A Quick Guide To Hosting A Successful Bridal Shower

It is quite hectic to be a bride's maid and the maid of honor. A wedding is a lifelong cherishing memory for both bride and groom, and it becomes more than a responsibility for the host to make this event even more memorable for them. So, here we are with a to-do list to organize the event systematically and create a happy memory forever.

A bridal shower is an honored tradition dating back to the sixteenth century in Holland. At that time, the father of a daughter refused to give dowry money to the groom's family because he was not in favor of this idea. In the end, the whole town planned to offer small gifts and blessings to the newlywed couple to start their new happy married life. This now has become a ritual worldwide to offer gifts to the couple for their home.

What Exactly Is A Bridal Shower?

A bridal shower is a pre-wedding event to celebrate a bride-to-be with lots of happiness and gifts. It is a small gathering that brings closer friends and family of both sides together and gets to know each other. A bridal shower is meant to be an event to shower the bride with wishes and surprising presents from her closest friends and relatives.  

It is an event packed with lots of fun and entertaining games, snacks, decoration, glittering outfits, and a perfect plan to get trendy and fancy at the same time. This blog is going to be your one-stop solution to all queries regarding the event and tips to make it even more lively.

A bridal shower will be a female gathering that includes bridesmaids and other relatives of both sides. The fun part is opening the surprise gifts that guests have bought from the wedding registry. Many bridal shower themes are the reflection of the bride's interest and choice. These themes can be anything from a vintage-style tea gathering to a Disney fairy-themed celebration.

How To Host A Perfect Bridal Shower?

Starting from the required budget to the minor details, we have systematically organized all the basic steps to assist you in hosting a perfect bridal shower and impress your bride-to-be on her special day.

Decide On The Bridal Shower Budget

The first thing to decide is none other than the budget for the event. As traditionally, the host pays for the event, including the menu and the theme. Make a proper list of the items required with the amount they will charge, and adjust the requirements as per your decided budget. In the end, the bride will surely acknowledge your efforts and will be grateful for the event no matter what!

Decide A Date For The Event

After deciding on the budget and planning the event, it is required to finalize a date after consulting the bride's schedule. It is recommended to set the event at least six months prior to the wedding day. Make sure to check and accommodate the bride's family and their schedule.

Make A Bridal Shower Guest List

When you decide on the event's date, the very next step that comes after is to invite the guests to the bridal shower. You can ask the bride to decide the list that she wishes to meet the most. The final guest count should be around 50 people. Just remember, the guests invited to the bridal shower must be invited to the wedding, including the kids. So, it is suggested to create a list that invites the person to both events. Also, avoid inviting guests on the wedding day who are not part of the bridal shower.

Decide A Location For The Shower

As you have already decided on a date with the approximate guest count, the next matter is to decide on a suitable location to organize the event. If you already have a spacious place at your house, it is the most traditional option. If not, you can search for the other friend or relative that lives in the bride's vicinity and is close to the bride. You can also consider a restaurant or a private banquet hall for the event. If you have no clue about the location, ask your bride for her personal opinion and any suggestions regarding the same. Please ensure to choose a location with ample parking and relevant to accommodate all the invited guests.

Choose A Theme For The Bridal Shower

It is not an essential part of the bridal shower event, but you can feel free to be creative and set a common theme for all the guests as well as the bride. Make sure to plan a theme that describes the bride and her personality perfectly. You can add the theme more lively by adding some famous personalities to the invitations.

Send The Shower Invitations

Send the invitations six to eight weeks before the actual bridal shower event. This will give guests ample time to organize their schedules and purchase suitable gifts for the bride for the event. In this course of time, they can also let you know if they are having any difficulty in attending the event.

If for some reason, you are unable to attend the bridal shower, it is recommended to inform the bridesmaid prior to the event and schedule a private meeting with the bride when you'll get time. 

Plant The Menu And Stock The Bar

After completely dealing with the theme and invitations, it is the menu that comes next. Prepare all the dishes that you think your bride will like. You can start with the starters that can be easily served and delicious. If you are planning the event for the morning or afternoon, choose coffee drinks and breakfast foods like mini waffles and mimosa bars. This can be the best menu for the morning event. Make sure to stick to your budget.

If you have a flexible budget, you can also opt for professionally cooked and catered food for the shower. You can also cook food yourself or with the help of guests.

Purchase The Decor For The Event

After deciding the theme for the event, the next exciting part that everyone love is- the decoration. Here you can purchase the highly expected items to increase the decoration in several folds, such as letter balloons, posters, garlands, and some pictures for the bride to feel connected. Decoration with flowers and fragrant candles can enhance aesthetics and elevate the mood of the event.

Go With The Games

Plan the event in such a way that after eating the snacks and before the bride opens her gifts, the guests get entertained with lots of fun and games. You can decide on a number of engaging games for the event that will help the guests break the ice. Some of the games may include bridal bingo and guessing trivia about the bride. Thee will keep the mood light and fresh.

Decide An Uplifting Playlist

After checking multiple things, ensure to have engaging and light background music to keep the air fresh and refreshing. Decide a playlist to maintain a light, yet enjoyable vibe in the room, that the guests will admire while arriving, chatting, and dancing to it.

What To Do During The Bridal Shower?

Set Up A Separate Station For Bridal Shower Gifts

During the bridal shower event, guests are required to bring gifts for the bride and give her best wishes and congratulations for the future. There is a set time when the bride sits with her close relatives and friends and opens the gifts one by one. To ensure that all the gifts are in their proper place and no gift is being misplaced, ensure to create a separate area for the gifts to be placed after receiving them. As the bride will receive the gifts from the guests, make sure to record this properly. This will help her write a proper thanksgiving note.

Create A Ribbon Bouquet 

 After the opening of the gifts, make a bouquet from the gift's ribbon. It is a tradition for the bride to practice going down the aisle with the ribbon bouquet in her hands. It is a cherishing memory to keep forever with her.

Prepare A Toast To The Bride

Toward the end of the bridal shower event, you can congratulate the bride-to-be and give her all the good wishes and wonderful messages. You can also thank the guest for coming and being part of the event. The toast is not supposed to be too formal, just some encouraging words for the bride.

Conclusion

The bridal shower event is one of the most important events for the bride-to-be. She gets to meet the members of both sides and receives tons of good wishes and gifts. It is sometimes a stressful job to host a bridal shower event for the bridesmaid, but it is also the cherishing responsibility to be the best event organizer for your friend. Visit Bridalfusion.com to learn more about how to plan and host successful wedding-related activities.