Planning the perfect bridal shower is no small feat, but it is definitely doable. Lets say that your best friend or maybe even your sister is getting married. That means this very special day is as important to you as it is to her. Of course that puts you first in line as host for the bridal shower. Planning the perfect bridal shower can be a lot of work, but with proper planning, a little organization, and lots of research it can definitely be done.
In planning the perfect bridal shower, one of the first things you need to do is to obtain a final guest list from the bride to be. Get complete addresses, phone numbers, email addresses and all of the pertinent information you will need to contact the guests later as time progresses. Once you have a final guests count, this allows you to determine what your budget is. One of the first rules is to learn to delegate. Enclose in the invitation a note asking each guests to be prepared to share a bridal shower game and to bring the necessary items to play the game. Also among your guests, recruit a DJ. This way you can rest assure that your house music is in constant rotation.
The one thing to keep in mind when planning the perfect bridal shower is to keep in mind that it is all about the bride. You want everything perfect for her. It is her special day at the shower and it should be catered to her likes, style, and taste, yet you still want to surprise her. Find out what kind of bridal shower she would really like. Does she want it focused on lingerie, a particular room in the house, or what? Ask her. This way you can’t go wrong.
When it comes to food, you want to provide her favorites. If Mexican Food (or some other) is her thing, then have a theme that incorporates excellent Mexican Cuisine. You might even consider having it catered by one of the best Mexican Restaurants in the city. If budget is an issue, the hosts of the bridal shower (as usually there is more than one person) can delegate and have each guests bring a Mexican dish. Or the hosts can provide the food by whatever means they choose. There are many restaurants that are available for large and small groups, which may be an excellent venue to give a bridal shower. This saves in clean up and time after the shower and allots more time for you to dedicate in other areas of planning the perfect bridal shower.
Decorate! Decorate! Decorate! Make the place as special as possible especially if it is done at someone’s home. If weather permits, have it around the pool or under a gazebo. Have balloons, matching serving ware, plates, personalized napkins with the brides name and the date of the shower on them. Provide her special cocktail. If she is a Margarita girl, then have one of the hosts, or one of the guests acts as bartender and set up to serve Margaritas in authentic Margarita glasses. Don’t cut any corners as realism and decorations are part of planning t he perfect bridal shower.
And of course there is the cake. Part of planning the perfect bridal shower involves providing the perfect cake. There are many, MANY, to choose from. Some of the novelty cakes have sexy themes, and some have ordinary themes. Order with taste and what you think she will like.
One special theme is “What Happens At A Bridal Shower Stays At A Bridal Shower. With this theme the hosts provide each guest with a disposable camera, which they will take pictures with during their time at the Bridal Shower. Understand that each person in attendance holds a special place with special memories in the bride’s heart. Allow them to capture the memories, which can later be copied and given to the bride to add to her bridal memorabilia collection. Someone will also have a camcorder that will be in use throughout the duration of the shower. This is a great gift to give the bride when it’s all said and done.
Part of planning the perfect bridal shower is in letting the bride know how special she is to everyone in attendance. In addition to all of the brides gifts, have a personalized gift to give to each friend in attendance from the hosts, and the bride that they can take home as a keepsake. I’ve seen personalized candles wrapped in iridescent cellophane and tied nicely with a beautiful matching bow. I’ve also seen small potted plans in a decorative container. Giving a living plant is always a good idea because it is so symbolic of life. The plants live on, as do the friendships, after the bride is married and enters her new life. The thing to remember most in planning the perfect bridal shower is that everyone in attendance is there to shower love upon someone deserving. As hosts, show them how it’s done.
