When Does The Bride Arrive At Her Bridal Shower?

A bridal shower is a pre-wedding celebratory event where friends and family come together to celebrate the bride, and sometimes with the addition of the groom. It typically takes place two to three months before the wedding day, but planning this event can take quite some time. Bridal shower invitations can be sent out four to six weeks before the shower, and it is important to include necessary information for shower guests, such as the date, location, registry information for gifts, and how they will be received.

A bridal shower is a pre-wedding celebratory event where friends and family come together to celebrate the bride, and sometimes with the addition of the groom, ahead of the wedding ceremony. The guest list generally does not include people who came to a shower for her first wedding. If friends plan to invite people who have already shownered the honoree, then a luncheon, tea, or cocktail party—without gifts—is a better option.

The first step in planning a bridal shower is deciding on a budget. The host traditionally pays for the event, which typically includes the bridal party, bridesmaids, close friends, and the bride’s female family members. One popular idea is hosting an event with a gift-giving theme, such as buying guest of honor gifts for the kitchen, relaxation gifts like plush robes, travel-themed items, or lingerie.

There are no hard and fast rules when it comes to what a bride should wear to her bridal shower, and there are no hard and fast rules when it comes to invitation etiquette. Some brides are choosing to eschew white altogether in favor of colors that reflect their personal taste and wedding.

Does your fiance come to the bridal shower?

Should my fiancé go to the bridal shower? You and your fiancé can decide if he should go to the bridal shower. He should show up at the end of the shower to say hello and help load the car with gifts. Some men even play games. He should bring flowers for his bride. If your fiancé feels uncomfortable joining the party at the end, it’s okay. He might want to spend time with his friends. Should my fiancé attend the whole bridal shower? If you’re hosting a couples shower, both of you should be there. If your fiancé shows up, it’ll probably be toward the end of the event. A good amount of time is about an hour. Most showers last two to three hours. What should my fiancé do at the bridal shower? A bridal shower is to celebrate you and your fiancé. It’s a time to spend with the people you love, giving you gifts, well wishes, and lots of love. Your job is to relax, enjoy the party, and chat with loved ones who came to see you. Your fiancé should relax too.

Who comes to your bridal shower?

The bridal party and immediate family members come first on the guest list. If the bride welcomes children at her shower, guests may also include nieces, the flower girl, and junior bridesmaids. Friends from the couple’s social circle will likely attend. You don’t have to invite plus ones, co-workers, or friends of your parents unless you’re close to them. Traditionally, showers were for women only, but coed showers are common if there are bridesmen in the bridal party. A Jack and Jill shower is for everyone, including close male friends. The groom and his dad may come at the end to thank everyone for their gifts and well wishes. The bride and host decide who should be there to celebrate the couple. What to do at a bridal shower. Nowadays, couples often have joint showers with both their loved ones present. Sometimes, there are more than one shower to fit in with different guests. While showers are usually for adults, some couples include children and have kid-friendly activities. The party details depend on who’s coming and where it’s happening.

Who does the bride invite to the bridal shower?

The bridal party and immediate family members come first on the guest list. If the bride welcomes children at her shower, guests may also include nieces, the flower girl, and junior bridesmaids. Friends from the couple’s social circle will likely attend. You don’t have to invite plus ones, co-workers, or friends of your parents unless you’re close to them. Traditionally, showers were for women only, but coed showers are common if there are bridesmen in the bridal party. A Jack and Jill shower is for everyone, including close male friends. The groom and his dad may come at the end to thank everyone for their gifts and well wishes. The bride and host decide who should be there to celebrate the couple. What to do at a bridal shower. Nowadays, couples often have joint showers with both their loved ones present. Sometimes, there are more than one shower to fit in with different guests. While showers are usually for adults, some couples include children and have kid-friendly activities. The party details depend on who’s coming and where it’s happening.

Is 4 months before a wedding too early for a bridal shower?

A bridal shower should be held between one and three months before the wedding. It’s not fair to wedding guests to have marriage celebrations in your honor for more than a few months. Plus, pre-wedding events build excitement for the main event (your wedding). If a bridal shower is six months before the wedding, guests will probably lose interest before the invitations go out. A bridal shower less than a month before the wedding is also not ideal. You won’t have time to write thank-you cards for your bridal shower. Two, even a small bridal shower can be overwhelming for a bride. It’s good for your mind to have some space between busy events. Three, guests who are giving you gifts could use more than a couple of weeks to recover from spending money on you. Some engagements are too short for a bridal shower more than a month in advance. If people have to fly or drive long distances to attend your bridal shower and wedding, you may want to leave more than three months between the events to save on travel costs. Sometimes, the party has to be outside of the one-to-three-month range to allow all your close friends to attend.

What is the typical schedule of a bridal shower?

10:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.: The host arrives at the bridal shower venue and sets up for the party. 1:00 p.m.–1:30 p.m.: Guests arrive, enjoy appetizers, and mingle. 1:30 p.m.–2:00 p.m.: Serve the main meal and dessert, or keep mingling. 2:00 p.m.–2:30 p.m.: Guests play bridal shower games. 2:30 p.m.–3:30 p.m.: Bride opens gifts. If you’re planning to invite her partner as a surprise, they should arrive at this time. 3:30 p.m.–4:00 p.m.: The host thanks everyone for coming and gives out favors. 4:00 p.m.: Bridal shower ends. Guests leave. Time to clean up! Bridal Shower Planning FAQs. Who plans the bridal shower? The maid or matron of honor usually plans the bridal shower. Bridesmaids, parents, and other relatives help with decorating, cooking, and planning. Who pays for the bridal shower? The host pays for the bridal shower. If you are co-hosting the shower with bridesmaids or other relatives, you can split the costs.

When should you arrive to your bridal shower?

Time of arrival. Guests should arrive on time for the bridal shower. The host has put a lot of work into planning the event. It’s rude to arrive late. Allow 10-15 minutes to find parking and get to the location. Bridal shower gift. It’s customary to bring a gift to a bridal shower. Choose the right gift. Guests usually buy something from the bride’s registry. If you want to be creative, ask the bride what she needs or wants. Bring a card with a message for the bride-to-be.

Play games and do activities. Bridal showers often have games and activities. As a guest, you should take part in the activities to show your support for the bride-to-be. If you don’t know how to participate, ask the hostess.

What is expected of the bride at a bridal shower?

What happens at a bridal shower? Guests often bring gifts for the bride and groom at a bridal shower. These gifts are for the couple’s new home. The bride opens her gifts in front of the guests and thanks them. The bride also does other things at this event. Bridal showers also involve games, food, and drinks. Every unforgettable bridal shower has lots of food. Finger food is always expected at a bridal shower. There are lots of ways to have fun with it. Incorporate your bridal shower theme into the food you provide. If you’re going for a fiesta theme, serve mini tacos on a colorful table. If you’re doing a beach theme, offer guests cupcakes with sea creatures. Or if you’re hosting a bridal tea party, serve cookies and pastries!

Is a bridal shower 3 or 4 hours?

Keep it short. Weichelt says bridal showers should last between two and four hours. If it’s too short, guests won’t get to spend time with the bride. If it’s too long, they’ll want to leave. Three hours is probably about right. Include a start and end time on your invitations. Time flies when you’re having fun. You’ve heard it before. It’s true. Guests will have more fun when they have something to do. Weichelt suggests doing something other than wedding bingo or the Newlywed Game. More brides are skipping shower games. They’d rather socialize. But there should be more than just gifts. Games like flower arranging, cookie or cake decorating, and candle making are fun for guests. Try something different. If you’re nervous about timing, Barksdale suggests doing something different, like a wedding tea. She suggests a wedding tea instead of a shower. At a bridal tea, gifts are placed on a table with the card of who gave it in front. This lets the bride spend more time with friends and family. I suggest a Sunday afternoon from 1 to 3 PM.

What comes first, a bridal shower or a bachelorette?

Your bachelorette party is usually a few months before your wedding. If you’re going away for a weekend or a week, you might plan it before your wedding. Bridal showers happen closer to the wedding. A bridal shower is about the wedding, so it usually happens closer to the wedding. Another difference between a bridal shower and a bachelorette party is where the party is held. You can host either event almost anywhere, but a bachelorette party is often at a venue and a bridal shower at the host’s home. Bachelorette parties are often held at bars, restaurants, and rental houses. You might go to another country to stay in a villa or stay in a hotel in the city. Bridal showers are often hosted at home or at a local restaurant.

What not to do at a bridal shower?

Don’t mix up the bridal shower and the bachelorette party. They’re two different events. … Don’t share every detail of the shower on social media. … Don’t invite anyone who isn’t invited to the wedding. … Don’t give raunchy gifts at the bridal shower. … Don’t plan the whole shower yourself. Weddings have traditions like bridal showers. A bridal shower is a daytime celebration for the bride-to-be. Friends play games, eat, and give gifts to the bride-to-be. Bridal shower etiquette. The bridal shower is usually hosted by the maid of honor, close friends, bridal attendants, or bridesmaids. Mothers and mothers-in-law shouldn’t host showers. If there are more than one shower, the hosts should talk about the guest lists.

Showers usually happen a few weeks to a few months before the wedding. The bride can help with the guest list, but it shouldn’t include people not invited to the wedding. People usually dress up for showers. Wear something you’d wear for brunch or lunch.

Who should the bride invite to the bridal shower?

Best friends. The bride is the star, so her friends should be first on the guest list. This includes the bridesmaid. This may or may not include other friends. If some of the bride’s close friends aren’t in the wedding party, they should still be invited. Having them there will make the wedding more fun.

Coworkers. If you have close co-workers, invite them to the wedding shower. Don’t feel obligated to invite everyone you work with. Only invite coworkers you consider friends and get lunch with or hang out with outside the office. If you’re inviting just a few work friends and not a larger group, be considerate. Don’t talk about your bridal shower planning at work if not everyone is invited. It’s your shower, but don’t go overboard with people who can’t come.