Must-Read Steps to Planning an Amazing Bridal Shower
Must-Read Steps to Planning an Amazing Bridal Shower
A bridal shower is a great excuse to get everyone close to the bride together and celebrate her future status as a married woman. The duty of hosting usually falls upon the maid of honor, but it’s not uncommon for all the bridesmaids to plan together or even for the bride to do it herself. But just knowing that you have to plan a bridal shower isn’t enough. You have to think of a lot of little details to make sure this night stands out and that everyone has a good time. And here are some steps that you should never skip:
Compile the guest list
This is the part where knowing the bride (and the people close to her) well comes in really handy. Who would the bride like to be there? Who would feel offended if they got left out, and are there any people who should be invited, but don’t get along? Make a guest list as soon as possible and send out invitations. By this point, you might already have a venue in mind, but you won’t be able to choose an exact venue nor set the budget until everyone replies and confirms they’re coming. And you can feel free to let go of the archaic rules of only women being invited: the bride certainly has close friends and family who are male, and they should be more than welcome to join in, because bridal showers are no longer about women exchanging advice on how to keep the house clean and make the perfect meatloaf.
Choose a theme
No, a “bridal shower” isn’t a good enough theme; it’s simply the reason for the get-together. A theme will make the party more fun and it will help you a lot with setting up the décor and food choices. It can be inspired by a certain country, a movie or decade the bride loves, or simply her favorite colors. Whatever it may be, think in advance and plan around the theme, venue and food to make it all come together.
Get help
You don’t get sick leave off work just because you’re planning a party, and planning it really is a lot of work. So at the very least, you need to learn to delegate. Even if you do all the planning, you don’t have to be the one physically picking up the food or the flower arrangements. Set up a crew of the bride’s close friends (who are all invited) and have them help you out. And if you are not able to stay on top of the planning process, it’s a great idea to hire an event planner to help you out and make sure everything is running smoothly. Check in with them about how things are going, but also trust them that they know how to do their job well.
Think of activities
Sure, a night in with cocktails and discussing the things you normally would at a get-together can be fun, but this is a bridal shower and we need to step up your game. Before you start planning, be aware that not everyone will like to participate, and that you shouldn’t force any of the guests to play along. Plan games where everyone gets to say something nice about the bride, or simply prepare word cards and play charades. Or, you can just go old school and hang up a piñata or play Twister.
A special something
You want every guest, including the bride, leaving with a memory of that day firmly ingrained. And this means having some sort of wow factor or a memorable gift for them to take home. Consider getting a statement cake that has all the bride’s personality traits displayed on different tiers, or setting up a photo booth with accessories, so that everyone can get pictures to take home. You can also get some crafting supplies and have a party activity be making bead jewelry, which is then exchanged.
The bridal party shouldn’t be about you proving to the bride how much you love her and trying to outshine everyone else, it’s about coming together as a group of friends and celebrating. So put your party hats on and start having the night of your life!
Witten by Georgia Selih
