3 Bridal Shower Must-Haves
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to break the bank to throw a memorable bridal shower. With a little creativity, you can do wonders. The trick is to have a few extra special elements that elevate the party to “wow” status, and then to keep the other details simpler and more cost effective. Cater the shower to the bride’s personality, rather than what you think she wants, and you’re sure to end up with a stellar event!
Theme
Now, you might be confused by this idea because bridal showers naturally come with a built-in theme already. The celebration of your friend’s journey into an important new chapter in her life would seem enough, but consider the bride herself. Aside from weddings and marital bliss, what theme would the bride enjoy and what matches her personality? This is the time to consider her favorite things, as well as the current season. Would the bride rather have a barbecue or an elegant tea party? Beach or Winter Wonderland?
The wedding is more about the couple, but the bridal shower is all about your friend. Therefore, don’t be afraid to center the party around her passions and preferences. And while it’s always fun to surprise the bride, you might do well to get her input here instead, so you can get started in the right direction.
Decorations
Decorations set the tone for the shower. While heart-shaped confetti strewn across the tables is a fun detail, it’s also on the small side. Rather than trimming up the place with lots of tiny frills, go big! Having one or two larger elements dominating the room gives the bride and her friends the perfect background for posing together. And the bride will end up with lots of lovely pictures when the party is over.
A balloon garland is a fabulous choice, especially if you incorporate the bride’s wedding colors or if it meshes well with your chosen theme. An arrangement of fairy lights can also be a stunning accent if your event is in the evening. When it comes to twinkling bulbs, you’ll find plenty of inexpensive possibilities. This curtain of stars, for instance, makes for a shimmering background, but avoid the flashing light setting unless you’re throwing a shower with a dance club theme.
Flowers are always an effective and lovely choice. Nothing is more stunning than a large, beautiful bouquet or a gorgeous garland over a doorway. However, fresh flowers can be pricey, but never fear–there’s a solution. Something Borrowed Blooms has exquisite faux garlands and elegant centerpieces available for rent! The best part is they look real and are shipped directly to your doorstep. And since you’re only renting them, they cost a fraction of the price of real flowers. When the party’s over, you have everything you need to send them back, at no additional cost to you. Also, if the bride hasn’t decided on her bouquet yet, she can get some inspiration from the flowers you rented and perhaps decide to rent her bouquet, too.
Food
Possibly the best part of the shower: all that delectable food! What you choose for the spread is another opportunity to elevate the shower to another level with a large focal point. But first, ask the bride about some of her favorites. If she loves sandwiches, then by all means serve sandwiches. If pastries or cake is her favorite food of all time, serve a stunning, delicious cake accompanied with tasty but inexpensive finger foods. There’s no end to the possibilities, of course, but if you’re stuck you have a lot of resources. It all depends if you’d rather cook for a crowd or purchase what you need. If you do decide to prepare the menu yourself don’t be afraid to reach out for help. If you get some bridesmaids or family to pitch in, you’ll have less to worry about and you can use the money you save for an epic cake, bouquet or gift.
For menu ideas, here’s an easy list from Food Network.
As for the rest of the shower details, you have a ton of choices. Once you have the basics down, you’ve got a great start for a lovely party, and where you go from there is up to you. Whether you decide to play games, have a playlist going, or just sit and talk–any version can be wonderful and make for some great memories. But I’d get some hints from the bride. And once again, don’t be afraid to ask for help from the bride’s other besties!
Good luck!
