Bridal Shower Planning

Bridal Shower Planning: Keeping it Under Wraps

There are so few surprises in this day and age, that throwing someone a surprise party is a very thoughtful gesture. The bride-to-be may be so inundated with all the wedding preparations that even if you think she wants to be a part of the bridal shower planning, let her out of it.

Why You Should Keep it a Secret

There are two reasons for this. If the bride likes to be on top of things (read as have everything go according to her plan) it will give you some leeway to be creative when planning her bridal shower. Otherwise if she is in to the planning, you will just be puppets doing everything she asks you to – plus picking up the tab for her outrageously priced cake and party favors. If it is a surprise, you can get away with whatever theme, style and budget you are comfortable with.

On the other hand if your friend or family member, a.k.a the bride is very laid back, she might not even be expecting a bridal shower out of the blue so by planning a surprise bridal shower you will really be making her day. Especially if this is not the first time she is tying the knot or if she has children, she might think no one is bridal shower planning for her. Well, capitalize on her low expectations and really make her glow.

Bridal shower planning should keep the brides likes and dislikes in mind but it shouldn’t be the bride who does everything. She is the guest of honor and guests just arrive and are entertained. So keep it that way. Ask her mother or best friend to let you in on her likes and dislikes in case you are planning the bridal shower instead of them. Call her friends in advance and ask them for ideas, but not too many.

Take the Credit!

You are going to be putting in most of the time and money in bridal shower planning and therefore take the credit for it. If you ask too many people for their ideas, you may have to incorporate so many differences in your bridal shower planning and it can get messy.

If the bride likes contemporary bold colors instead of frilly pastels, do not feel obliged to go with tradition and coordinate the bridal shower planning into pinks and whites. You can have a black and red bridal shower if you think that will suit the personality of the guest of honor more than traditional color schemes. Enjoy!