Anyone who knows me knows my love of planning and hosting parties. My first go at this in a formal sense was my own bridal shower. My mom and sister were of course there to help, but they know I live for these things so they graciously dealt with me basically hijacking the entire event ;) I had planned lots of fun parties before, but this was my first time hosting a formal event. I feel like we did a pretty good job, but I did learn from future experiences that it is easier to host formal events at a restaurant/party room since there is so much less to plan. But being so close to our wedding and knowing that both our parents and ourselves had already spent a lot of money, I wanted this to be a more low-key event. If you find yourself in the same position, I am here to help!
As with any party, the first step is planning your date and time. I chose a Sunday brunch since brunch is one of my favorite pastimes ;) It is typical to have your shower anywhere from two weeks to two months before the wedding. I chose one month before which I felt was perfect timing. It’s close enough to be super excited, but far enough away to not be stressing about last-minute wedding details. Next is sending out invitations, which you will want to send about 4-6 weeks prior to ensure that people can save your date and have ample time to purchase a gift.
You will also want to register for gifts and include that information in your invitation. I loved registering for gifts (who doesn’t?) because you can literally walk around your house (or envision your new house) and say I need new pots and pans, dishes, glassware, silverware, mixing bowls…ANYTHING and CLICK, someone might just buy it for you?! Thank you to whoever invented this amazing tradition. Seriously, Thank You! Anyways, once these steps are taken you are well on your way to having a bridal shower.
When hosting a shower at home, you are responsible for every little detail. I decided to start with the menu. We decided on having a Sunday brunch catered and providing mimosas and a coffee bar. We almost decided to make the food ourselves (egg bakes, french toast casseroles, etc…) but I am thankful we were able to do the catering because it was a lot of work even without cooking the food. I’m sure it can be done, but I was happy with the route we chose (Thanks, Mom!). For our menu, we had scrambled eggs, sausage, bacon, breakfast potatoes, and fruit. We also had a cute mini donut tower which was one of my favorite parts. My dear talented friend provided our gorgeous cake and my mom and sister and I baked cookies for favors with another dear talented friend of my mom.
The next step was the aesthetic, which meant somehow turning my backyard into a formal event. We rented a white tent and tables with white chairs. We then purchased pink tablecloths and pretty plates, napkins, cups and plasticware for the party. Remember when having the party that you will also need trash cans set up nearby and hopefully some helpful bridesmaids who will be happy to be table bussers for your other guests when they finish eating ;)
For decorations, we had gorgeous pink and white rose flower arrangements from my mother-in-law, as well as pretty crystal centerpieces and fun balloons to tie everything together. Although I would have made it a little fancier and made some changes now that I’ve hosted more parties, for my first formal event I was proud of how this all turned out.
Other tiny details that were special were the bride-to-be sash my mom and sister gave me and the special pins I got for my mom and mother-in-law to wear. My mom even got me a corsage! I live for little thoughtful gestures, which obviously my mom knows, so I was feeling very special. Everyone was feeling the love :)
We had such a fun day playing games as the guests enjoyed their food and won some fun prizes. I love he said/she said type of bridal shower games because they always make everyone laugh and have a good time. I also absolutely loved the wise wishes cards we had at each place setting as well. Everyone gave us such sweet advice for our marriage that we loved reading together. We even did something similar for our wedding, which we still have displayed in our house today and will sometimes read over on our anniversaries.
Once the cake was served, we opened our gifts and really did feel showered with love. I love attending bridal showers because it’s such an exciting time in someone’s life and it feels so special to be surrounded by all of the joy and happiness. Obviously, I felt especially joyful at my own shower. It was such a special day that I will always remember.
If you are planning a shower at your home, I will say that it was definitely so special to make those memories in our own space. Sometimes when I am sitting outside on a beautiful day, I really do think about all of the fun parties we have hosted and the magic we have made right in our own backyard, especially my bridal shower. That memory at home was truly an extra gift we received, and so can you :). For a more in-depth planning guide, check out the link below: Happy Planning :)