Planning a Bridal Shower
A bridal shower is a traditional pre-wedding party designed to help the bride and groom get started in their new home. Showers have become highly themed with tool showers, barbecue showers, and even stock the bar showers.
Here’s a guide to planning the perfect bridal shower.
Determine your budget. You need to know how much money you have before you start planning. Traditionally, the bridesmaids and/or groomsmen host the bridal/couples shower. They are the hosts, so they pay for the decoration, refreshments, and favors.
Get a location. This is a great way to involve either the bride’s or the groom’s family. They may be able to provide you a location to host the shower. Other alternatives are your own home or a restaurant or reception location of some sort.
Plan a theme. A theme gives guests an idea of what gifts to purchase. You can host a stock the bedroom, bathroom, tool shed, bar, etc. shower and give the bride and groom some gifts they will be able to use. You may be able to help them secure all the items they need for a particular room, such as the bathroom or most of a bedroom.
Determine your guest list. Get help from the bride or her family if the shower is a surprise. Ask the bride or the family if they want this to be a girls only or a couple’s shower. This will help you determine who all to invite.
Send invitations. Invitations can be as formal as a printed card or as informal as a phone call. A newer way to send invitations is through e-mail at websites like www.evite.com. You may find yourself doing a combination of all three – printed, e-mail and phone calls.
Set an RSVP date and give shower details on the invitation. Make sure you mention all necessary information on the invite including the location and directions, a phone number or e-mail to RSVP to, any stores where the bride and groom are registered, the date and times, and any theme information they need to know.
Plan a menu. Base the menu on the time of day, the formality of the location, the theme of the shower, etc. Most bridal showers will have some sort of appetizers and dessert such as a cake.
Plan activities. You’ll need to have a few things in mind for activities because most guests may not know each other. Plan to open the party with a great ice breaker game like two truths and a lie. Center most of the activities on the bride and/or groom. This is an opportunity for guests to learn more about them. Be sure to include a few door prizes and prizes for game winners.
Open gifts. Be sure someone writes down who gives what to the bride so that she can write thank you notes later. You’ll also want to put someone in charge of trash collection. Assign someone to camera duty as well. You can include photos and other mementos from the shower in a scrapbook later.
Make or purchase favors. It’s always a good idea to send your guests off with a nice favor to 
remember the shower with. Check out some great bridal shower favors.