KissMeGoodnight
eRomance Series:
Throwing a Bridal Shower
Bridal
Shower Guidelines and Responsibilities
Hosting
a traditional bridal shower can be confusing when you look
at all of the etiquette rules and guidelines. Who should host
the shower? Is it appropriate to ask for gifts? Who should
be invited to the shower? Most of the time, the maid of honor
or bride’s family is expected to host a bridal shower. If the
responsibility of hosting a shower falls on you, then here
are some bridal shower guidelines you should know.
Hosting
a bridal shower can be a great way to get together
with the bride-to-be and socialize with friends and family.
If you are expected to host a shower, you might not understand
what responsibilities you have as a hostess. After you understand
what your job will be as a hostess, you can plan the shower
and sit back and relax as everyone has a good time.
The first step in planning a bridal shower is to talk
to the bride. Her preferences will determine what kind of shower you
give. She may want a more traditional shower, or might prefer
an informal co-ed shower. You will also need to work around
her schedule when planning a date and time. She will be very
busy as the date of her wedding approaches. Find out what day
works best for her and plan on using that date. If she has
guests that will need to travel to attend the shower, make
sure they are aware of the date in plenty of time. Also, you
will need to get a guest list for the shower. As a general
rule, you will not invite someone to the shower that has not
been invited to the wedding. Talk to the bride and find out
who will get a wedding invitation. Also, find out whom she
wants included in her shower. If she has a large family, it
might not be possible to invite all of her family and friends.
Most bridal showers have no more than about 30 guests.
After you have determined the guest
list and the time and date, you can start planning the shower. The number of people
she invites will help you determine where the shower will take
place. If she only wants to include a small circle of friends,
you can think about hosting the shower at a private home or
an intimate restaurant. For larger guest lists, it might be
necessary to rent a space. Also, selecting a theme for the
shower might help you stay on track when planning a shower.
You might want to have a barbeque, a brunch or host a pampering
spa bridal shower. Select a theme that interests you and the
bride before making other plans.
As you plan the guest list, you will need to think about the
budget. Most of the time, the maid of honor is expected to
host a shower, but things are changing and this is not a hard
and fast rule. The bride’s family can also help pay for the
shower or help provide food and decorations. The budget is
the amount you are able or willing to spend on a shower. If
you have a limited budget, you might be able to get others
to help pitch in to pay for the shower. Your budget will also
determine what kinds of decorations you will use, the food
you will serve and activities you will provide to the bridal
shower guests. As the hostess, you might choose to splurge
on food while keeping activities or decorations to a minimum.
Sending out the invitations is the next step in getting ready
to host a bridal shower. Make sure that all of the information
is included on the invitation, such as the time, date and location.
If you are going with a theme, incorporate the theme onto your
invitation. For more casual showers, you can even make phone
calls or send out email invitations instead of mailing invitations.
Generally, shower invitations are sent out two to three weeks
prior to the shower. This gives guests enough time to plan
ahead. If you need an accurate count on the number of guests
that will be attending, be sure to include contact information
for RSVPs. In addition, bridal showers are usually given about
eight weeks before the wedding. This will help you plan when
the shower will be held.
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KissMeGoodnight.com
: 2006
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