Are you planning a bridal shower but don’t know the first thing about how these parties are organized? We have you covered. In today’s blog, we will be looking at the essential considerations that have to be taken into account when planning a bridal shower.
Table of Contents
How to Plan a Bridal Shower?
1. Figure out the budget
This is probably the most important consideration because you can’t organize anything without a clear idea as to how much you can spend for the bridal shower.
The thing about bridal showers is they can be as inexpensive or grand as you plan them, and again, the scale of the bridal shower will depend on how much you can afford. There should be no pressure on anyone to overspend, but the bridal shower should have decent planning put into it.
Don’t break the bank and be organized. We recommend that you write everything down on a journal and when you have quotations from suppliers and providers, you add those quotations to a spreadsheet so you will have an eagle eye’s view of all the possible expenses. It is also easier to strike out suppliers that are too expensive when you can compare the costs of things side by side.
2. Schedule the bridal shower
We do not recommend rushing anything with parties, and the bridal shower is just as important as other events, so it should be scheduled in such a way that everyone would have sufficient time for organizing, sending out the invitations, and receiving the responses from different guests.
Traditionally, bridal showers are done about two months before the wedding date. Feel free to schedule meet-ups with potential guests, and talk to them about your plans. Many of them will pitch in and help, and you will get a great feeling knowing that people do want to be with you and are even interested in helping you along.
3. Write the guest list
The best guest list for bridal showers is comprised of people that are supportive and warm in events like this one. We do not want to create a situation where the bride to feel award because there are a handful of people in the bridal shower that she doesn’t want to see or be with. The guest list should be created with the bride to be, there is no point in keeping it a secret from her. Also, be considerate – if she wants to try inviting someone that she hasn’t seen in a long time, exert every effort to include that person in the list.
4. Create the theme and motif
After determining the budget and who is going to attend the bridal shower, the next step is to brainstorm the theme of the bridal shower. Why do we need themes and motifs for events like this? The number one reason is that we want to inject personality into the event. Right before the wedding, the bridal shower’s going to be one of the most memorable events that will shape the mood for the wedding. So you must get it right and make it just as memorable as the wedding and reception.
5. Send the invitations ASAP
With the current happenings in the world today, it’s possible that people will not be able to commit quickly to invitations to events like bridal showers. So it’s important to send out those RSVPs as early as possible, so people will have enough time to respond. Sending them a week before the bridal shower is a no-no. If you can send the invites a month before, that would be amazing. A month should be enough time even for the busiest of people, and those who live far away.
6. Food and drinks
Once the invitations have been sent to the guest list, it’s time to get down and gritty with the toughest part of planning every event ever: sitting down and deciding the menu and the drinks. The menu has to be somewhat linked to the motif, so people can appreciate the overall theme and ambiance of the event. We recommend that you include food that the bride will surely like. This is her bridal shower and she should be the first person that you are trying to impress with all of your efforts. The kind of food for the party should align with the general vision for the bridal shower. For example, if the bridal shower has a grand fiesta theme, a “make your taco station” makes a lot of sense. As for the bar, liquors and spirits should be paired with the food as much as possible. Avoid throwing in just any kind of liquor because the spirits in the bar should complement the available menu.
7. Time to buy the décor
The best way to stay abreast of the current trends in bridal shower decor
is by logging into Pinterest and looking at all of the neat decors and designs that people are uploading there.
Before the Internet, we had to rely on pricey wedding magazines and brochures. Now, all you need is the internet and with a few pushes of a button, you are right where you need to be, design-wise. Of course, not all decors online are great and you still have to consider the availability of the said decors. Nonetheless, you are going to have a grand time choosing and contrasting designs.
8. Be sure to set up the gift area
People are required to bring gifts during the bridal shower. Oftentimes it’s just a table, but you can expand the concept and create something grander, like a wishing well station. Having a station where people can drop off their gifts as they begin to stream into the party. When the bride begins opening the gifts, make sure that you have a video camera ready to capture the precious moment.
9. Toast to the bride
No bridal shower will be complete without making a toast to the bride. Usually, a host is there to ensure that the toast is made, but if someone more important to the bride proposes a toast, then there should be no problems with that.
