Prepare A Toast To The Bride
Toward the end of the bridal shower timeline, youll need to say just a few words to thank guests for coming. This also is the perfect time to officially congratulate the bride-to-be. The toast doesnt have to have to be too formal or too long, just something short and sweet where you introduce yourself and also say some encouraging words.
The Bridal Shower Planning Checklist
As a maid of honor or bridesmaid, you may be asked to pull together a bridal shower for the bride to be. Not exactly sure where to begin? Well, heres a simple checklist outlining all the steps youll need to take toward creating a beautiful and exciting bridal shower party!
Preparation
Four to Six Weeks Before the Shower
The Week of the Shower
Choose A List Of Beverages For The Wedding Shower
Whether you are planning to have beverages at the party or specialty drinks, choose them beforehand. You can also DIY wine tasting at the bridal shower, or you can research and choose a fun specialty cocktail that will reflect the tastes of the bride.
Make sure you buy bottles of liquor, wine, beer, mixers, sparkling water, mineral water, and juice from the bulk retailers. As, many store owners offer a discount for large purchases. Also, do buy bar accessories like cocktail napkins, festive straws, bottle openers, and cut lemons and limes beforehand.
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Whats A Couples Shower
If the soon-to-be-weds prefer to celebrate together, a couples shower includes both their families and friends. While there are no set rules around this shower idea, keep in mind the co-ed guest list when planning the theme, menu, and activities, and make it clear on the invitation so guests know what to expect.
Pink And Gold Party Decor
These party decorations combine two beautiful colors and use minimal decorations to create a big impact. Big, bold balloons and tissue garland add symmetry to the party table.
Has your free-spirited best friend trekked across the world a time or two? Decorate the room with globes, maps and vintage postcards that lead directly to pics of her sweetheart.
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Bridal Shower Planning Checklist: 3 Months Before
Consult the bride for her expectations and wishes for the bridal shower: The bridal shower is all about celebrating the bride and therefore has to suit the brides taste. Consult the bride about the type of bridal shower she would love to have.
Compile a guest listwith the bride and gather addresses: Ask the bride for list of guests she would love to have at the partyand their addresses. Remember not to invite people who wont be invited to thewedding to the bridal shower
Choose a date andtime, make sure VIP guests are available: Choose a date and time that wouldwork for all guests including out-of-town guests.
Gather bridal shower ideas, decide theme: Although bridal showers dont have to have a theme if you decide to have a theme choose a bridal shower theme that goes with the brides personality and start gathering ideas for decor, food, games etc.
Set budget: Set budget for the bridal shower party. The budget would inform the decisions you make concerning all the aspects of the bridal shower.
Choose and reservevenue: Choose a venue that best suits the brides taste and that will workwith your theme and budget. The shower can be held at your backyard, at anoutdoor location etc.
Design or order invitations: Design and order invites for the shower. If you have a theme, the invitation can tie with your theme.
Prepare Games And Activities
Once youve decided on decorations and selected the menu, the next step on the planning checklist is to figure out whichbridal shower games, if any, youll want to play. While games are not always necessary to include, they represent a great way to get guests to interact and have a great time.
This step of the bridal shower planning process is also the time for you to purchase prizes for any shower games and decide if youll be giving out party favors to the guests.
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Games That Your Guests Will Actually Play
Bridal shower games can be the bestor worstpart of the event. Be sure to match the games to the bride and her style, and keep this portion of the shower briefsome crowds prefer noshing and socializing. Check out these simple and fun ideas, and dont forget to have plenty of small prizes on hand for the winners.
1. Photo challenge. Collect pictures of the bride and groom at various points in their lives. Number each one and pin it to a corkboard. Hand out pencils and paper and let guests guess the age of the bride and groom in each picture. Whoever has the most right, wins.
2. Bingo. Print blank Bingo cards and have guests fill in the squares with gifts they think the bride will receive. Guests mark their cards with stickers or markers as the bride opens her presents. The first one to five in a row wins.
3. Purse scavenger hunt. Make a list of everyday items people carry in their purse and include a few unique possibilities for fun. Options for the list: phone, pen, receipts, business cards, sunglasses, gum, mascara, lotion, feminine products, phone charger, nail polish, a penny, receipts, pepper spray, lip balm, paperclips, and hairbands. Whoever has the most items wins.
4. Guess that line. Print out a list of famous quotes from romantic movies and guests can guess the movie.
5. How much does the bride know? Compile a list of questions that you will ask the bride about the groom. Sample questions include:
Pick A Location For The Shower
Once youve finalized the date and have an approximate guest count, you should then decide where you want the party to take place. If you have enough space to host the bridal shower at your house, that is the most traditional option. If not, consider the home of a relative who is close to the bride. You can also host a bridal shower at a restaurant, a private banquet room, or any venue that speaks to the brides interest, such as an art gallery or spa. When in doubt, ask the bride for her opinion! Most importantly, make sure the location is easy to get to, has ample parking, and has enough space to accommodate all of your guests .
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Create A Ribbon Bouquet
As the bride-to-be is opening up her gifts, have a member of the wedding party collect all of the ribbons to create a pretty decorative bouquet. This isnt just a pretty keepsake or a check on the how to plan a bridal shower list, its a tradition for the bride to carry the ribbon bouquet from her shower down the aisle during the wedding rehearsal.
How To Plan A Bridal Shower: 11 Common Questions
1. Who throws the bridal shower?
Traditionally, this duty falls to the maid of honor and the bridesmaids. But the rules have relaxed. Today, showers are planned by the mother of the bride, mother-in-law, family members, or friends. Often, planning is a team effort that includes a combination of family and friends.
2. Who pays?
Whoever plans the event is responsible for the cost. Guests bring gifts but arent expected to help pay the tab.
3. When is the bridal shower thrown?
Four to eight weeks before the wedding is the sweet spot. Saturday and Sunday are still the most popular days for the event, and any time of day is acceptable. Late-morning brunch, an afternoon luncheon, or early-evening dinners are all reasonable options.
4. When do you start planning?
To keep yourself organized and calm, start planning at least three months before the event.
5. Where do you host the bridal shower?
The shower can take place anywhere. Some options to consider: the home of a wedding party member, restaurants, breweries, banquet halls, wineries, spas, and local, state, or national parks.
Find the perfect wedding venue!
6. Who gets invited?
7. When are invitations sent?
Send invites approximately six to eight weeks before the shower date.
8. How long is the bridal shower supposed to last?
Between two to four hours. The length depends on how much you have planned and the size of the guest list.
9. What happens during bridal showers?
10. Do you need to serve a full meal?
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What’s The Dress Code At A Bridal Shower
A bridal shower can be as formal or casual as you want it to be, but it’s best to at least include some sort of guide in the invitation. “There’s not one particular dress code,” says Gottsman. “But it’s always better the dress up than down.” If there’s no indication of the event’s formality, it may be more comfortable to show up overdressed than underdressed. If cohesion in your shower photos is important to you, it’s a good idea to think about what the guests will be wearing and make a note somewhere within the invitation.
Decide On A Bridal Shower Budget
Before picking a menu or choosing a theme, the first step of bridal shower planning is . The host traditionally pays for the shower, and while your first instinct may be to go all out and spoil the bride, we suggest choosing an amount of money that you can easily afford without breaking the bank. We promise shell be grateful no matter what!
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Bridal Shower Checklist: How To Plan The Perfect Party
Organizing a bridal shower is a fun and rewarding experience. You get to plan a celebration for someone you care about dearly, and its a chance to be creative, thoughtful, and play a role in the days leading up to the wedding.
But planning a bridal shower can also be tricky at times. There are many moving parts and its hard to know when to make arrangements or what to prepare.
To help you out, use this comprehensive bridal shower checklist. Consider it your guide to everything you need to know, think about, and plan for a bridal shower to remember.
Where Should You Throw A Bridal Shower
If the bride still lives relatively close to home, the shower can be held in her hometown. Does she live in another state? It may still be more convenient for the bride to travel to her shower if most of the guests live locally, instead of asking the entire guest list to hop on an airplane. The specific location depends on the type of shower and the host’s budget. It could be in a friend or family member’s home or backyard, at a local restaurant, or somewhere more specific if the shower has a theme .
No matter the selected date, make sure the bride has put together a wedding registry before the invitations are sent out so guests can purchase gifts.
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Set The Date For The Shower
While setting a date for the wedding shower, youll need to consider too many factors, such as the weather, time of day, time of year, availability of bride & groom etc. All these factors should be considered before you finalize a date for the wedding shower. However, it is advised to consult with the bride and/or groom to help you with a date that works for everyones schedules.
However, an ideal wedding shower dates are a few months before the big day, more often than not, no closer than one month from the wedding date. The idea is to pick a date that works for almost all the guests, especially for the bride and the VIPs that includes the family members and the bridal party.
Plan Bridal Shower Games
Avoid dull moments and awkward silences by having a few fun games planned out. No, this does not mean you should bust out UNO, Operation or Monopoly – it means you should get creative. The newlywed game, bridal Pictionary, bridal bingo and vow mad libs should keep your guests thoroughly entertained. This has the added benefit of working as an icebreaker for your guests.
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How To Plan A Bridal Shower
Want to give the bride-to-be a shower to remember? Follow these helpful tips to pull it off flawlessly.
Wondering how to plan a bridal shower? This pre-wedding event is typically hosted by the brides BFFs or a few family members. It can be a co-ed wedding shower or ladies only and can take on just about any theme. As a friend of the bride, its your job to throw her a stellar bridal shower that shell remember. Dont consider yourself a class A party planner? No worries, weve got you covered with bridal shower games, ideas and etiquette tips. P.S. if you’re planning to host a virtual bridal shower, we’ve got these online party tips.
Hostess With The Mostess
Now that the bridal shower is in full swing, its your responsibility to keep it flowing in the right direction. This will include keeping all food dishes full and drink containers replenished, as well as picking up any forgotten trash.
Once all the guests have had a chance to eat and fill their drinks, its time for you to announce any games or activities that will be played. You will be in charge of relaying the rules of the games to guests as well as crowning any winners.
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Pass Out Favors To The Bridal Shower Guests
Lastly, it is always a good idea to give out some kind of favor as another way to say thanks. Bridal shower favors can range from something edible like a frosted cookie, to something wearable like personalized sunglasses. There are a lot of options that can work for any shower theme and guests will love being able to take home the gift too!
