8 Bridal Shower Themes for the Modern Bride
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Want to know the secret to throwing one epic bridal shower? It’s all about originality.
While following the traditional guidelines is a safe standard, being a modern maid of honor means you’re not afraid to mix it up- especially when it comes to bridal shower themes.
If basic and boring is what you’re looking for, you’ve come to the wrong place. If you’re looking to win the award for the most kick-ass maid of honor ever, then stick around.
Below we have eight unique bridal shower themes guaranteed to leave a long-lasting impression.
Stock-the-Bar
As newlyweds, the bride and groom will have plenty to celebrate and what better way to do so than with a fully stocked bar!
The basics of this wedding shower theme are simple: Send out invitations informing guests this is a stock-the-bar style party and that instead of a traditional bridal shower gift, they are encouraged to bring their favorite bottle of wine or liquor.
The bride and groom may choose to register for barware or decor as well, in which case you would also include the registry information on the invitation.
Our Stock-the-Bar shower must-haves:
Bar Cart Display- Go in with your fellow bridesmaids and purchase a bar cart for the couple that doubles as a display for the shower!
Cocktail Recipe Cards- Surprise the bride and groom by having guests fill out a card with their favorite cocktail recipes for them to mix up during their next date night.
Mini Liquor Bottle Favor Tags- Give each guest a little something to take home in the form of a mini liquor bottle, complete with these adorable favor tags.
Brunch and Bubbly
If your bride-to-be loves classically chic bridal shower themes, you won’t go wrong with throwing a boozy bridal brunch!
The focus of a bridal brunch really is the food and drink menu, so you must be sure to have a solid setup. Our rule of thumb is to always feature the three B’s: breakfast, bubbles, and bloodys.
Check out our step-by-step guide to throwing the best bridal shower brunch for more details.
Our Brunch and Bubbly must-haves:
DIY Mimosa Bar- “A bridal brunch without a mimosa bar is not a bridal brunch at all” -Modern MOH
Bloody Marys in a Jar- Step up your favor game and send guests home with their own personal Bloody Mary kit!
Brunch Recipe Book- Send out these blank cards with the invitations and have guests jot down their go-to brunch recipes. At the shower, combine them together in a recipe book or box to give the bride!
Traveling from Miss to Mrs
If your bestie and her future hubby are avid travelers or are planning a destination wedding/honeymoon, then this is one of our bridal shower themes to pay attention to!
Depending on the circumstances, you can choose to focus the shower on a specific destination or go for a general travel theme. Either way, be sure to incorporate travel into all the tiny details- decorations, favors, games, etc.
MODERN MOH TIP: Are you focusing this theme on the couple’s honeymoon location? Tie this into the gift by creating a DIY honeyfund with the rest of the bridal party, where you all choose a local activity or meal at a restaurant that you want to purchase for the couple.
Our Traveling from Miss to Mrs. must-haves:
Luggage Tag Favors- There’s nothing we love more than an on-brand yet practical bridal shower favor for guests
Where Were We?- Play a travel-themed game that has guests guessing the locations of the couple’s past trips.
“Passport” Photo Booth- Have guests take turns snapping a “passport” photo, complete with travel-themed props!
Vino Before Vows
Can you think of a better way to shower your bride than with a trip to her favorite local winery? We can’t! So if your bestie is a fan of grown-up grape juice, then this theme idea for you.
The first step in planning this type of bridal shower is to get in contact with the vineyard/winery to determine their availability for the size of your party. Once you have selected a date and made a reservation (if necessary), it’s important to iron out the little details.
For instance, does this winery serve food or are you responsible for bringing your own? How much is each tasting? Are you able to purchase and drink their bottles on-site? Trust us, the more details you have planned out beforehand the better!
Our Vino Before Vows bridal shower must-haves:
Wine Charm Favors- Help guests keep track of their glass by giving out these adorable wine charm favors!
Wine Bottle Centerpieces- Recycle some old wine bottles to use as decorative centerpieces. Step up your display by adding some fun fairy lights!
Wine Box Gift- Skip the registry gifts and give your bestie something super special and on-theme like this adorable anniversary wine box (Bonus points for filling it with wines from the bridal shower venue!)
“I Do” BBQ
Looking for a lowkey couples shower theme? We highly recommend an “I Do” BBQ!
This wedding shower theme works best if hosted at a guest’s house that has a large backyard with plenty of space for guests to mingle. If this is not an option, try checking out your local parks!
For food, go with anything that can be grilled (burgers, dogs, and sausages) paired with simple-to-serve sides (pasta/potato salad, deviled eggs, veggies, and dip).
For drinks, think big batch cocktails that can be served in pitchers or dispensers as well as beer and wine options that can be served out of coolers or tubs.
Our “I Do” BBQ wedding shower must-haves:
Backyard Games- Give guests something to do by setting up a variety of fun backyard games for groups like cornhole or Bucket Ball (this can also double as a gift for the bride and groom!)
Custom Koozies- Purchase practical favors that guests can actually use at the shower as well as after it too!
Utensil Holders- Skip the plastic utensil holders and use these adorable personalized kraft bags instead.
Fall In Love
Celebrate your bestie with all things autumn by throwing her the most fabulous fall-inspired bridal shower.
Start by selecting some “fall in love” themed decorations then move on to planning a food menu full of fall favorites.
Check out our step-by-step guide to throwing a fall-themed bridal shower for more details.
Our Fall in Love shower must-haves:
Fall-Themed Bucket List- Have each suggest their favorite fall date idea (i.e. going to a pumpkin patch or taking a haunted hayride) using our cards and assemble it into a gift you can present to the couple!
Apple Cider Kit Favors- Send guests home with these yummy, do-it-yourself apple cider kit favors.
Signature Fall Cocktail- Serve up a big batch fall cocktail like this delicious apple cider sangria.
Garden Party
Does your bride-to-be have a green thumb? Or perhaps she just loves spending time outdoors? Either way, a garden party is definitely one of our bridal shower themes to consider!
As with any garden, aesthetic is everything. That’s why the ideal venue for this type of bridal shower will be naturally decorated with a variety of plants and flowers, leaving you to simply add a few final touches.
When it comes to the food and drink menu, think fresh finger foods and yummy sparkling cocktails. And don’t be afraid to throw a few edible florals into the mix!
Our Garden Party must-haves:
Flower Bar- Set up a ‘build your own bouquet’ flower bar that doubles as a fun activity and gift for guests!
Seed Packet Favors- These adorable “let love grow” seed packets are the perfect garden party favors to send guests home with.
Greenery Games- Add to the overall aesthetic by playing some greenery-themed games.
Final Fiesta
Send your bride-to-be off in southwestern style by hosting a final fiesta bridal shower!
The key to nailing a final fiesta theme is all about the color scheme. Think bright colors like pink, orange, and yellow with hints of green and blue.
Most importantly, make sure your food and drink menus are top-notch. We’re talking loads of guacamole, build your own taco bars, and ice-cold margaritas!
Our Final Fiesta bridal shower must-haves:
Colorful Backdrop- Create a colorful background for your photos with this vibrant fringe backdrop.
Cactus Centerpieces- No fiesta bridal shower is complete without a few cacti thrown in!
Floral Fiesta Veil- Let your bestie feel like the queen she is by rocking this floral fiesta veil.
Megan | Modern moh
Hi, I’m Megan- the voice behind Modern MOH! I’m a four-time bridesmaid, two-time maid of honor, and one-time bride whose goal is to help you on your journey to becoming the GMOHOAT (greatest maid of honor of all time). I’ve designed this blog to be a one-stop shop for all your MOH needs, including some real s#*! no one else will tell you. Want to know more about me?
