If you aren’t sure where you should begin when it’s your turn to plan a bridal shower, you’ve come to the right place. Here’s a quick look at a few tips for planning one, even if the wedding is to be a destination wedding.
Traditionally, a bridal shower is for the bride, her bridal party, and her female friends and family members. A lot of bridal showers are planned with a theme in mind, such as maybe a Caribbean-themed party if it’s to be a destination wedding or even a vintage tea party.
The shower should reflect both the bride’s interests and her wedding style. Typical activities will include things like eating either hors d’oeuvres or a seated meal, time for guests to visit with each other, and games. The main part of the event will be when the bride opens gifts her guests have brought her.
Pick a Theme
Once you’ve got the addresses and contact information for everyone that’s to be invited and the bride has approved that list of guests, you should decide on whether the shower will be geared toward a Jamaican island bride or what your final theme will be.
Even though having a theme isn’t 100% necessary as a part of planning, it can actually be the ideal way to add a bit of personality to the event with things like décor, food, and invitations. Get as creative as you want to here. For example, think about unique stamps for wedding invitations for a special touch. You can make your event more intimate by including wedding party members to get into the festivities. Some ways to do this include flower arrangements parties, wine tasting, rustic themes, or even brunch and champagne. For an even more successful event, consider making the decor or serving items functional as well as decorative.
Just ensure that whatever theme you decide to go with, meshes with the personality of the bride and her general interests.
Decide on a Budget
Before you choose a menu for the shower, you need to decide what your budget is. Traditionally, the one who hosts the shower pays for it, and even though you might have an instinct telling you to spoil the bride and go all out, you should stick to what you’re able to afford easily and not break the bank. Regardless of what you do for her, she’ll be grateful.
Pick a Date
When it comes to when to and not to have the bridal shower, a minimum of six months out is recommended, and no sooner than four months before the happy event. There’s really a lot of flexibility here. Just ensure that you work with the bride’s schedule and that it works for her while also accommodating the other members of her family before you begin to finalize plans.
Plan the Food
The menu for the bridal shower needs to complement the party theme, what time of day it’s being held, and the personal preferences of the bride. As an example, if she adores peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, consider serving bite-sized ones for an appealing appetizer tray or a dessert. If there’s room in the budget, think about a meal being catered by her favorite Caribbean restaurant. Menu items for bridal showers can include things like salads, pasta dishes, fresh fruit, cheese plates, and more. You should also have a variety of sweet treats as well as both alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.
The bridal shower is a fantastic method of officially celebrating with the bride. Not only is this one of the first events before the wedding when family and friends from each side get to meet and mingle, but it’s also an event filled with games, gifts, snacks, and fun décor. With the basic tips you’ve found here today, you’ll find that planning a bridal shower isn’t difficult and can even be a lot more fun than you might think.