One of the most intimate and joyous pre-wedding events is the bridal shower. Dedicated to showering the bride with attention and gifts ahead of the big day, it’s an exciting moment to celebrate with loved ones and build momentum for upcoming nuptials. While couples today don’t need to adhere to every tradition when planning their wedding events, a bridal shower has a few etiquette protocols that many follow when arranging the party.
From creating the guest list to choosing the perfect menu for the celebration, there are plenty of details that go into organizing this pre-wedding event. Want to learn everything you need to know to plan a bridal shower? Read ahead for a full breakdown.
Who Throws and Attends a Bridal Shower?
While a bridal shower was traditionally thrown by the maid of honor and bridesmaids, the etiquette surrounding it has changed over the years. Today, it can be up to anyone close to the bride to host the event. Often, the responsibility will be held by the mother of the bride, another close female family member, or a few family members together. In some cases, there could be multiple showers for the bride if different people offer to host one. This can happen if the bride lives far from their hometown and family members want to throw a local event, or if the bridal party wants to host a friends-only shower. While there can be some surprise elements to a shower, those organizing the event should consult with the bride to get insights on the menu, location, how they would like the event to look, and the guest list.
So, who should be placed on the guest list? Typically, guests will include the bridal party, close female family members, and good friends of the bride who will be attending the wedding. Of course, this list can vary and include guests of all genders. You can also tailor the event if you want it to be more intimate. While the bride should provide a desired guest list, the selection ultimately will come down to the host.
What Happens at a Bridal Shower?
A bridal shower can vary based on the host’s plans, but the basic rundown includes food and drinks, time for guests to connect with each other, and gift opening. Most bridal showers are hosted either as a lunch or brunch, but they can be held in the evening as well. It’s very common for a bridal shower to include games—ranging from trivia about the bride and their spouse-to-be, to designing a dress out of toilet paper, to themed scavenger hunts. A host can also offer an activity that aligns with a theme for guests to enjoy like a spa day, tarot readings, or a cooking class.
While brides traditionally open gifts at the bridal shower, they can request their host to opt out of this moment if they would like to keep it private. If gifts are opened at the event, a common tradition in the United States is for the maid of honor to save all the ribbons from the gifts and transform them into a faux bouquet for the bride to carry down the aisle during the wedding rehearsal.