How to Plan an Outdoor Bridal Shower

Planning a bridal shower during the winter can be very stressful. You need to find an indoor location to host the shower, whether it is at someone’s home or a hall. One of the main benefits of having a bridal shower when the weather is warm is that you can hold it outdoors. An outdoor bridal shower is also likely to be less expensive.

Instructions

1. Find somewhere to hold an outdoor bridal shower. A friend or family member’s backyard will usually work well. Before choosing a location to hold the bridal shower, be sure to create a list of guests. You would not want to hold a bridal shower for over 50 people in a backyard that is only equipped for 20 or less. Be sure to take factors such as plumbing into consideration. A house that has two bathrooms is far more capable of holding 100 women than a house with only one.

2. Place foldout tables and chairs throughout the yard. Remember that there should be as many chairs as there are guests. One of the tables should be designated for bridal shower gifts. Since it is best to serve food in a buffet style when hosting an outdoor bridal shower, do not forget to make one of the tables a station for food, drinks, napkins, paper plates, plastic utensils and anything else.

3. Decide what food you would like to serve at the outdoor bridal shower. Most types of food will go over well and can be kept outdoors. Anything that melts or spoils easily should be avoided. Some of the best food options for an outdoor bridal shower include baked ziti, chicken wings and salad. Foods that spoil easily, such as cold cuts and cheeses, should be kept in a cool area or at least underneath an umbrella to prevent them from spoiling due to the sun’s heat.

4. Come up with some different bridal shower games and activities that can be played outdoors. A number of popular bridal shower games can be played outdoors. Some of these include decorating pages for a photo album and trivia about the bride. Another very popular outdoor bridal shower game is having different groups of guests design a wedding gown out of the toilet paper. Give awards out for the most creative, the most elegant, and anything else that you can think of. Finally, don’t forget about playing a bridal shower-themed Bingo game, in which words related to weddings are called and guests say “Bride” instead of “Bingo” when they win.

Tips & Warnings

• Let guests know about your preferred attire.

• Consider choosing a time of year that is generally warm but not overly hot.

• Have a backup location in case of rain.

• Make sure that you send the invitations at least a month in advance.

• Don’t assume that everyone will be able to come to the bridal shower just because it is less formal.