Planning a Bridal Shower
In today's world, it seems that almost any topic is open for
debate. While I was gathering facts for this article, I was
quite surprised to find some of the issues I thought were
settled are actually still being openly discussed.
There are plenty of details to consider when planning a bridal
shower. Some of these considerations include, who will throw the
bridal shower, when will the bridal shower be held, who will be
invited to the wedding shower, how do you choose a theme for the
shower and what type of menu will be served. The bridal shower
is a chance for the women in the bride's life to honor her
upcoming nuptials and give her a few useful gifts for starting
her new household. While there are no clear cut answers to any
of these questions this article will outline the more
traditional answers to these questions and will also include
some variations on traditional ideas.
Deciding who will throw the bridal shower for the bride is the
first thing to consider. Traditionally the maid of honor hosts
the bridal shower with the assistance of the bridesmaids.
However, in recent years it has become increasingly popular for
others to be involved in planning the bridal and it is not
unheard of for a bride to have multiple bridal showers. For
example the mother of the bride may throw a bridal shower for
the wedding party and the women in the family while the maid of
honor may throw a shower that includes friends of the bride and
the bride's co-worker may also throw her a shower in the office.
Timing is also an important factor to consider when planning a
bridal shower. The rule of thumb is that the bridal shower
should be held relatively close to the wedding date but not too
close that it begins to infringe on the bride's wedding
preparations. For this reason it is not appropriate to hold the
bridal shower less than two weeks before the wedding date.
However, it is also not appropriate to hold the wedding shower
very early in the engagement before the couple has had the
opportunity to create their registry. In general the bridal
shower should be held as early as two months before the wedding
date but not later than 2 weeks before the wedding date.
It's really a good idea to probe a little deeper into the
subject of weddings. What you learn may give you the confidence
you need to venture into new areas.
A crucial element to planning a bridal shower is drafting up the
guest list. While it is not obligatory to invite every woman on
the guest list, it is appropriate to invite all of the bride's
female relatives as well as her close female friends. If the
maid of honor and the mother are hosting separate bridal showers
they may want to coordinate to ensure that they do not have
overlapping guests. Care should be taken to avoid inviting
anyone to the shower that has not been invited to the wedding.
Also, there has been an increasing trend where the bride and
groom participate and the showers are co-ed. While these showers
don't follow tradition they can be a way for the groom to share
in the fun with his friends as well.
The theme of a bridal shower is another planning aspect that
should receive careful consideration. It is important to choose
a theme that reflects the personality of the bride. For example
throwing a lingerie party for a shy bride may not be appropriate
but throwing a beach themed bridal shower for a surfer may be a
good idea. The theme of the party is important because it can
affect items such as decorations, favors and games. When
choosing a theme for a bridal shower, it is important to choose
a theme based on the taste of the bride and not the taste of the
hostess.
The traditional menu for a bridal shower calls for light hors
devours that can be eaten in a cocktail hour type setting.
However, when planning a bridal shower the hostess is free to
choose whatever menu she wishes. It could be either an elaborate
sit down dinner for a shower that includes the elderly relatives
of the bride, a barbeque for a shower that includes the groom
and his friends or even a night at a fancy restaurant for shower
that is thrown by the bridesmaids and includes friends of the
bride.
Planning a bridal shower can see daunting because there are so
many options but it is important to remember that you are not
bound by traditions and are free to choose any theme, menu and
location that the bride will enjoy. The key to planning a great
bridal shower is to keep the bride's taste in mind during the
planning effort.
Of course, it's impossible to put everything about weddings into
just one article. But you can't deny that you've just added to
your understanding about weddings, and that's time well spent.