What You Need to Know about Hosting a Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is a great way to celebrate your big day. It is an honor for the bride-to-be to officially invite her family and friends to cheer up and meet with each other. Getting married is a big decision; people often take years to tie the knot with their loved ones.

You can host the bridal shower before the wedding and invite the bride’s closest friends and family to surprise her, join her in a meal, and bring her presents.

What is a Bridal Shower?

A bridal shower is a celebration where everyone brings gifts for the bride before her wedding. The tradition’s origins go back to providing commodities and financial support for the wedding so the couple will have a new home to live in together. We will discuss some essentials for the bridal shower favors below.

What Happens at a Bridal Shower?

As a host, you can bring on new games and provide your guests with amusing activities based on the bride’s preferences so that everyone can participate and enjoy.

The general idea of the bridal shower is the same; the guests enjoy food and drinks and bring presents for the bride. You can also organize a spa day or another fun activity in which everyone can participate.

Who Throws the Bridal Shower?

If you are a close friend to the bride, maid of honor, or one of the bridesmaids, you can throw the bridal shower. You should communicate with close friends and family to organize an event around the bride to make her feel special.

Where Should You Host the Bridal Shower?

If you are throwing a bridal shower, you can determine the location based on the bridal shower theme of the event and your financial capabilities. You can arrange the party in your home or backyard if you live close to the couple.

Your house would be the perfect venue and is affordable, especially if you want to DIY the menu and the decor. If you don’t have enough space in your house, you can rent a restaurant or a location for the event.

How to Plan a Bridal Shower – From Start to Finish?

1. Set a Budget for the Bridal Shower

Setting a budget is the first step in arranging a bridal shower. You might want to go overboard and spoil the bride, but we suggest you pick an amount you can afford without draining your bank. We assure you the bride will appreciate and notice all your efforts, so don’t worry.

2. Decide a Date for the Bridal Shower

Plan a bridal shower at least six months before the wedding starts, and it should occur two months before the wedding. Also, you should speak with the bride and ask if she is okay with the scheduled date and if her relatives can attend it.

3. Create a Guest List for the Bridal Shower

The next important decision in organizing a bridal shower is who will attend the event. Ask the bride for a list of persons you invite, along with the addresses of each person. The total number of guests should range from 30 to 50, depending on where you plan to host the event.

Make sure whoever you invite to the bridal shower is also invited to the wedding, including the children, so confirm every guest’s attendance with the bride before adding them to the guest list.

4. Decide the Venue

It’s time to decide the venue where you want to party. You must have an idea of the number of guests attending. The preferable choice is to host the bridal shower at your home if you have enough room.

The other options for the venue include a restaurant, a private banquet space, or any other location that might interest the bride, like an art museum or spa. You can also ask the bride for her views if you need clarification. Make sure the venue is accessible and has plenty of guest parking spaces.

5. Pick a Theme for the Bridal Shower

Once you’ve completed gathering addresses and the bride has approved the final guest list, you can pick a bridal shower theme. While a theme isn’t required for arranging a bridal shower, it can be an ideal approach to make the event more enjoyable with personalized invitations, customized menu choices, and decor.

Feel free to use your imagination as much as you wish, but ensure the bridal shower theme fits the bride’s personality and everyday hobbies. It can even be something as simple as the season, such as a fall bridal shower or winter bridal shower.

6. Start Sending Invitations for Bridal Shower

About six to eight weeks before the event, start arranging the invitations for the bridal shower and send them out. This period will allow guests to decide on their outfits and they can buy a present. They’ll also notify you if they are not able to come.

7. Plan the Menu for the Bridal Shower

You can start deciding the menu for the bridal shower once you have sent the invites to the guests. We recommend you stick with dishes you are confident the bride will enjoy and choose dishes that can be served quickly.

If your bridal shower is themed around brunch, you can choose coffee drinks, a mimosa bar, and breakfast dishes like salmon toast and mini waffles. A small taco station with margaritas and guacamole would be an excellent choice for a brunch-themed shower. Depending on your budget, you can hire a caterer or prepare the food.

8. Don’t Miss Out On The Decorations

The next part is the decoration. Once you’ve decided on your bridal shower theme, it’s time to start shopping for the decor.

You don’t have to go overboard unless you wish to. You can get decorations that will make the bride feel memorable such as balloons, customized posters, and a background photo album. You can add candles and fresh flowers to make the place look more beautiful.

9. Plan Games for Bridal Shower

It’s a brilliant idea to check into bridal shower activities to keep your guests entertained while you’re looking for decor. Classic bridal shower games include guessing trivia about the bride, mad wedding libs, and bridal bingo. Games are a great way to break the ice for the guests.

10. Make an Inspiring Playlist

Although the day doesn’t revolve around music, it’s nice to have some background noise as guests arrive, mingle, and enjoy their beverages. Make an upbeat and appropriate playlist for the bridal shower; it would be better if the songs were about marriage or romance.

Bottom Line

We have discussed some key points for deciding on the essentials for the bridal shower of your loved ones. If you work on the above points, your bride will feel special, loved and truly appreciate your efforts.