Marriage is a door, which looks out upon a beautiful view. As 
that door is opened and the horizon unfolds before you, know that 
nothing is sweeter than the warmth of one hand within another.

-- Collin McCarty

As summer approaches, there is a murmur of romance in the warming 
breezes. Soon there will be the excitement of arrangements and a 
whirlwind of activity as couples plan to celebrate their love in 
a union of marriage.  Friends and family will gather to witness 
the nuptials and celebrate the joyous occasion.  But before the 
wedding ceremony itself, there are other social occasions, which 
will honor the couple. One such occasion is the bridal shower.

The bridal shower is a wonderful and joyous time and usually the 
last chance for the bride and her close family and friends to 
have a warm, intimate and relaxing time together before her 
marriage. Family and friends have an opportunity to honor the 
bride's special day with special and memorable gifts. But the 
idea to give gifts did not become popular until the late 
nineteenth century. At one fashionable bridal shower, small 
gifts were placed inside a parasol and friends of the bride 
opened it over the bride's head. The presents "showered" down 
over her. The idea was such a hit in the fashion world that 
others quickly began to do the same. A bridal Wishing Well is 
also a popular idea included in many bridal showers. Use a gaily 
decorated basket or bucket for the "wishing well" and toss in 
your special and precious gifts along with your special wishes 
for the bride. While the tradition has long been to have the 
maid of honor host the shower, in recent years, the maid or 
matron of honor, a close friend, a family member or even a 
co-worker can host the shower. 

Unique and personalized bridal shower gifts, such as beautifully 
and elegantly adorned frames with a favorite photo of the 
bridesmaid and bride or with the date of the wedding bring 
special meaning to a memento of the occasion. The more 
personalized the keepsake, the more memorable it becomes! The 
gift of an inspirational Byzantine icon ornament or a unique 
frame with an art poem or customized with names, events and even 
pictures make wonderful personalized reminders of how much you 
care. The lyrical words and artistic poems make you think about 
possibilities for having, doing, and being all that you really 
wish. Their chosen words beautifully express your innermost 
thoughts, while creating an uplifting message that speaks to
the bride's heart. 

And what bride wouldn't cherish a photo album from the bridal 
shower party, filled with her favorite pictures or meant to 
accommodate the photographs of the upcoming wedding? You can 
turn the bride's favorite photograph into an elegant and 
memorable image personalized on canvas and adorned with the 
finest Swarovski AB crystals. What a unique gift to display 
in your bridal shower basket! 

Or the bridal party might choose to give the bride a pillow or 
sachet filled with the scents of calm and serenity - a thoughtful 
gift during an exhilarating but stressful time! These special 
gifts are stylishly adorned with trims, beads and fine chiffon 
ribbons and can be personalized to offer an intimate keepsake 
that will be cherished forever. They have a luxurious appearance 
and they make sentimental gift ideas that are certain to catch 
the eye of the bride-to-be. Their exquisite aromatherapy scents 
(smells of heaven!) will be the talk of your party and they're 
an absolute must have!

If you will be celebrating the marriage of cherished family or 
friends soon, visit http://www.portara.com  to find great gift 
ideas for the most unique and creative wedding shower! At 
http://www.portara.com, you will discover how to present the 
bride with a gift that perfectly expresses your thoughts on 
this joyous occasion - the sharing of love and promise from 
your heart to hers. 

"If you invest in beauty, 
it will remain with you 
all the days of your life" 
Frank Lloyd Wright