Every bride deserves a beautiful bash before the big day. But it can be overwhelming to know where to begin, especially for their maid of honor or bridesmaid. How do I pick a place? What kind of food should be served? Should it be a casual affair? How will we get to the venue? When do invitations get sent out? Planning each step in advance will make the party prep a cinch. Here’s how to make sure the bridal shower will be fun for everyone, especially the lucky lady.
Ask the Bride for her Guest List
About three months pre-party, you’ll want to get the guest list from the bride to ensure that you’ll know how many people will attend the soiree and where to send the invites. This will also be helpful when making decisions about catering, venue, and invitations. This will also allow you to poll the guests for their availability to get a general sense of when everybody is available. If the bride wants a casual event, evites are a great, cost effective option. If the bride visualizes a fancier scene, be sure to get a color theme (see below) and plan accordingly. Generally speaking, invites should be sent out two months in advance, particularly if there will be people flying in from out of town.
Choose a Theme
Does the bride have a favorite movie? Favorite colors? Did she and the fiancé meet at the beach? Ask the bride what she envisions to be the theme for the party and do your best to match the ambiance to that particular topic. If she wants it to be a black and white affair, be sure to write that on the invitations and create the setting accordingly. Have black and white table linens, flowers, and decorations. If the bride wants a summer beach theme, then add sand and shells to mason jars and use them as table decorations. Similarly, if she wants a casual brunch, you could do waffles and mimosas, or if she wants a fancy dinner, you could have summer salads, salmon, and seared asparagus catered along with iced teas. Feel free to have fun and be inventive as long as the bride is on board with your plans.
Bridal shower décor
Pick a Place
Again, confirm with the bride which kind of place she’d prefer between fancy and casual. If it’s going to be casual, suggest hosting it or ask one of the bridesmaids if they’d be up to hosting the party to make the party more affordable (the other members in the bridal party should help you pick up the tab.). If the bride would prefer a fancier venue, try booking a rooftop at a nearby hotel or at a quieter restaurant that has a back room. While picking a place, you may also want to consider catering and food options too. Would the bride prefer a casual potluck or a catered meal? The former would be for a more casual event and the latter would work well at a more elaborate venue.
Create an Itinerary
It’s important to create a schedule so that everyone knows what’s going on, while at the same time remaining flexible. There should be a simple outline (also included in the invitations) about what time guests should arrive, when to unwrap gifts (be sure to write them down so that the bride can write thank you notes!), when to eat, and when to play games. Pick a few fun games for everyone to play. Be sure that they’re PG so that everyone feels comfortable, such as Bridal Shower Bingo or Newlywed Trivia. In Bridal Shower Bingo, have each card spell our BRIDE, and instead of each square being numbers, have them be answers to questions about how the bride and groom met. Similarly, Newlywed Trivia can be about the bride and groom’s favorites and fun facts about the couple. Though everyone is there to celebrate the bride, they should still have fun too!
Lastly, be sure to get there on time and send your biggest congratulations to the bride. Enjoy the fun festivities that you’ve planned!
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