Marriage logo

How to Make Your Bridal Shower Memorable

There’s the big day, then all the big days leading up to it—with so much much put into each event, make sure you learn how to make your bridal shower memorable.

By Samantha L. BannerPublished 6 years ago 5 min read
Like

Bridal showers are an important part of the wedding experience but sometimes they can be a little basic. Between the toilet paper dresses and bridal shower games—you’ve probably seen the same bridal shower 100 times. If you’re feeling like breaking the mold or doing something a little different, there are a ton bridal shower ideas for how to make your bridal shower memorable. For example: pick a bridal shower theme!! And when I say theme, I don’t mean calling it a beach theme and handing out sunglasses. I mean go all out. It’ll require a bit of planning but if you really want your bridal party and guests to have a memorable time, you’ve gotta put some effort in! Just a little.

Destination

Photo by Roberto Nickson (@g) on Unsplash

Hit the road ladies! Nothing helps a theme blossom like a killer location. And no this doesn’t mean you have to fly across country—this can still be an affordable bridal shower! Get boho chic at a local farm or park. Hit up one of the best locations for a girls only trip. Or stick to a restaurant vibe and reserve some space at any of the best places to brunch. If a destination shower isn’t going to work: host it at a family member's house and deck out the decorations with themed décor.

Time Warp

I know I’m not the only person who is OBSESSED with the 80’s. The music, the fashion—its all equally ridiculous and amazing. Even if the 80’s aren’t your thing, there are plenty of decades that make for a fantastic themed bridal shower. Play music from their favorite decade and serve food that was popular during that time! Just make sure you know your decades! If anyone plays 90’s hip hop albums at an 80’s themed party—I’m leaving.

Tea Party

Photo by Anete Lūsiņa on Unsplash

Class it up for your traditional bride with a sophisticated tea party! Teahouses have become increasingly popular and make for a great place for Instagram-worthy photos. The guests can snack on scones and teacakes and sip out of antique teacups! This theme also lends itself to great favors that guests can actually use. Who doesn’t love tea?

Implement a Dress Code

Most of the time, the only dress code for family and friends at a bridal shower is classy and anything but white. But think about how much fun it would be to implement a dress code that fits with your theme! Having a derby themed shower? As the guests to wear fancy hats! That 80’s party wouldn’t be complete without leggings and sweat bands. If your bride isn’t into the whole theme idea, maybe just choose her favorite color and request your guests to show up donning that shade!

Get Moving

Photo by Daniel Alvarez Sanchez Diaz on Unsplash

For many people, physical activity isn’t exactly a party. However, if you’re hosting a particularly active bunch, it could be fun to break a bit of a sweat! A roller rink, bowling alley, or an arcade would make for the perfect location for your playful bride. Sure, it might sound like a children’s party, but your bride is young at heart! And there’s no way her friends and family would forget a party like that.

Photo Finish

You know the saying: pictures or it didn’t happen. There are countless ways to document the epic bridal shower you’re planning your BFF. If you can drop some a few dollars hire a professional photographer to capture all those precious moments. If that is out of the budget, see if the bridal party can pool your funds together to rent a photo booth! If it’s a themed party you’ll definitely want to document the fun outfits and décor. For a more affordable option, set up a backdrop with some props and let the ladies snap away with their phones! The wedding hashtag will keep all the photos organized on the Internet and a Snapchat geofilter could be the cherry on top!

Fun Activities

Photo by Julie Johnson on Unsplash

Bride bingo is fun and all and I’m not saying you should exclude the timeless classic, but you can definitely kick it up a notch for a memorable bridal shower. If you have a bit of a boozy bride, break out the shakers and have a cocktail competition! Let your bride sip and judge her favorite! If you have an active bride, plan a bridal scavenger hunt! Spending some time in the backyard hunting for hidden objects is sure to be a laugh. For the boho bride, contact your local florist to host a flower crown making party! A hands on party is a great option for planning how to have a memorable bridal shower. Plus, the guests will be able to take home a favor they created! Win-win.

Be philanthropic.

As a future bride myself, sometimes I feel guilty about all the money that will be spent on this celebration. While it will certainly be one of the happiest days of my life—I don’t want to be excessive in my spending. A fantastic way to balancing this feeling would be donating to a cause. You can ask guests of the bridal shower to bring clothes or food for a local drive instead of gifts. Consider volunteering at a local food shelter with the bridal party. Or spend the day at the local zoo. The bride and guests will love giving back to the community while they celebrate.

Keep it casual.

Photo by Vita Marija Murenaite on Unsplash

Not all brides love being the center of attention—that’s okay! There are more low-key ways to make your bride feel special. Host a small pizza party at a friend’s house in the bride's honor or have a picnic in the backyard. You could arrange a potluck or a slumber party complete with a bloody Mary and mimosa bar. The bride will be thrilled that everyone got together in her honor without putting her in the uncomfortable spotlight.

Some Final Advice

As the maid of honor, or any member of the wedding party, listen to your bride. As long as she's not asking for the moon, the simplest way to make your bridal shower memorable is giving the bride what she wants. She will be incredibly grateful that you pay attention to what she likes/dislikes and that you truly planned an event for her as the guest of honor leading up to her wedding day.

bridal party
Like

About the Creator

Samantha L. Banner

Samantha Banner has been copywriting in the professional advertising space since 2014 and amateur writing in her diary for over 29 years. Follow her on Instagram or visit her website.

Reader insights

Be the first to share your insights about this piece.

How does it work?

Add your insights

Comments

There are no comments for this story

Be the first to respond and start the conversation.

Sign in to comment

    Find us on social media

    Miscellaneous links

    • Explore
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use
    • Support

    © 2024 Creatd, Inc. All Rights Reserved.