseau.1
But when it comes to planning one of these memorable parties, where do you start?
Fortunately, we’re here to help with 6 lingerie party ideas that will have you on the road to a knockout event. So, read on if you’re looking for lively, lacy, and luxurious ideas for a bride or groom lingerie party.
Idea #1: Organize Around a Theme
One of the best (and most fun) ways to ensure you create a memorable event for your friend is to organize the party around a theme that suits their style. Start by asking yourself a few questions about your friend:
- Are they shy or outgoing?
- What level of comfort do they have when talking about (and showing) their body?
- Do they have a defined fashion style?
- Would they prefer a silly or sincere party?
Once you’ve given some thought to your guest of honor’s style, build a theme for the sexy lingerie party that matches that style and their personality. This will also help guest know how to pick out lingerie for the bride or groom.
Some popular lingerie party themes are:
- Naughty & Nice – This is a classic theme, allowing your guests to bring both a sweet gift (like a white, lacy teddy) and a spicy gift (like a red mesh thong).
- Sweet Dreams – A good theme for a bride or groom who might be on the shy or reserved side, a Sweet Dreams party focuses on sexy intimate sleepwear and loungewear lingerie sets rather than backless teddies and crotchless panties.
- Leather & Lace – Not for the faint of heart, a Leather & Lace-themed sexy lingerie party is for a newlywed who isn’t afraid to experiment with garter belts, cage thongs, and a pair of velvet handcuffs.
- French Kiss – Oh La La! A French lingerie party theme can be tame yet teasing with a red, white, and blue color theme and a few guilty pleasures (macarons, anyone?).
- Viva Las Vegas – What happens at the lingerie party stays at the lingerie party. Choose this theme for a friend who loves a glitzy scene complete with boas, glitter, and some sexy Elvis-style dancing.
- Pancakes and Panties – Who says a lingerie party has to be in the afternoon or evening? Shake things up with a morning party that features a coffee bar, pancakes, and plenty of sausages. You can also alter this theme a bit so that it’s suitable for a lunch or dinner party by calling it:
- Paninis and Panties
- Pizza and Panties
- Pasta and Panties
- Burlesque, Baby – Some consider striptease to be an essential marriage skill. Help your newlywed along by providing all the essentials with a sexy, stripper-themed party. (Bonus points for hiring a professional to teach a few moves to the party crowd.)
- Royal Velvet – Put a crown on your soon-to-be and celebrate them with only the lushest and most luxurious underclothes.
- His & Hers/Hers & Hers/His & His – There’s no reason that a lingerie party can’t be a couples event! Double the fun, frivolity, and gifts.
No matter what theme you choose, don’t be afraid to get creative with it. You know your friend best, so consider how you can insert their unique preferences into your theme.
Idea #2: Set the Stage with the Perfect Venue and Menu
By choosing a theme, you take a little more of the guesswork out of choosing a venue and menu. Considering what type of location, food, and drinks will best match your theme will help you narrow down your options, stay organzied, and give your lingerie party a professionally-planned feel.
Venue
Some excellent choices for a lingerie party venue are:
- Private party room of a restaurant or bar
- In a bridal shop
- At a lingerie store
- At a strip club
- In a private home, garden, or backyard, such as:
- Yours
- The soon-to-be’s
- A rental
Food – Unlike a bachelor or bachelorette party that runs into the wee hours, a lingerie party can be a morning, noon, or evening event. The timeframe you choose to hold the event can help determine what types of food and drinks you should serve.
Consider playing with some of the following menu ideas for a lingerie party:
Brunch – Hosting a lingerie party at brunch allows you to walk the line between breakfast and lunch.2 Plus, you can offer crowd favorites like:- Mini french toast sticks with pink whipped cream
- Omelettes with sausage
- Donut tower
- Mini pastries
- Mini chicken and waffle sandwiches
- Bagels with toppings
- Cinnamon rolls with fruit
- Croissant sandwiches
- Scones and cream
- Tacos
- Sandwiches and salads
- Lunch kabobs with rice and roasted veggies
- Burgers with chips and salad
- Cold pastas or hot soups
- Oysters
- Chili peppers
- Honey
- Dark cholocate
- Caviar
- Pomegranates
- Pineapples
- Truffles
- Berries
- Vanilla
Drinks – Coordinating your party drinks with your food will give your event a polished feel. Consider serving the following:
- Champagne or mimosas
- A signature cocktail
- Hot toddies
And remember to have plenty of non-alcoholic beverages on hand as well, such as:
- Sparkling water
- Juice or lemonade
- Coffee and tea
Idea #3: Make The Invitation Pop
Communicating the party details with your guest list is crucial to making the event a success. However, communicating the party details in a way that’s classy, cutesy, or X-rated? That just adds to the fun of planning and gets your guest list even more excited for the big day.
While your invitations can be paper or email, it should include both essential information and helpful hints.
Essential Information
The essential information your invitations should include is:
- Bride’s name
- Theme
- A little description of the event (some guests may not be familiar with a lingerie party)
- Location
- Date
- Time
- RSVP information
Helpful Hints
Because one-size-fits-all doesn’t work for most high-end lingerie, it’s vital that you share the bride’s (or groom’s) measurements with your guests. Here’s a sample to help you start crafting the right sizing language for your invitation:
Sharon is registered at Gooseberry.
In bras, she wears a 34B.
In panties, pajamas, and bodysuits, she wears a small.
Guest Expectations
You don’t want to give away all your fun lingerie party ideas on the invitation, but you do need to inform your guests what to wear to a lingerie party. For most wedding-related parties, this means announcing a dress code like casual, cocktail, or garden. However, in the case of a lingerie party, some hosts might ask guests to wear lingerie or pajamas to the party themselves.
Idea #4: Get In The Mood With Games and Activities
The real fun of a lingerie shower is watching the soon-to-be bride or groom unwrap their sexy, elegant, and naughty new gifts. But before you get to that, be prepared to lead a few fun games and activities to help loosen up the crowd and get the laughter going.
Ideas for lingerie party games that are a twist on traditional party games are:
- Pin the junk on the hunk
- Lingerie bingo
- Double entendre trivia
- Risque charades or Pictionary
Idea #5: Give Guest Gifts
Your guests will likely put quite a bit of thought and money into their gift, so having a thoughtful takeaway for them will show your love and appreciation. Depending on your budget, you can consider gifting your guests:
- Personalized soap, lotion, and/or bath bombs
- A scented candle
- A mini champagne bottle with a personalized label
- A seed bomb in a flower pot
Idea #6: Say “Thank You” in Style
Good manners never go out of style, so remember to follow the event by sending each and every guest a thank you card from both yourself and the soon-to-be bride or groom.
As the party planner, you should take the lead in writing the card and addressing the envelopes, since this can be a busy and stressful time for the wedding party. However, be sure to have the bride or groom sign the cards as well for a personal touch.
Give Them The Gift of Gooseberry
Although lingerie parties can include a lot of fun and laughter, ultimately, the goal of the party is to provide your friend with sexy undergarments to take into their honeymoon and first days of marriage. So, whether you’re hosting a Viva Las Vegas-themed party complete with stripper poles and burlesque instructors or a pink-floral-themed garden party to gift elegant lingerie to a blushing bride, Gooseberry has timeless intimates that will help make the event a success.
From sexy slip dresses to naughty thongs, every item of Gooseberry’s intimate lingerie is designed and constructed to be effortlessly sexy, comfortable, and long-lasting. With Gooseberry intimates, you can set the bride up for a lifetime of love and passion.
Sources:
- Brides. Everything You Need to Know About Bridal Trousseaus. https://www.brides.com/what-is-a-bridal-trousseau-1860910
- Martha Stewart. Everything You Need to Know to Host a Beautiful Brunch. https://www.marthastewart.com/1073592/everything-you-need-throw-beautiful-brunch
- Serious Eats. 33 Cocktail Appetizer Recipes for Your Next Boozy Bash. https://www.seriouseats.com/cocktail-party-snacks
- Gayot. Best Aphrodisiac Foods. https://www.gayot.com/food-cooking/best-aphrodisiac-foods/