How to Plan a Killer Bridal Shower
A bridal party or shower is an upbeat and fun time for the bride, her family and close friends to bond before the main day. In addition, it’s also a great time to offer the future bride various household presents.
Since the party is held up to 6 months before the wedding, some future brides take this opportunity to talk about their beach wedding dresses, for instance, if they plan on holding a beach wedding.
Chances are someone in the family is married and they may know a store which sells cheap wedding dresses.
Before you begin planning for the shower, ensure the bride is on board with the plans. Thereafter, you can follow these guidelines to ensure a smooth event.
Who Pays and Hosts the Bridal Shower?
The maid of honor, from back in the day, hosts the bridal shower. Family members who hosted bridal showers received criticism for this gesture since people thought it was associated with greed when they asked others for gifts on behalf of their relative.
However, this changed as time went by. Today, it’s acceptable. When planning the party, involve the bride because she could have ideas of her own. For example, she may want a kitchen themed shower.
When it comes to the costs, the host can cover the expenses, but discussions among the bridesmaids can see the bill split among them. In addition to the costs, the bridesmaids should also assist the host in planning and decorating among other related activities.
In some instances, the invited guests can chip in to cover the shower’s costs.
The Location
There’s no specific location where a shower can take place. However, the host’s home acted as the party’s location in traditional setups. Some of the common locations include restaurants, banquet halls or a park.
Nevertheless, the location will depend on the number of invited guests and the bride’s taste.
When to Hold the Shower
The common time to hold a bridal shower is about 4 to 8 weeks before the big day. However, anything between 6 months and 1 week to the wedding is also acceptable. Moreover, you want to consider friends and family members who live outside of town.
If a huge number of people live outside of town, then it’s only fair that you set the date close to the wedding so they can attend.
The time of day will vary, but the most common time is afternoons and early evenings. This way you can hold a dinner or luncheon party.
Guests to Invite
A guest list will come in handy when inviting guests. Because you don’t want to invite people who aren’t invited to the main event. Loop in the bride so they can give you the full list. If it’s a surprise, contact the fiancé or mother.
While not everyone is invited, close female relatives from both families should be invited. The same goes for the bride’s close friends and other women who’ll be at the wedding.
Men, in the past, didn’t attend bridal showers, but with changing times, this becoming outdated. However, be sure to consult with the future groom.
Activities During the Shower
Many bridal showers involve story-telling, laughing, opening presents and eating. Others take this time to go through the food and drinks to be served at the wedding and reception. it could be wine tasting or cake tasting.
There you go. All the tips you need to plan for an outstanding bridal shower. While at it, remember the future bride is also part of the bridal shower. As such, it’s important to involve her in order to have a smooth experience.
