Most brides do not plan their own bridal shower. This can allow the brides to have more fun with their guests and be stress-free. Typically, the mother of the bride or a female family member will offer to plan.

Picking a theme for your bridal shower should be the first thing done. The theme can be separate from the weddings theme and vision. This allows more creativity and makes it easier on whoever is planning it. Some people will opt for a simple theme that is mainly bridal like “Miss to Mrs.” or “Bride to Be.” This can be flexible with many color schemes and decorations. This is a great option for those with a smaller budget. Other people might choose to pick a more specific tagline. Some examples are “She Found Her Main Squeeze” including lemons, “He Picked Me” with flowers, or “She’s Been Scooped Up” including ice cream. Being more specific creates a focal point for the whole shower. Being consistent with the theme you pick will be crucial for decorations and stationary throughout the planning process and day-of events.

After the theme is picked you can then start planning and buying decorations. It is important to first know where it will be and how many people will be attending so there is enough space for decorations and tables and chairs for guests.

The itinerary for the bridal shower can be very flexible depending on the length of the shower and the activities included. The main activities during the shower include: games, a meal, speeches and thank you’s, and gift opening. Games can be really fun and easy for everyone. Common games are print outs that ask questions about the bride and groom in various forms like: “He said, She Said,” “Guess Who,” or bingo. There is not much set up for this and is feasible for all ages. There is usually a prize for the top winners and gives people an incentive to play.

Depending on the time of day, people will serve a meal or appetizers. If the shower is going to be long and not a come-and-go, it’s recommended to do a meal. If the shower is at a restaurant, they will have the meal on the invitations and people will send in what they want with their RSVP. If the bridal shower is at someone’s house or a venue, you will have to get food catered. This can be done by doing a buffet style and just giving the caterer a headcount in advance. When food is served, the bride will usually get up and thank everyone for coming. There might be some speeches from the mother of the bride, mother-in-law, maid of honor, or anyone else.

After everyone is done eating the bride will usually open gifts. Because this can take awhile it can be a good time if people need to leave. After the bride opens all the gifts everyone can leave while clean up is done. Someone might need to get the remaining decorations and help the bride transport gifts. Remind the bride she needs to do thank you’s for all the gifts after.

Focus on the big picture and ticket items before getting into the details. Ask the bride if there is specific things she wants to happen or do during the shower. Remember this is a time to encourage and prepare the bride as she steps into this new married life. Although there is a good amount of work that can go into the bridal shower, it is a great time to celebrate the bride and the women supporting her.