Planning the Perfect Bridal Shower

You want to have a shower for your friend who is soon to be married, and all of a sudden you're in a panic. There are so many things to do and you don't even know where to start. This article will help you get organized.

The first essential step is to plan a date. Most bridal showers are scheduled for the early afternoon on a weekend. Give guests ample notice and coordinate your plans with the bride. The bride is probably feeling at lot of pressure during this time, so work with her to make sure she's free. Plan the shower to occur sometime between three months and three weeks prior to the wedding.

Once the date is established, you will need to draw up a list of invitees. A sure way of getting all the information you need is to ask the bride for the wedding guest list. There are some definite rules to follow here: the maid of honor or bridesmaids usually host the shower (if there is only one), and don't ask anyone who hasn't been invited to the wedding. It would be insulting to imply that someone is good enough to bring a shower gift but not special enough to attend the wedding itself. In some cases the couple has planned a wedding to which only family will be attending. This doesn't happen often. If this is the case invite the bride's female friends and all the couple's female relatives, which is the usual etiquette for bridal showers.

The next thing to plan is what you will be serving. Most showers are in the afternoon and feature light snacks, coffee, punch or some other cold non- alcoholic beverage and possibly wine. If you want other people to help with the food, ask only close family. Soliciting other guests to contribute food or drink, as well as a gift, could be considered insulting.

Last on your to-do list is planning some games to play. This has long been a tradition at bridal showers. Depending on the guest list, they vary from non-offensive to slightly risqu‚. The bride should be the center of attention, but be sure to involve all the guests in some way. Two or three games should be plenty to break up the monotony of watching the bride open gifts.

The mother of the bride shouldn't offer to give a shower for her daughter. The guests might view it as another way of getting more gifts. As mentioned above, the attendants generally host the bridal shower. If a shower guest asks to bring a friend (yes this happens quite often), tell her no, but do it nicely. You might offer an explanation that the guest would feel out of place. Be sure to have a camera and take lots of pictures. The bride will treasure memories of her enjoying the company of friends and family and can make a beautiful photo album.

Article Source: http://www.articles.ask-me-about.com

Holly Clandon is the chief editor for FT Bridal, a fantastic resource for information about Bridal, For more articles on Bridal why not visit: www.ftbridal.com/articles
This and other unique content bridal articles are available with free reprint rights.