You’ve been invited or have been asked to host a bridal shower for the bride-to-be. You are wondering what to do and what is the purpose of this fantastic event.
If you need answers, then you are in the right place. We have all of the resources you need for hosting or learning how to celebrate.
in this blog post, we will define, clarify and give you the important components of this important pre-wedding event.
There will be plenty of clickable links to more information and free goodies. by the end of this, you will know what should come out of a bridal shower.
Now let’s get this party started…
What is a Bridal Shower?
The word bridal shower means to shower the bride with gifts. The bridal shower, bridal party or wedding party is a special day dedicated to the bride.
This special all-women event is to lavish the bride-to-be with gifts and love.
Basically, the bride opens gifts in front of the guests. She is treated for all her hard work with wedding planning as her big day approaches.
It could also be called a wedding shower. A wedding shower celebrates the bride and groom. This includes the groom and men are also invited to the event.
This celebration could be a big and expensive or a simple, and small gathering. The bride is encouraged with special sentiments from others.
The bride is motivated and inspired to take on her new role as a new wife.
The Tradition
The first recorded bridal showers occurred in Holland. The first recorded one in the U.S. happened in the late 19th century and was exclusively for upper-class families.
The purpose was to help accessorize the bride’s new home. Giving her gifts of china kitchen goods and other materials.
The idea turned into a formal event for presenting gifts to the bride. It was also a way to flaunt one’s social status. The higher the status the more extravagant the event.
Who Hosts the Bridal Shower?
There are no rules on who officially has to be the host. The most popular hosts are the mother of the bride or the maid of honor.
Naturally, the host is chosen by the bride. The hostess will entertain the guests. The shower will take place at the hostess’s home or at a venue or a pre-determined location.
The hostess is in charge of the itinerary, menu, etc. The flow of the event is essential for the hostess.
Who Pays for the Bridal Shower?
The host pays for the bridal shower. They could get some help from the bridesmaids as well. We wrote an entire article on this topic if you need more information.
Who to Invite?
Women who are invited to the wedding should also be a wedding shower guest. Shower invites should be sent to guest list after the wedding invitations.
Bridal Shower Theme
There are so many themes to choose from. Here are the most popular themes:
There are so many styles you could decorate and many things you could DIY for the shower.
Bridal Shower Games
We have a ton of games for this celebration. From the traditional Bridal Bingo to our original Bridal Jeopardy game.
We have digital and printable games for you. All of our games are FREE to our readers. See more information about bridal shower games HERE.
Bridal Shower Food and Drink
A popular way of this is a tea party style celebration. This include sandwiches and other appetizers. Brunch is also popular food choice.
There are often cupcakes mimosas, and a things with cute bridal shower sayings.
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Not a Bachelorette Party
The bachelorette party is usually ONLY a group of close friends of the bride (typically bridesmaids and maid of honor), celebrating with a day in or night out.
Timeline
We made a complete time line of a bridal shower for you HERE
What is the Point of a Bridal Shower?
The purpose of a bridal shower is to shower the future bride with presents to be used in the couple’s new home. It is a gesture of support (from the bride’s family) or a welcoming (from the groom’s family)
This wedding ritual is practiced across the globe. Bridal showers are emotional events because it is surrounded with the feelings of love and romance.
Bridal Showers Today.
Bridal Showers have the same foundation of traditional showers. They are still events that put the spotlight on the bride in all her glory.
There will be gifts, stories, and a chance for the bride to enjoy herself and get her more excited for her wedding.
There are so many themes and ideas. A bridal shower is based on the bride’s interests and taste.