How to Host a Wedding Shower

A wedding shower gives everyone a chance to mingle and have fun while bestowing gifts on the bride-to-be. Traditional showers with ladies making quilts have given way to more creative celebrations that may involve men as well as women.

Difficulty: Moderate

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Wedding Shower Invitations
• Bridal Registries
• Guest Lists
• Candles
• Flowers
• Champagne
• Sparkling Cider
• Champagne Glasses
• Champagne Buckets
• Postage Stamps
• Personal Organizers
• Candles

1. Set a date for the shower. It should be held about four to six weeks before the wedding. A shower held closer to the wedding date may cause undue stress on the bride, who will be dealing with wedding details as the big day approaches.

2. Enlist the help of others in planning the shower. Bridesmaids and close friends should be your main support.

3. Choose a theme for the shower, if desired. See the Related eHow, "How to Host a Theme Wedding Shower," for ideas on appropriate themes.

4. Make a guest list. If you are not having a couples shower, your list should include female members of the bride's and groom's families, as well as bridal attendants and friends of the bride.

5. Make sure you get input from the bride when making the guest list.

6. Send invitations about a month before the shower. The invitation should include the shower's time and place, names of the hosts, a phone number for RSVP calls, the theme of the shower (if applicable) and bridal registry information.

7. Decide if you want to play games. A few games will get the guests interacting with one another. Games are generally played toward the beginning of the shower.

8. Make purchases a few days before the shower. Buy food, flowers, mints, nuts, place cards and anything else you need.

9. Set up your home or other location for the shower. Greet guests and be a charming hostess. Stick to your planned schedule and keep the shower moving along. Try not to let it last more than two hours.

Tips & Warnings

• Although it is not proper to include bridal registry information on a wedding invitation, it is fine to do so on a shower invitation.
• While the bride opens her gifts, make sure someone keeps a list of who has given what.

on 8/25/2006 Purchase a few faux branches from the Dollar Store, a tall clear vase, a couple of packets of crystal gems, white ribbon and white cardboard paper. Fill the vase with the gems and place the branches in the vase. Cut the cardboard into squares and hole punch the corners. Cut the ribbon into 6 inch pieces and thread through the each paper (these will be tied to the branches by guests). As guests arrive, ask them to write a wish or piece of advice for the bride-to-be and have them tie their wish to a branch. At the end of the shower the bride-to-be has something special to remember her shower in the years to come.

on 11/22/2005 If you are having a small shower consider asking married guest to bring their wedding albums. This happend at my cousin's wedding shower recently and she loved getting to see pictures from other weddings.

I think it worked well in this case mostly because the shower was very small and mostly family and close friends. This ment that everyone could gather around and see the pictures at once, and that everone had at least an idea of who the princapals of each wedding were.

I think this would be a bad idea for a wedding shower with a bride who want's to be the center of attention at this party. Someone who would enjoy having all of their friends fuss over them, or talk about their upcoming wedding might resent the distraction