Woohoo! You are in charge of planning a Bridal shower!
How exciting but also very intimidating. Where to begin: You probably have so many questions running through your head: how many people do you invite, what’s the theme, where do you host a bridal shower, and who is invited?
Don’t worry; we will cover all that in this blog post, where we will thoroughly help you plan the most beautiful bridal shower for the bride-to-be. I also included a bridal shower checklist and timeline to help guide you on your planning journey.
Now let’s get into bridal shower planning!
Step 1: Who Plans the Shower?
Traditionally, a bridal shower is planned by the maid of honor and the bridal party. In most cases, the bride’s and groom’s mothers want to be involved in the shower planning. If you are the maid of honor and planning the shower, check in with the Bridesmaids and any close relatives of the Bride who are interested in helping. Arrange a time to discuss how involved they want to be. If you can, create a group text or email thread with your, as I like to say, a “party planning committee” to ensure that the people involved in the planning know what they are doing. Everyone can help in ways that best suit them.
Pro tip: Utilize the bridal party and family member’s talents. If you have one bridesmaid skilled at decorating, have her take charge of the shower decor. Suppose a family member makes amazing cakes and cupcakes; ask them if they want to bake for the shower. My sister-in-law is a fantastic baker who made AMAZING tea-themed cupcakes for my bridal shower that everyone raved about.
Step 2: Create a Bridal Shower Budget
Whose responsibility is it to pay for the bridal shower? The answer is typically the person who hosts the shower. Money can be challenging to discuss with people you aren’t close with, especially regarding who has to pay for what with the bridal shower. I’ve seen with planning showers that the Bridesmaids and any family of the Bride and Groom are helping in ways that typically align with their chosen responsibilities. So, if one bridesmaid decides to be in charge of the favors, they usually pay for the favors, which is their contribution. Some bridesmaids will make or pay to have food catered and split the cost. Plan out the shower cost in an Excel sheet and create a breakdown of the costs. If you have agreed to split the cost of the shower amongst a group of people, this Excel sheet is essential!
Pro tip: If there is no set shower host, have the money conversation with the bridal party/planning committee early on! This will help get things done faster and more efficiently. Talking about money is challenging, but this will help in the long run and avoid frustration down the road.
Set 3: Set a Date
Unless this is a surprise bridal shower, you must ensure the Bride, close family members, and most of the wedding party are available for the shower date. The date is set at least two months before the wedding, depending on the Bride’s schedule. Typically, showers are held on Saturdays and Sundays as people are available on those dates. I have seen bridal showers held at least four months before the wedding; it can also depend on the time of year. So if the wedding is in the winter, sometimes the Bride will opt to have the shower in the Summer when they can be outside for the shower and not have to worry about the cold weather.
Invitations should be sent out as soon as you know the date so guests can get it on their calendars.
You can create budget-friendly bridal shower invitations on Canva or use Minted. I have created shower invites using Minted in the past and LOVE their cards.
Pro tip: If the Bride lives far away from where the shower is being held and where a good amount of the bridal party is, opt to have the bridal shower the same weekend as the bachelorette! The friends she will want at the bridal shower and the bachelorette will be in the same place simultaneously, and it will be less traveling for everyone involved.
Step 4: Select a Venue
The bridal shower venue depends on the budget of the people planning the bridal shower. I have been to bridal showers at country clubs, restaurants, church basements, the Bride’s parent’s house, the Groom’s parent’s house, and the backyard of the maid of the honors’ house. It all comes down to convenience and money. Typically, the host will have the shower at their home. A good alternative for the venue is the home of a close family member or friend of the Bride.
Protip: To maximize the most out of your budget, I recommend using someone’s home for the shower.
Step 5: Create a Guest List
The guest list always includes the bride’s family and close friends. Check with the Bride about who she wants to be invited to the shower. Also, think of the shower location: How many people can it fit? Is there ample parking for the people attending? That will also determine the size of the shower.
Pro tip: Always invite family and close friends who live far away from the Bride, as they may want to send a gift for the shower or even come! I had family members fly in for my bridal shower, as it was important for them to be there.
Step 6: Select the Theme
If you do a quick search on Pinterest, you will find an abundance of bridal shower themes. Sometimes, the Bride will tell you what theme she wants at her shower, but other times, she will want it to be a surprise. In case of a surprise, think about the Bride and what she’s interested in and what she loves. Does she love brunch? What are her favorite colors or her aesthetic? Does she love bright and loud colors, or is she more into muted tones? Does she have any special interests that stick out to you? These questions will help you determine the best theme for your bride-to-be’s shower.
Pro tip: If you need clarification on the theme, ask the Bride! She will happily give you a nudge in the right direction.
Step 7: What Food Will be Served?
Now that you have determined the theme for the shower, the next step is to plan what type of food will be served at the shower. Typically, bridal showers are in the early afternoon, so meals aren’t usually served but can be. They tend to have appetizers as their primary food source during the event. What type of food does the bride love? If you are serving a meal, make it easy with finger foods, like sandwiches.
Pro tip: Ensure allergy-friendly food alternatives for gluten-free, dairy-free, or nut-free people. Suppose you know a person or multiple people attending the shower who have a food intolerance. It might be a good idea to have an alternative main course or specific appetizers for that group and label the food.
Step 8: Pick out Decorations
Finding decor will be much easier once you have your theme locked down. Since you are planning this shower, you have most likely made a Pinterest board with decor ideas. Utilize that board to determine what you want the shower to look like. You can use those inspirational photos to create DIY alternatives of the decor, or you can order items off Amazon and Etsy. I get most of my decor items for showers and parties from Amazon.
Pro tip: Create a Pinterest board for the shower and share it with those helping you plan it. Everyone can pin the decor ideas they love for the shower and help narrow down decor ideas.
Check out this blog for bridal shower decor ideas!
Step 9: Games & Activites
Bridal shower games are a great way to keep the shower’s flow moving, especially while the Bride is saying hello to different people or opening gifts. Amazon and Etsy have a wide variety of games; you can make your own on Canva that is more personal to the Bride and Groom.
Pro tip: You don’t have to include games! If you want to opt out of them, that is fine too! Some people find the games cheesy, and it’s okay not to include them.
Step 10: Shower Checklist
Creating a checklist for your shower and a day of timeline can help the bridal shower go more smoothly. I have created a checklist with a timeline for you so that you can focus on all of the planning!
I hope you enjoyed this blog post about planning the perfect bridal shower for your special bride-to-be! Let me know in the comments if you have additional tips for planning amazing bridal showers!
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