Showers of Love!
bridal shower
A wonderful way to help the bride feather her nest!
Shower planning ideas
Who & When
Who & When
Who & When
Hosts: Maid of Honor
Bridesmaids
Bride's Mother/family
Groom's Mother/family
Guests: Women who are also invited to the wedding!
When: Between 1 - 3 months prior to wedding
at the convenience of the bride & family
Invitations: Send 6 weeks in advance with RSVP date 2 weeks prior to party
Or send Email invitations at least 3 weeks in advance with RSVP due 1 week prior to party.
Where
Who & When
Who & When
Home of Bride
Home of the Host
Restaurant
Banquet Hall
Venue
Tented outdoor space
Brides hometown
Closest to majority of guests
Park
Waterfront
Hotel
Poolside
Industrial Space
Activities
Who & When
Gift giving
Champagne toast
Introduction of Bridal Party/Family
Guests filled Marriage Advice cards
Games:
Gift Bingo
Bride Trivia
Wedding Ring Toss
Scavenger Hunt
Door Prizes
Gift Opening
Centerpiece Crafting
Mock Bouquet of Ribbons
Music
Photos
Gift giving
Theme & Decor
Gift giving
Registry Requested Items
Handcrafted items
Photo Gifts/Album
Heirlooms
Gift Cards
Wedding Items ie: Toast Glasses, Guest Book
Gift Basket
Personal "Honeymoon" Gifts
Financial Wedding/Honeymoon Assistance
Thank you notes
*Be sure Bride has a Wedding gift registry set up before sending out invitations
Food & Drink
Theme & Decor
Theme & Decor
Brunch
Lunch
Afternoon Tea
Appetizers/Hors d'oeuvres
Toasting Champagne
Light Cocktails/Cold Drinks/Punch
Coffee/Tea
Sandwich Platters
Meat/Cheese & Crackers/ Vegetable Platters
Pot Luck
Buffet Style Hot/Cold foods
Plated food served
After Dinner Mints
Cake
Dessert Selections
Theme & Decor
Theme & Decor
Theme & Decor
Coincide with Wedding theme/colors
Tea Party
Garden Party
Tropical
Travel
Home Sweet Home
Romantic
Vintage
Memories
Packaged Theme
Venue Decor
Flowers
Favors
When you Can't be together
When circumstances prevent the gathering, there are always ways to celebrate with the guest of honor by letting them know you are thinking of them! Mailing and social media open the doors to communication and sharing. While it is not a good substitute for a good "old fashioned" party, the purpose is served, and memories are still being made! There are no rules for creating a unique way to celebrate any occasion, nor are there any rules for the timeline to do so. All of the ideas listed above for creating a party may not be feasible during this time of Covid-19, but I hope you are inspired by some of the thoughts and traditions to make your party fly!
time to celebrate the upcoming nuptials!
Feather the Nest!
It's all about the Bride! When planning a Bridal Shower, the important thing to keep in mind is the purpose of the shower! Traditionally, women got together with the bride to gift her with items or money to help with the wedding planning or to set up her home. A wedding is often a family affair, as the clan welcomes a new family member, and shares their own with another. This celebration is to prepare the bride for the big day!
The first apartment or home will need everything from appliances, to linens, to cleaning supplies, to decorative pieces. Today, many young people move out on their own before getting married, and have accumulated all the necessary items. It is important for the needs and wishes be known to the guests who will be bringing gifts. A wedding registry not only specifies what the bride wants and needs, but lets others know if a specific item has already been purchased, which makes gift giving easier. Personal gifts vary according to how close the giver is to the receiver.
Liven up a Bridal Shower with games throughout the gift opening session! Trivia about the Bride can be enlightening! Gift Bingo will keep guests attentive! Wedding advice cards will get guests to thinking. A few mimosas might get guests to talking!
Serve a beautiful cake! A mini version of a wedding cake, a cake baked and decorated by a special person or a cake adorned with flowers, as long as the cake is pretty, tasty, and relevant! Have the guest of honor start with the cake cutting, then follow with designated helpers to cut and plate or serve the rest.
Appoint a bridal party member or other person to record each gift and giver, another to present gifts for opening, another to pass and/or return gifts to gift table, another to clear and discard wrappings. An idea here is to save a small piece of each type of wrapping paper to create a collage page in the brides memory book, if she has one.
The Maid of Honor can construct a mock bridal bouquet. This bouquet can be used at the wedding rehearsal! The ribbons and bows from the gift packages are adhered to a paper plate to form a beautiful and meaningful "bouquet"!
When inviting guests, keep it to only those women who are invited to the wedding, and those who are close to the bride such as family and good friends. The shower should feel binding, and spiritual in preparation for the bride-to-be's new life, not a gift giving obligation!
If the couple is planning to have a Jack and Jill party, it might be proper to forego a large shower, especially if the couple is already established in living together. Expecting wedding guests to spend money in support of the couple several times can be objectionable. A small, intimate gathering to simply celebrate the bride would be more fitting. A wedding is an event, not a campaign to rake in cash and prizes!
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