Warm up your favorite bride-to-be's heart with a beach-themed shower

Who wouldn't like a vacation after planning an entire wedding? It's a difficult task, to be sure, which is why as the maid of honor you're going to want to ensure the bridal shower is an enjoyable and memorable occasion. Even if it's in the middle of winter, why not bring the beach to your favorite bride-to-be? And no, you don't have to deal with stray grains of sand for years afterwards to enjoy a successful beach party. Here are some tips to help ensure everything goes off without a hitch.

Start by decking out the party space in warm summer hues. Hang round paper lanterns throughout - they'll cast a nice, comforting glow. You can even go so far as to pick up beach balls and toss them around. If you're feeling tenacious, you should be able to find inflatable palm trees that you can place in the living room. Put a few flip flop coasters on the table - they'll add a fun little flair to the party.

While you're at it, why not pick up some personalized beach towels? Your guests will love seeing their names on them! Naturally, you're going to want to pick up plenty of snacks as well. Serve flip flop-shaped Nutter Butter cookies and classic beach drinks like margaritas or pina coladas. You can bet they'll be a hit.

As far as activities go, just take it easy! Pretend you're at a beach - have a stack of trashy novels or magazines on-hand for anyone who'd like to flip through a little something. You could simply put on your favorite beach-themed movie as well. Whatever you decide, ensure the bride is calm and comfortable and everything else will fall into place.