Cover Photo: Barbie's bridal shower covered by Watson Photography
1. Maid of honour, take initiative!
As a rule of thumb, the maid of honor should plan the bridal shower. That doesn’t mean that she handles everything on her own; she should take the lead in the planning but involve other bridesmaids and perhaps a few friends. For easier and more organised planning, she should also delegate some tasks to them. Maid of honour, list the things to be done and ask each person what they would like to handle.
2. Pick a date early.
The bridal shower should not be too close to the wedding day; the bride will be occupied with the pressing task of tying loose ends before the big day. And yet, because the bridal shower should build up momentum for the wedding, it shouldn’t be too early. The sweet spot is about a month to the wedding. When it comes to planning the bridal shower; it is never too early to start.
Begin the conversations regarding the shower early (at least a month before the shower) you could form a WhatsApp group and add the people involved with the planning or you could have an email chain. Whatever works for you. On that chat, you should start by discussing which date works best. If it is meant to be a surprise, involve the groom-to-be in the planning so as to narrow down on a date when the bride will be available. Also you need to plan on how to get the unsuspecting bride to the venue of the shower. Settle on a date as early as you can and in case the venue will be at a restaurant or a spa, make reservations ASAP. Figure out earlier enough the budget for the bridal shower and who will be paying for it.
3. Send out the invitations.
But first, figure out the guest list. As her maid of honour you probably have an idea of the people who she would love to have at her bridal shower. Cross-check the guest list with the other bridesmaids to ensure you haven’t left anyone out. As you make the list ensure that you do not invite anyone who is not invited to the wedding, so there are no awkward moments and hurt feelings. Once you have the guest list, send out the invitations immediately to give the guests enough time to plan for the shower. Ensure that the date, time and venue is clear and if the shower is a surprise make sure you state that in the invite.
4. Glam up the venue.
You want the bride to look back on this day with fond memories. So if your venue allows, do some décor to create the right bridal ambience. The bride will certainly appreciate the effort you took to make her feel special.
5. Plan a group activity.
Group activities make the shower fun and are a great way for the guests to bond. So look out for games that you can play to break the ice. Another great idea is to book a spa and have the guests enjoy rejuvenating massage treatments as they bond. If you are planning on a raunchy show to entertain the bride ensure you check with the bride first to ensure that she is totally fine with it. Also consider the guests; would they be comfortable with the show? You want the bride to enjoy her shower and so avoid embarrassing moments by making sure you are on the same page.
6. Organise for snacks and drinks.
This is simply a must at any bridal shower. However, you do not have to serve entire meals; just some tasty, light snacks and drinks will do. If you will be serving a big group, consider hiring a caterer to prepare the snacks (In case your venue is not a restaurant).
7. Have a plan but go with the flow.
To ensure that there are no moments of empty silence where no one knows what to do next, make sure you have a schedule for the bridal shower, along with timelines. But also try to be flexible. If the guests are reminiscing about old times with the bride and it takes longer than you had planned for, that’s fine. As long as everyone is having a good time. Just make sure there is enough time for giving gifts before the guests and bride-to-be have to leave.
