The days are growing longer and the weather is warming up. That can only mean one thing-wedding season will soon be in full swing. While the brides-to-be will be stressing over every last detail of the ceremony and reception, their ever-faithful maids/matrons of honor will have their hands full planning the bridal shower. If you’re playing the role of bridal shower planner and host to a spring or summer wedding, why not make the most of the warm weather and have a garden party bridal shower. It’s a great way to get all the girls outside to enjoy the weather after a long, rough winter.
There are limitless possibilities for how you can pull off a beautiful bridal shower. Let your imagination run wild. Put your craftiness to good use. Be resourceful.
Where to host the shower
You can save yourself a lot of time and money on decorating by hosting the party in a locale with pre-existing “garden” atmosphere. If you or someone you know (preferably someone involved in the wedding or a friend of the bride) has beautifully maintained outdoor area that would make an excellent arena for a garden party, do take advantage of such a spot and start making plans for a gorgeous bridal shower.
If, however, you just can’t seem to find a perfect place, take a look around at local parks. You might just find the perfect place you never knew existed. Many hotels also offer up beautifully landscaped areas that you use as the perfect spot to show the bride how much her happiness means to you. Whatever you chose, just be sure you iron out all the details ahead of time so that you can enjoy the party as much as everyone else involved. Weddings are stressful enough-even if you aren’t the bride-the last thing you want is to be hosting a chaotic, disorganized bridal shower.
Once you’ve compiled a guest list, you’ll need to send out the invitations. A pastel color scheme will work best with a garden party theme. By using floral and greenery motifs, you can add a little flair to the invitations. If you are crafty and have the time, make your own invitations. You can get all kinds of great cardstock and accessories to jazz up your invites at your local craft store. If you’d rather purchase pre-made invites, there are all kinds of online resources you might want to check out. In a rush? Major retail stores always keep a small stock of generic bridal shower invitations. You can always opt for these at the last minute.
Your budget is going to determine what’s on the menu. If you funds are running low, take full advantage of the “garden party” theme and serve up light finger foods. A simple vegetable tray alongside an arrangement of the classic cucumber sandwich will help set the atmosphere. Throw in tea and lemonade for drinks, and you’ll have yourself an inexpensive garden party. A light fruit salad or a favorite homemade dessert will surly satisfy everyone’s sweet tooth.
If you’re lucky enough to splurge on your menu, take advantage of your theme and offer a classy dinner that will have your guests thinking they are dining with the Queen herself. Unless you’re an adept chef, leave the cooking to the pros for this one, and enlist the help of a caterer. They will help you plan a fabulous meal that will please even the most discerning foodie.
Say your budget falls somewhere in between. Want something a little more than finger food? Keep the veggie tray and cucumber sandwiches, but add some more substantial food into the mix. Stuffed mushrooms will make a great appetizer, as would stuffed cherry tomatoes. For a main course, think about serving a grilled chicken salad. You could offer a savorier main course of marinated chicken paired with a side of couscous and roasted vegetables. For dessert, fruit tarts, cheesecake, or fruit salad are all great options. If you want to serve alcohol, you can easily turn your plain iced tea into Long Islands. Add your favorite liquor to the lemonade, or mix up your favorite “adult’s only” punch. Don’t forget, this is a celebration, so pop open a bottle of champagne and toast the bride.
Décor
If you take the time to select the perfect locale, you can keep decorations to a minimum. You can always incorporate color into the celebration to tie it all together. White is the classic bridal color, and is perfect for a garden party. Add touches of green to keep it from looking too stark. You could also throw in punches of the bride’s favorite color, or the wedding colors. Put all those vases sitting around your house to good use. Stop by the local flower shop and pick up a few bunches of the bride’s favorite flower. A nice floral arrangement at each table will add a special touch and a pop of color.
Keep Everyone Entertained
Don’t forget to plan entertainment for the guests. Everyone loves prizes, so pick up some bath sets, lotions, body sprays, photo albums, or anything else you deem appropriate to give to the winners of the bridal shower games. There are numerous games you can play with your guests. One of my favorites is the clothespin game. Everyone gets a clothespin when she first comes. If she crosses her legs at anytime during the shower, someone can take her clothespin. The gal with the most clothespins at the end gets a prize. If you need help thinking of games, you can checkout some online resources.
Planning a great bridal shower will take time so get started as early as possible. Don’t hesitate to ask for help from other wedding party members if you need to. Just remember to enjoy the process. This is, after all, a celebration!
