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Your Guide to Planning a Bridal Shower

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Last Updated on June 22, 2022 by Alaina Bullock

A bridal shower is a fun and celebratory occasion that gives the bride’s family members and close friends a chance to spend time together before celebrating the big day. It’s also a practical chance for the guests to give gifts to the bride. If you are planning a bridal shower, keep reading!

planning a bridal shower

Centuries ago, bridal showers originated during the days when dowries were paid. Families refused to provide a dowry when a woman wanted to marry an ‘unsuitable’ husband, so friends of the couple would get together to make up for the lack of a dowry to help them get set up in their new home.

Today, dowries are no longer a thing, but bridal showers are a time to share stories, celebrate the bride, and have some fun.

Who Throws the Bridal Shower?

A bridal shower is typically hosted by the maid of honor, although these days anything goes and the family or even the bride herself might host the shower. Unless it is going to be a surprise for the bride, if you are in the process of planning a bridal shower then it’s a good idea to involve the bride in the process of planning the shower.

Perhaps she will have a particular theme in mind, and it’s a good idea to ask her to put together a registry if she hasn’t done one already to give guests some ideas of what gifts they can bring.

Who Pays for a Bridal Shower?

The costs associated with a bridal shower can range from minimal to expensive. It all depends on how many people will be attending, the location, and what all you will be including (i.e., food, decorations, party favors, etc.).

In most cases, the host will usually cover the cost of a small and informal bridal shower, However, if you want to host something more elaborate, then the bridesmaids and the bride’s friends and family members might want to consider pitching in.

In some cases, all the guests might pay a small amount, for example, if the shower is being held at a restaurant.

When is the Bridal Shower Held?

With everything that is going on during the run-up to the wedding, one of the main questions you will have is when to have the bridal shower. This guide from Greenvelope is a good place to start when it comes to planning the bridal shower and the best times to hold it. You can also order invitations for the bridal shower and other activities like the bachelorette party from Greenvelope.

Ideally, you will want to hold the bridal shower at a time that does not clash with any other key events in the run up to the wedding. A few weeks before the wedding, for example, is a good idea since it’s quite close to the big day, but not so close that it is stressful for the bride if she has a big to-do list.

Who To Invite to the Bridal Shower

It’s a good idea to consult with the bride regarding who to invite to the bridal shower. If the shower is going to be a surprise for the bride, then ask somebody close to her such as the groom or a family member to get you a copy of the guest list for the wedding and come up with a list of people to invite to the bridal shower.

You should only invite people who are invited to the wedding itself, although the bridal shower can be a good time for the bride to catch up with and receive a gift from people who aren’t able to make it.

Invite the close relatives of the bride and groom, the bride’s close friends, and of course all the bridesmaids.

Planning the Event

A bridal shower is usually an informal gathering where guests spend their time eating, telling stories, laughing, playing games and giving gifts to the bride. You can plan a simple buffet or light bites for the food or go to a restaurant for an elaborate meal.

There are several things to plan, so start as early as possible to make sure that you stay on track. Put together a playlist of the bride’s favorite songs and make it easier for her to thank guests by asking somebody to write down a list of the gifts and who gave them.

If you have the time and the room to do so, you might want to plan some fun bridal shower games for everybody to play.

Choosing a Venue When Planning a Bridal Shower

There are lots of different venue ideas that you might want to choose when planning a bridal shower. If you’re holding a bachelorette party that lasts over a few days and there’s space at your venue for a bridal shower, it might be a good idea to do it there. However, you will need to make sure that guests are OK with bringing gifts in their luggage.

You could also host it at a restaurant, hire a social space, or even have an informal bridal shower at somebody’s home – usually a family member, close friend, or the maid of honor.

Bridal Shower Games

While it’s not necessary to play games at a bridal shower, they can be a lot of fun and a good way to break the ice between guests who don’t know each other before the big day.

There are plenty of fun games to play including traditional games like creating a wedding dress out of toilet paper and voting for the best and the funniest, two truths and a lie, or of course some of the best-known drinking games.

You can also plan games that are ideal for everybody to get to know the bride better or to see who knows the bride best, such as bride-to-be trivia or bridal bingo.

It’s also a fun idea to plan a game to see how well the bride knows the man she’s going to marry. To do this, prior to the event, ask the groom some questions about himself and get his answers, then ask the bride to answer the questions on the day of the shower.

Final Thoughts

A bridal shower can be a fun way to celebrate the bride, shower her with gifts and have some fun before the big day. If you are planning a bridal shower, there are lots of things to consider making sure that it goes smoothly and that it is a shower that the bride will always remember.

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