Feeling overwhelmed on bridal shower planning? There’s a lot that goes into it, but the details are what make it so special and memorable for everyone in attendance, especially the bride!
Last weekend, we were finally able to have the bridal shower we had been waiting to throw for my sister-in-law, Kristine. It was originally scheduled for April 2020, but we all know what’s been getting in the way of everybody’s plans this year. We rescheduled it for September and we’re so glad that this time our plans went through! With proper precautions such as mask-wearing, distancing, ventilation, and sanitizing, we were able to keep all of our guests feeling safe while having fun showering the bride with love & gifts!
Here’s a guide, along with detailed examples of what I did for Kristine’s bridal shower, to help you throw a special party for the bride and get through it from beginning to end! 🙂
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What happens at a Bridal Shower?
A bridal shower is a chance for bridesmaids and close relatives/friends to celebrate and spoil the bride. Traditional activities include having food, playing games, mingling with all the guests and bride, as well as having the bride open her gifts.
Start with this checklist:
- Who is responsible for the planning?
This can vary, but in some cases, the mother of the bride or mother-in-law will decide to throw one with the help of family members. Other times, all the bridesmaids will team up, with the Maid of Honor as the lead. Or, the bride can decide how she wants it done. There really is no right or wrong way, as long as it’s decided on from the beginning so plans and tasks don’t just linger without getting done. - Decide on a budget.
There’s no exact amount of money you “should” spend on a bridal shower. If all the bridesmaids are planning it together, decide on a price point everyone is comfortable with, but also be realistic. It’ll all depend on location, the number of guests, decor selection, and food/drinks. - Decide on a theme.
This can be decided by the bride or the host. If you want to keep the bride out of the loop as much as possible, then base this off what she likes and her personality. Another way to decide on this is to make it match the invitations or vice versa. - Choose a date.
Have a few options open in case the venue you want is already booked or the majority of your loved ones aren’t free. - Create a guest list.
This is best to do before finding your location so you know how big of a place you need to have. Typically, the bride will invite any of her close female friends and the mother of the bride will invite her close friends as well. An easy way to also get this list together is to pick out the females from the wedding guest list and go from there. - Find and book a location.
Keep your theme in mind when searching for a location. If you want to save some money, hosting at a home is an option. Some things to consider when figuring out the location are the number of guests, indoor/outdoor options (although it’s a good idea to have a backup plan if you plan on hosting outdoors in case of rain or any bad weather), and any restrictions on alcohol that the venue may have if you plan on having a mimosa bar, or serving any type of alcohol. - Order invitations.
If you have a hard time choosing the right invitation design, this could be a part that you do let the bride in on. My favorite site to find invitations on is Shutterfly, but there are also others such as Minted, Etsy, and Zazzle. - Plan out what food, desserts, and drinks you’ll be serving.
It’s common to serve finger foods in a buffet-style along with a selection of bridal-themed desserts such as cupcakes or cookies. - Plan out the decor.
This includes decor for the food, dessert, and drink areas as well as overall decor for the venue or house you’ll be hosting in. What dishware or components can you add to spruce up the food/dessert/drink areas? What do you want the main “photo spot” to include? What color scheme should you stick with? It helps me to sketch all of this out so I get an idea of what each area will look like and whether or not I need to add to it or take away from it. - Plan out the bridal shower games.
This is one of the more fun parts that guests will look forward to, so be creative with it! Find games that will be interactive and fun for different age groups. - Plan out the prizes you’ll give out to those who win each game.
The prizes don’t have to be anything big but think about what you would like to receive as a prize if you were to win (although the host doesn’t typically participate in the games). - Decide on party favors.
These aren’t necessary, especially if you’re already over budget. It’s one thing you can cut out, but it’s a nice token of appreciation for the guests who attended! - Create an uplifting playlist for background music during the party.
Try to keep it age-appropriate and upbeat so the ambient remains welcoming. - Check to see if early set-up is an option.
Depending on how much there is to set up and how many hands will be on deck, it may be a good idea to set up the night before or as early as you can. This will avoid any last-minute stress and ensure no detail is forgotten. Be sure you know where everything will be placed, such as food, desserts, drinks, photo spot(s), gifts for the bride, games, prizes, and guest favors.
Bridal Shower Planning FAQs
Who should pay for the bridal shower?
Each situation is different, but typically the host pays, or if it’s planned between all the bridesmaids, it can be split evenly.
How much does a bridal shower cost?
This will be determined by the following factors: location (whether or not you’re renting or hosting at someone’s home), invitations and stamps, number of guests, decorations, dishware, food, bakery-ordered desserts, alcohol, games, prizes, and party favors.
One way to save money is to host at a home. This will cut about $250-$350 of the cost depending on the rental venue. You can also have the desserts be homemade (this will save you A LOT on bakery-ordered items, although they might not look as picture-perfect depending on your level of baking skills). Starting price points I’ve seen for some bakery items include $3.35 per decorated sugar cookie, $3 per cupcake, $2.75 per macaron, $2 per cake pop, and $50 for a 6″ round cake.
A few other ways to save are to do a potluck style for the food, rent decor from Facebook Marketplace (or buy used), and search for all the coupons and deals you can!
Overall, if you decide to rent a place and cut a few corners, but still have it be a little bit “extra”, you’re looking at about $950-$1450 for the total bridal shower cost.
Are guests supposed to get a bridal shower gift and a wedding gift?
Short answer- yes. Although the bride will be thankful for just you being there and celebrating with her, it is usually expected that a bridal shower gift is separate from the wedding gift. Think of it like this: the bridal shower gift can be something personalized or unique for the bride. A wedding gift is more for the couple, such as a kitchen gadget or something for the home. You can still get an item off their wedding registry for the bridal shower gift, but this is your chance to personalize it a bit for the bride and give her something to keep just for her!
Should the bride have a different gift registry for her bridal shower than for the wedding?
Sometimes brides will register at a lingerie store or somewhere different for the bridal shower than for the wedding. It’s not very common, however, and most people decide to save the lingerie gift-giving for the bachelorette party anyway.
What are some gift ideas for the bride?
Again, you can always get something off the wedding registry for the bride’s bridal shower gift, but if you want something more personalized, here are some ideas:
- Countdown blocks
- Jean jacket with future last name on the back
- Personalized clutch
- Hanger with future last name on it for the wedding dress
- Wedding day emergency kit
- Wine labels for some “firsts” in marriage
- Newlywed cookbook
- Apron with an engraving and matching oven mitt
- Massage gift card so she can relax before the big day
- Custom ring holder
What kind of food is served?
It’s up to you on which style of foods or how heavy a meal you’d like to provide, but it’s easiest to keep it lightweight and easy to eat. Some examples include:
- Small sandwiches either with normal bread, baguettes, or croissants
- Charcuterie board
- Crackers with heart shaped cheese
- Mini cracker sandwiches
- Mac n cheese balls
- Veggies in a cup or buffet style
- Fruit bowls or kabobs
- Salad
- Cranberry cream cheese crackers
- Tomatoes with mozzarella cheese
- Some sort of dip with chips/bread
- Parfait bar
- Breakfast type foods
- Bagel buffet
You can also always find plenty of options by browsing through Pinterest!
What kind of desserts are served?
Try to have at least one of the dessert components be customized to look bride-like such as cupcakes arranged into a diamond ring, sugar cookies with the bride’s first name initial or something specific to the wedding. Some dessert examples include:
- Cupcakes arranged into a diamond ring
- Cupcakes to match whatever the theme is
- Customized sugar cookies
- Cake pops
- Marshmallow pops
- Icing dipped pretzels
- Candy
- Rice Krispies cut into heart shapes (can also be partially dipped in icing)
- Donuts
- Mini cake
- Customized letter cake
- Macarons
- Strawberry shortcake kabobs
- Strawberry/Banana/Nutella kabobs
What are some fun game ideas?
It’s nice to have a mixture of interactive and writing/guessing games to give guests a chance to get up and move but most games are sure to get a crowd’s attention regardless. Here are some ideas:
- What age was the bride
- How well do you know the bride
- Who said it first
- Who does it better
- What would she choose
- What did he say about his bride
- Guess the # of ___ (kisses in a jar, corks in a glass, etc.)
- Pass the bouquet
- Scratcher game- who got the groom?
- Bridal bingo
- Bridal jeopardy
- Ring hunt
- Best Dressed (divide into teams & create a wedding dress out of toilet paper, the bride will then choose the winner)
- Guess the Dress (draw what you think the bride’s dress will look like)
- Unwrap the prize / Saran wrap gift game
What are some prize options and what should the price range be?
Prizes can be anything from various spa-like items (nail kits, clay face mask packets, hair accessories) to anything funny you might find at the Target dollar section. Ask yourself if you would be happy receiving that item and go from there. Don’t just get something that’ll easily be thrown away but also don’t spend a fortune on prizes!
How long should the party last?
The average is usually about 3 hours so that there is enough time to eat, open gifts, play games, and mingle without risking having too much time leftover. At Kristine’s, we had it from 12 pm-5 pm, but used the first hour for eating, mingling, and waiting for everyone to arrive. From 1 pm-4 pm, we played games, opened gifts, played more games, and took lots of pictures. We were done with everything by 4:15 pm and this gave guests a chance to stay and chat or take more pictures if needed. Everyone left by 5 pm and cleanup took about an hour.
What are some good ideas for bridal shower party favors?
- “Let love grow” succulents
- Personalized bottle openers
- Personalized candies
- “Love brewing” coffee packets
- Customized soaps
- “Smore love” baggies
- “He popped the question” baggie of popcorn
- Cake pops with a note tied to each one
- Pedicure in a mini jar
- Diamond ring containers with jelly beans (or any candy)
- Mini cork bottles with bath salt
- “Mani Thanks” nail polishes
- “Donut leave without a treat” donuts on a board
Party Details from Kristine’s Bridal Shower
Theme/Location/Invitations
The theme of the bridal shower was modern romantic with pink and gold tones. It was based on the bridal shower invitations and was located in the neighborhood clubhouse.
Food Table
- 3 tiered stand: Hobby Lobby
- White ceramic bowls: Costco
- Wooden board: Tjmaxx
- Square plate: At Home Store
- Rectangle plate: Tjmaxx
- Salad bowl: Ikea
- Veggie serving bowl: Jcpenny
- Black tongs: Hobby Lobby
- Clear tongs: Walmart
- Mason jars: Michaels
- Pink ribbon: Hobby Lobby
- Rose gold cutlery: Michaels
- Napkins: TableClothsFactory
- Plates: TableClothsFactory
Dessert Table
- Diamond ring banner: Target
- Faux floral arrangement (left): Tjmaxx
- Cupcake stand: Hobby Lobby
- Plates: TableClothsFactory
- Napkins: Target
- Acrylic risers: Amazon
- Candy vessel: Target
- White scalloped tray: Hobby Lobby
- Faux floral arrangement (middle): Tjmaxx
- Clear m&m bowls: Target
- Mini chalkboard easels: Target
- White chalkboard markers: Amazon
- White doily plate charger: Hobby Lobby
- Pink floral vase (right): Bhldn
- Faux flowers (right): Hobby Lobby
- Individual cupcake holders: Hobby Lobby
Drink Table / Mimosa Bar
- Disposable cups: TableClothsFactory
- Disposable flutes: TableClothsFactory
- Picture frame: Walmart
- Mimosa bar pdf with juice Tags: Etsy
- Glass cork bottles: Ikea
- Napkins: Target
- Sectioned tray: Hobby Lobby
- Tongs: Hobby Lobby
Photo Area
- Bridal sash: Etsy
- Balloon garland kit: Amazon
- Floral wall: TableClothsFactory
- Command strips w/ hooks to hold up floral panels: Amazon
- Picture frame: Walmart
- Polaroid guestbook pdf: Etsy
- Acrylic riser: Amazon
- Instax mini polaroid camera: Target
- Sequins table cover: Amazon
- Photo props: Michaels
- Scrapbook: Hobby Lobby
Games
- Giant wine glass: Michaels
- Corks: Amazon
- Picture frame: Walmart
- Guess the number of corks pdf with guessing sheets: Etsy
- Ceramic bowl: Tjmaxx
- Supplies to create age game board: Hobby Lobby
- Guessing sheets: homemade
- Lavender vase: Bhldn
- Scratcher game: Amazon
- Pass the bouquet: handmade using supplies from Hobby Lobby
- Do you know the bride-to-be: Amazon
- Bridal Bingo: Amazon
- Supplies for the unwrapping game: Amazon & Dollar Tree
Prizes
These are the prizes we had for the winners of each game. All were purchased from Target and I won’t lie… I wouldn’t have minded keeping some of them for myself! 😉 Each was packed in a little gift bag with tissue paper.
Bridal Shower Planning Tips
- Create a space to keep track of everything.
I like using Google Drive because it’s easily accessible and can be shared with multiple people. I use it to keep track of all my lists related to the party such as the guest list, food shopping list, games, prizes, to-do list, items I’ve collected for the day of, and expenses. - Make rough sketches of what’s in your head.
This helps me tremendously because it helps me sort my ideas out better and see if I’m missing anything or if I have an overload of a certain item. I specifically do this for the food/dessert/drink areas. - Start early, depending on how big or small the party is.
If you’re someone like me who likes to plan way in advance, then you’ll want to start shopping for items as soon as you have an idea of what you’ll need. I like browsing the isles of Target, Hobby Lobby, Michaels, TJMaxx, and Homegoods because they always have unique items that you wouldn’t necessarily find on any given day especially depending on the season. - Always keep in mind the return policy of different stores.
If you buy something you’re not sure you’ll need, make sure you know the store’s return policy. Typically it’s 30 days, but Hobby Lobby, for example, has a policy of 90 days. Just make sure to keep this in mind so you don’t accidentally lose money on items you don’t end up using. - If you want lots of pink or heart-shaped candy for the bridal shower, buy this during Valentine’s Day season!
This is the best way to get the candy color you want, without paying for it at a significantly higher price point. In my opinion, a pink and white color combination is gorgeous for a bridal shower, so I like the candy to match that too. For this bridal shower, I bought the candy in February since the original date for the bridal shower was in April. However, since it got rescheduled to September, I made sure to check the expiration dates for all of them and they were all good until January 2021. Just keep this in mind and make sure to store it in a cool and dry place like the back of your pantry so you’re not tempted to dig into it. 😉 - Prepare an answer sheet for the games.
This is one of the details that can be easily forgotten, but it helps to have this ready in advance so you can go through the answers with everyone smoothly. - Check to see if early set-up is an option.
Depending on how much there is to set up and how many hands will be on deck, it may be a good idea to set up the night before or as early as you can. This will avoid any last-minute stress and ensure no detail is forgotten. Be sure you know where everything will be placed, such as food, desserts, drinks, photo spot(s), gifts for the bride, games, prizes, and guest favors. - If you want to spruce up the drink area you can do some of these:
Add a mimosa bar, make floral-infused ice cubes, make jello shots inside of limes/lemons, have a bowl of rosé punch, add color to the drink options, or have a “make your own drink” bar with different fun options including garnishments. - Print out all the PDFs and use a paper trimmer.
I did this for all the signs and guessing sheets, but since I don’t have a paper trimmer at home, I went to Fed-Ex/Kinkos and used theirs. It saved a lot of time and effort and I kept them all together in a folder until it was time to frame them or place them in their spots.
