Weddings are such a wonderful time to celebrate and have the family close. The whole wedding process is filled with traditions from the engagement ring to the post-wedding thank you cards. It can really be an exciting time for everyone in the family. Having a bridal shower allows for close family and friends to get some one-on-one time with the bride before the big day. Traditionally it’s a good bonding time for all the women in the family.
History of Bridal Showers
A bridal shower is a tradition hailing from Holland all the way back to the 16th century. According to World Brides, it was originally created as an alternative to giving a dowry, if the family was too poor or the parents opposed the match. Friends and family would give the bride favors and things to bring with her into her new marriage. Even though dowrys is no longer a part of the wedding process, a bridal shower has stood the test of time.
Who should host the bridal shower?
Originally the host would be the maid of honor, bridesmaids or close friends oppose the mother of the bride or mother of the groom to stop it from looking like they are giving the bride gifts. This has changed and has now become the norm for the mother of the bride or bride’s aunts to throw the shower.
Normally the showers are held at someone’s home for a more intimate event. If the group is going to be large or you want to have a grand event you can always host it at a favorite restaurant, park, or a hotel.
Not sure what to give as a gift?
It’s hard to know what to bring to a bridal shower. A good tip is to look at the bride and groom’s wedding registry for inspiration. From their wedding registry, you can get a real sense of what they are wanting for their future home. You can get one of the smaller items such as a water pitcher, wine glasses, or baking tins.
Another great option is to give something that has been customized! Such as a custom hanky, monogrammed jewelry box or a tote bag for her to put everything she needs into for the big day. If they are going somewhere specific for their honeymoon then a gift that she can use would be great. Like if they are going to the beach or on a cruise a customized beach blanket with their new name is sure to make her smile. A personalized item will be a more meaningful and thoughtful gift to give the bride-to-be.
Things to Remember When Attending a Bridal Shower
When attending a bridal shower here are a few things to remember. Normally the appropriate attire choice would be something respectful and casual but really nice, put in a little effort as the pictures may be kept for years.
Also, make sure you RSVP to the event when you get the invitation. This helps whoever is planning the shower to make sure that they have enough food and games for everyone. They also will know if everyone has arrived before they can start any of the games or activities they have planned.
Game Ideas!
Not every bridal shower needs to have games, but they do create a fun environment for everyone to enjoy. A great game for both the bride’s side and the groom’s side to enjoy is the ‘He said, She said’ game, where guests must choose who they think said a quote, the bride or the groom.
Another fantastic game that will be enjoyed by even the youngest shower guest is bridal bingo. With both of these games any other you choose to have at the shower you should have small prizes to give to the guest who wins. Small prizes such as a bottle of wine or chocolates.
Bridal Shower Food and Beverages
The best type of food for a bridal shower that is in a home would be finger food that can easily be carried around or held when standing. Examples would be pigs in a blanket, cheese and crackers, or a fruit salad. All easy things to pick up with your hands and eat. If you’re going for a bigger event in a restaurant or hotel you can always have the food catered. This would be more of a sit-down option for food.
As for drinks, you can never go wrong with sparkling wine, the bride-to-be’s favorite cocktail, or flutes of prosecco. Of course, you may have non-drinkers or underage guests that come so be sure to have a stock of non-alcoholic drinks for them to choose from. Some good festive drinks would include fruit punch, sweet tea, lemonade, or just an assortment of soft drinks.
A Few Do’s and Don’ts of Hosting a Bridal Shower
Knowing what to do when hosting a bridal shower can be hard, especially if you have not been to a bridal shower before. We have just a few do’s and don’ts to keep on hand if this is your first time hosting a bridal shower.
Do: Honor the bride’s wishes for the type of event she wants. Make sure she feels comfortable and the focus of the event. No matter the size of the event it should reflect the bride’s personality.
Do: Confirm if the bride wants to open gifts at the shower or open them later. This allows the bride to feel comfortable and not under pressure to open gifts in front of everyone.
Do: Serve something to nibble on, whether it’s finger food or a full buffet having food at the event is a must!
Don’t: Invite someone who is not invited to the wedding. Things may become awkward if they come to the shower but not the wedding.
Don’t: Give the bride an inappropriate gift, best to leave that for the bachelorette party. Don’t: Plan too many activities at the event. It’s best to let the event run naturally, a plethora of activities could stifle the event and make people feel distressed.
Thank You Cards!
When hosting a bridal shower make sure you prepare for once the event is over. The proper etiquette is to send thank you cards to all the guests who attended and thank them specifically for the gifts that they gave the bride-to-be. It’s common to send the cards within the month of the event so that it doesn’t seem like an afterthought. Include the names of everyone in a family that attended, even any kids that came along.
These are all just a few suggestions to help make the bridal shower a success whether you are hosting it, a guest, or the bride-to-be. The main thing is at the end of the day the bride feels loved and excited about the upcoming wedding because this is all about the bride!
Lucy is a Content Specialist at Zazzle in Cork, Ireland. Originally from America, she is now settled in Ireland with her husband and Corgi-mix puppy Dug (yes, like from Disney’s UP!). It’s the simple things in life that matter, so give her a bag of M&M’s and she’s happy. She loves to relax with a good book, cozy up on the couch for a movie, or go to the park for a stroll with the family.
