Posh Showers - Baby Shower & Bridal Shower Favors, Games, and Invitations

Hosting a bridal shower can be an amazing time, but like any successful party, it can take a lot of planning to get it right. A bridal shower usually kicks off the pre-wedding events and is a fantastic way for the bride-to-be to de-stress from her hectic, chaotic wedding planning frame of mind. The bridal shower is a great reminder to the bride-to-be of why she's getting married in the first place and to enjoy the company of her friends and family. This is a day for the bride-to-be to relax and glow in pre-wedding bliss! But keep in mind that however much fun the shower is for the bride-to-be, at the same time it should not create stress and worry for the hostess(es). Posh Shower's foremost goal is to make throwing a shower as carefree as possible by taking the work out of it. With that in mind, we have compiled helpful tips and suggestions for those planning a shower.

Who Hosts a Shower I For Whom Showers are Given I Length of Shower
Choosing the Time and Type of Shower: Luncheon or Light
Choosing a Venue or Theme I Games I Favors I Invitations
Helpful Tips

Who Hosts a Shower

Traditionally those in the bridal party co-host the shower, as the maid/matron of honor takes the lead role. Sometimes however, the bridal party is scattered geographically, making it difficult to host the shower.

So these days anyone can do it, whether she is a friend, relative or co-worker - anything goes!

For Whom are Showers Given

Bridal showers are usually thrown for first time brides however, if the bride-to-be is having a full-blown wedding the second time around as well, requesting a shower is entirely at the discretion of the bride-to-be.

Length of Shower

A bridal shower generally lasts 2 to 3 hours in length, which includes plenty of time to socialize, snack, play games, eat cake, and have the bride-to-be open presents. A shower that is less than 3 hours keeps the pace lively so guests are entertained the entire time.

Choosing the Time and Type of Shower

The type and time of shower you throw go hand-in-hand. The most traditional showers are the Luncheon Shower or the Light Shower.

Luncheon Shower

If you want to serve a meal, a luncheon shower is right for you. The luncheon shower should be at mealtime, so that the guests will expect to be fed and will come hungry. Noon or one o'clock is probably the most natural time for a luncheon shower. This allows the hostess(es) a comfortable span of a few hours of prep time before the guests arrive to arrange decorations, favors, etc. Tables and seat accommodations should be provided for guests at a luncheon shower to avoid having them awkwardly eat meals on their laps or have to hunt for a spot to be at ease.

To keep the luncheon shower moving at a good pace, budget the following for time typical shower activities:

Greeting/Socializing/Drinks (30 minutes)
Lunch (20-30 minutes)
Games (30-60 minutes)
Cake (10 minutes)
Presents (30-60 minutes)

Light Shower

If serving a full meal isn't the way to go for you, than a light shower is just right. A light shower should be at a non-typical mealtime so that guests do not create their own expectation that a meal will be served. A good time for a light shower would be two or three o'clock in the afternoon. At a light shower, it is appropriate to serve appetizers and finger-foods. Also at a light shower, there should be more time allowed for socializing, as it's easier to move around holding appetizers and drinks. Formal seating is unnecessary.

To keep the light shower moving at a good pace, budget the following for time:

Greeting/Socializing/Drinks/Appetizers (30-45 minutes)
Games (45-60 minutes)
Cake (10 minutes)
Presents (30-60 minutes)

Of course, the luncheon shower and light shower outlined above are along traditional shower guidelines. If you want to mix it up a bit that's always okay as long as you keep the bride-to-be at the forefront of your planning.

Choosing a Venue or Theme

Since it's the bride-to-be's day, the type of shower you choose should suit her. Bridal showers are traditionally held in a home or a restaurant. However, alternative locations are perfectly acceptable with sound reasoning behind them. For example, if the bride-to-be is an outdoor kind of girl, then holding the shower in a park setting may be an ideal venue. This might also work best if the bride-to-be has lots of guests she would like to invite and space is a concern. You could even make it fun with a "picnic" theme. If the bride-to-be loves tea or a more sedate ambiance, having the shower at a tearoom is more fitting. This would work well for a more intimate setting with fewer guests. The venue is completely up to your best judgment and other factors such as the budget, but try to keep the bride-to-be's preferences in mind.

Themes are trendy but optional. If the bride-to-be has a theme for her wedding such as hearts, doves, rings or bells, you can always throw a "theme shower" based on that. Themes can be inspiring and help to tie different pieces of the shower together, from invitations, to decorations and favors. Creating a memorable experience for the guests and bride-to-be is the intention.

Remember, the shower will be much more successful and fun if it reflects the bride-to-be's personality and style. It's fantastic to celebrate what's positive and unique about her!

Games:

No shower is complete without fun and games. Plan to have at least 3 games prepared that take around 10 minutes each (see our Bridal Shower Game Kits section) and at least 4 prizes ready to be handed out to the lucky winners. Games should encourage interaction between the guests. For games in which the participants must write down answers, instead of reading answers out loud , ask the guests to tell you the answers. This is an easy way to encourage participation and interaction with your guests. It's enjoyable to make a big deal out of awarding the prize by letting the winners select which prize they want and then opening the gift and passing it around for everyone to admire.

Favors

Providing favors for showers is becoming much more fashionable and are almost expected. Favors add a pleasant, decorative touch to any shower and should reflect both the bride-to-be and the type of shower you are hosting. Favors are a way to give guests a tangible, lasting memory of the shower. Traditional favors aren't necessarily kept for long, so make the favors fun items that guests will actually use and get enjoyment from, such as bath salts, lip glosses, cookie cutters, etc. (see our Bridal Showers Favor selections).

Invitations:

Invitations set an important tone and should provide as many details as possible about the shower. Is the event outdoors? Will food be served? Guests will have many questions and the invitations should inform them well and set their expectations so they show up ready to enjoy whatever you've worked hard to plan!

Have the bride-to-be provide you with a guest list as soon as she can. Showers are typically held 6-8 weeks prior to the wedding as this gives the bride-to-be time to arrange all the wonderful shower gifts in her home (and to make room for the wedding gifts!) and write thank-you notes prior to the big day.

Invitations (see our Bridal Showers Invitations selections) should be sent out 4-6 weeks before the shower to allow plenty of notice to the guests. Make sure that the invitation or an insert card lists where the bride-to-be is registered, what type of food will be served, the address and/or directions to the shower, the date, time, and RSVP requirements. Suggested wording for invitations may be found at http://www.verseit.com.

Helpful Tips

Tip: Have the bride-to-be provide you with a guest list at least 8 weeks before the shower as the number of attendees is vital in determining the type of shower you will hold, the location, number of favors, etc. The sooner you start organizing and planning, the smaller the amount of last minute stress you will have! Also, this makes it easier to absorb the cost of the shower as you can spread out your purchases over a greater amount of time.

Tip: It is good to note on the invitations if and what type of food will be served. If this is not noted, guests tend to eat right before the shower since they are unsure if food will be provided.

Tip: Make sure the bride-to-be plans to arrive at her shower a comfortable amount of time, perhaps even as little as a few minutes, before the guests arrive so she is able to greet them personally.

Tip: If the bride-to-be is inviting guests from different parts of her life who don't know each other, such as relatives, co-workers or old high school friends , it's a good idea to provide your guests with nametags. To make it fun, you can have the guests write not only their names but also how they know the bride-to-be. Nametags also make it easier for the hostess(es) to know all of the guests' names when it comes time to record the gifts for the bride-to-be.

Tip: Assign someone to take pictures during the shower for the a special photo album. This is a memorable event that the bride-to-be will definitely want documented.

Tip: For coed showers, make sure to have prizes and favors that men would be sure to enjoy too! Candles are probably a good gift for both men and women as long as they are not overtly feminine. Another good option is a gift card for a unisex store or a pair of movie tickets.

Tip: Make sure that guests have something hard to write on, like a book or magazine, if tables are not provided for games.

Tip: In the event that a game results in a tie and you do not have an extra gift to give out, an easy tiebreaker is to find out which one has known the bride the longest and make that person the winner.

Tip: It's good to serve the cake right before the bride-to-be opens her gifts, as this will keep the guests occupied as she's opening her presents.

Tip: Make sure to have a checklist of items to have handy the day of the shower, particularly if you are not hosting the shower in your home. Nothing stresses one out like forgetting something important. We even have a checklist that you can utilize to help prepare for the event (see our checklist). Using everything that you can find here should help you stay on track for a fun, fabulous shower that's sure to be a hit!