One great thing about being a bride is knowing that friends and family are all jumping at the bit to throw you a bridal shower. For some brides, every weekend up until the wedding day is a non-stop party filled with good friends, family and great gifts. Showers are the perfect place for the bride to blow off a little pre-wedding steam, play silly games and get martial advice from other new brides and seasoned wives. Here, we offer a few tips and suggestions for throwing a fail-proof bridal shower to get the party started.
Timing: when to throw a bridal shower
Etiquette suggests that all bridal showers should take place at least two months prior to the wedding date, but there is no official rule saying that showers can’t happen earlier (especially if the bride has several showers to attend during her engagement).
Hosting: who throws the bridal shower
According to tradition, the maid of honor plans at least one of the bridal showers, but anyone close to the bride can host a gathering in her honor. Regardless of who throws the shower, that person should also be in charge of footing the bill for the festivities, selecting the
bridal shower games, and decorating the venue. Often times bridesmaids come together to throw a shower for their bride, allowing everyone equal input for planning and paying for the party.
Venue: where to throw a bridal shower
Selecting a space to throw a bridal shower is part of the fun in planning one! Bridal showers can take place anywhere from a formal event hall to a botanical garden, hotel suite or private home. A good rule of thumb is to cater the bridal shower location to fit the personality of the bride.
Themes: types of bridal showers
Another fun part of throwing a party for your bride is coming up with bridal shower themes. Some popular themes include:
- Lingerie showers
- Kitchen showers
- Stock the Pantry shower
- Stock the Bar shower
Guest list: who to invite to the bridal shower
The bridal shower guests list often depends on who has hosting duties. For example, if the bride’s boss is throwing the shower, more than likely the guest list will consist of co-workers. If a sorority sister is in charge of hosting the shower, she might invite the bride’s close college friends and other members from the sorority. To be on the safe side in creating the guest list, hosts should invite only those who are close to the bride and her fiance.
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