When planning an unforgettable bridal shower, you need a solid checklist to get you started and keep you organized.
It will help you keep track of your ever-growing to-do list leading up to your special day.
A checklist will also help you from worrying about forgetting anything in a neat, easy, and simple way.
But where to start?
What should be included in your bridal shower planning checklist?
Keep on reading to discover the seven things you need to consider when planning a bridal shower.
First things first, where would you like to host the shower?
Will it be available in time?
Knowing where to have the party is often the best place to start when planning a bridal shower.
The venue’s availability will also make it easier for you to set a date.
Now, if you’re the maid of honor or a member of the bride’s family, don’t forget to ask the bride for suggestions when looking for ideal locations.
She may have a few great ideas in mind. Also, you should choose a location that matches the mood and character of the guests.
If they like partying, then a club could be a good place to host the shower. On the other hand, if they would enjoy something more low-key, you can have the shower in a fancy hotel or restaurant.
Remember, you want everyone attending to have a good time, but more than anything you need to keep the bride’s happiness in mind.
When would be the best time to have the bridal shower?
That’s a question you need to ask the bride. Note that, planning a wedding can be a bit demanding. She might not have a lot of free time in her schedule.
Asking her when she’ll be free will help you to decide on the perfect date. Remember, you can’t have a bridal shower without the bride.
Your timing has to align with hers and not the other way around.
If some of the guests will be visiting from out of town, you could have to set a date closer to the wedding day.
That way they won’t have to travel twice or wait for long before the wedding day.
Who’s coming? Compiling the guest list may require the bride to chip in a few suggestions.
It is her day, after all. She needs to tell you who she wants you to invite.
That also means providing you with their contact details. That way you can confirm whether they’ll be able to make it to the shower.
The guest list must be customized according to the bride’s preferences. So, you should make sure you ask her questions like:
· Are kids allowed?
· How many people does she have in mind?
· Can the guests bring their friends?
The more information you get from the bride, the easier it will be for you to plan her ultimate bridal shower.
However, try not to bombard her with tons of questions. Because she’s already busy as it is.
The fewer the questions, the better!
Do you have a theme in mind?
Bridal shower themes are important because they tend to add a little fun into the whole event.
You can use themes to:
· Create a sense of inclusion and belonging among the attendees.
· Familiarize the bride with their honeymoon destinations.
· Add a little bit of humor or fun to the bridal shower.
Bridal shower themes can be as simple as setting a dress code.
Or you can dial it up a notch by decorating the venue to match the dress code.
What’s a bridal shower without food and drink?
In most cases, you and the bride can decide on a menu. Unfortunately, some of the invitees may not be the biggest fans of some of the items on the menu or could have allergies or dietary preferences.
Coming up with a menu and sharing it with the guests can be a good way to narrow down to the best meals. That way everyone at the party will have options on what to eat and drink.
Also, you have to make sure you diversify the drinks a bit. That means ensuring that there are both alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages available.
Once all the above is set, the only thing remaining would be to send out the invitations.
This has to be done at least a month in advance to give the attendees enough time to prepare.
In the invitation, make sure you include all the important bits of information including the date, location, theme, food menu, and your contact details.
Just in case someone wants to communicate something to you, they know where to reach you.
The last item you should have on your bridal shower planning checklist is the budget.
You have to determine how much the event will cost after you factor in everything.
This includes professional service expenses like hiring waiters, entertainers, photographers and so on.
You need to make sure that the event’s budget is affordable and reasonable to the person who’s paying.
That way you won’t have to worry about running out of cash.
Also, make sure you reserve some cash for emergencies or things you may forget to include in your budget.
Planning and executing a bridal shower will become easy when you once you start by applying these 7 tips.
Including these seven items in your bridal shower planning checklist will simplify the whole process for you.
With this checklist, you’ll have everything you need to throw the bride-to-be an unforgettable bridal shower.
