You’re incredible (obviously). So your bridal shower should be, too! Read ahead to discover some bridal shower must haves that you for sure don’t want to live without!
Your wedding date is set, the venue is booked, and the intricate details are coming together just the way you always hoped. You “popped the question” to your closest friends, and of course they said yes! Now it’s time to plan a beautiful, successful bridal shower… but there’s just one problem. No one is quite sure where to start.
Never fear. We’re here to help you plan the perfect Kansas City bridal shower that everyone will enjoy. From invitations to decorations, signature spritzers and the all-important menu, we’re sharing everything you need to ensure success!
Bridal showers are more traditional than the alternative: wedding showers. A bridal shower is typically a little smaller and includes just the ladies, while a wedding shower is for both the bride and groom and typically includes both ladies and gents. While the two are separate events, it is customary to have one or the other, and this is largely determined by what the two of you prefer.
With that being said, bridal showers are our primary focus today. Read on to discover the bridal shower must haves.
ENTHUSIASTICALLY ORGANIZED HOSTESS
The bridal shower is usually hosted by the maid of honor, bridesmaids, close friends, or family members. Regardless of who is serving as the primary hostess, they will need help! Planning a bridal shower involves making a guest list, booking a venue, creating and sending invitations, planning and executing decorations, planning a menu, structuring the order of events, and more. This is too much for one person to accomplish on their own! Choose one person to be the primary hostess and ask the others to help execute the shower. It’s best if the primary hostess has strong administrative skills and is comfortable assigning or delegating tasks and following up with those who are helping to ensure that everything goes smoothly. This is an integral addition to the list of bridal show must haves.
PERFECTLY PRETTY & PUNCTUAL INVITATIONS
Bridal shower invitations should be mailed between six and eight weeks prior to the event date. If all guests are local, six weeks is generally sufficient, but if there are out of town guests, stick with a solid eight weeks. This means that your invitations should be selected and purchased a minimum of 10-12 weeks in advance. That way, if there are any mistakes on the original invitations, there is time for replacements to arrive without pushing your timeline out further.
THE PERFECT VENUE
The best bridal shower venue is the one that accommodates all your guests with room to spare and creates a sweet space for you to celebrate together. An outdoor affair can be lovely, but an elegant private tea room, gallery, banquet hall, or the hostess’s home are also excellent options. Before booking a venue, it’s best to answer the following questions and determine if the space you’re considering is the right fit.
- How many guests do you expect to attend the shower?
- Will any special accommodations be required for your guests (accessibility, climate control, food allergies, etc.)?
- Will the hostess and team be decorating, or do they prefer the venue to do that?
THEME & SHOWER DECORATIONS
Your bridal shower should naturally reflect your style and often mirrors the decorative flourishes that will temper your wedding. Clean, airy decor, fresh floral arrangements, and personalized touches go a long way. Consider adding some framed photos of the two of you to each table, or a larger printed photo or canvas to display in a prominent location. As these details start to take shape, it will be easier to fill in additional decorations as desired.
BRIDE'S ATTENDANT
Your bridal shower attendant will help you by keeping a list of your gifts (and who gave them to you), hand you tissues if needed, make sure your glass stays filled, and jot down anything that you might need to remember. She will also let you know if your makeup needs to be refreshed or communicate with your hostess if the timeline or order of events needs to be shifted or moved along.
ORDER OF EVENTS
An order of events or timeline for your bridal shower is an absolute must! Be sure to allow time for guests to arrive, time for your hostess to welcome guests and communicate the order of events, time for games or activities (if there will be any), cake and punch, opening gifts, time for you to briefly thank your guests for coming, and any other special touches.
BRIDE WORTHY MENU
Bridal shower menus typically include hors d’oeuvres, cake, and punch, but this is an excellent opportunity to make your bridal shower your own. There’s nothing wrong with serving a sweet little bridal brunch… or barbecue for the quintessential Kansas City guests! Definitely a delicious addition to the list of bridal shower must haves.
SIGNATURE SPRITZER
Signature drinks have become a wedding trend around the globe, but there’s just something so fun and personalized about a signature spritzer or drink for your bridal shower. Ask the bartender to come up with something, or do a little leg work and create your own! Be sure to choose a fun name and post a drink menu board at the bar so your guests will know to ask for it!
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