How to Make Beautiful Bridal Showers

Treat guests to champagne at the bridal shower.

Of all of the details that a bride has to get together for her wedding day -- the date and venue, picking out the bridal party, writing a guest list -- the bridal shower is, luckily, left in the hands of the maid of honor and close friends. The bridal shower is a way to spend some girls-only time with the bride before the wedding day. Some bridal showers have a theme while others are simple or sophisticated.

Things You'll Need

• Food
• Invitations
• Champagne glasses
• Jellybeans
• Champagne
• Ice buckets
• Wine

Instructions

1. Choose a venue that’s convenient for the bride as well as the shower guests. If the bridal shower will be thrown at someone’s home, plan to have food catered. Holding the shower at a restaurant will take care of both the venue and the food.

2. Mail paper invitations to guests. While e-mail invitations are acceptable, since the bridal shower is much less formal than the wedding itself, traditional, mailed invitations are more sophisticated. Also, the invitation sets the tone of the party -- more formal invites will ensure that guests dress formal, not casual.

3. Set tables with champagne glasses that are filled with colorful, yummy jellybeans. Once guests eat the candies, they can imbibe in a bit of bubbly. Place bottles of champagne in ice buckets so that guests can help themselves.

4. Integrate the bride and groom’s monogram onto elements at the bridal shower. Cocktail napkins, for example, can be custom-made to include the monogrammed initials.

5. Incorporate a wine and cheese tasting into the bridal shower. This is a sophisticated way to provide food, alcohol and entertainment for guests.

6. Book a live band to play at the shower. The band should be somewhat low key and able to play softer, slower music in the background. Even a two-person band, like an acoustic guitar player and a singer is, a great idea for a bridal shower.

Tips & Warnings

• It’s typically the maid of honor’s responsibility to plan and host the bridal shower, but any member of the wedding party can take the reins. Also, the shower should be held at least four months before the wedding date. It can be held a little later if there’s going to be an engagement party as well.

• Throwing a shower at a restaurant can get pricey. Decide who will pay for the shower -- the host can pay for everything, of she can ask guests to purchase their own meal. If guests will be chipping in, clarify this in the invitation. In this case, whoever is throwing the shower should provide dessert for guests.

References

• The Frisky: 10 Ways to Throw a Bridal Shower that Doesn’t Suck
• Home and Garden Ideas: How to Throw a Memorable Bridal Shower
• MSNBC: How to Throw the Best Baby or Bridal Shower