Hosting a bridal shower can be a nerve-wracking task, especially if you have never planned an event like that before. It doesn’t have to send you into a panic though. These events are supposed to be a fun way for friends and family to celebrate the bride and give her the attention she deserves before her big day.

A bridal shower is a great way to celebrate the bride’s unique style and accentuate her preferences. For example, you can theme a shower according to her taste in arts and culture, or you might opt to make it traditional.  Your options are endless. Unlike a bachelorette party, this usually takes place during the day and guests are expected to bring gifts. Here are some tips to help you plan the perfect bridal shower for the beautiful bride.

Who to Invite

As mentioned, a bridal shower is an event for friends and family to celebrate the bride. It’s usually an intimate party, meaning you will only invite the people closest to her. You’ll want to talk to get the wedding guest list from the bride so that you only invite people who are going to the main event. It’s easiest to work from that list so that you don’t accidentally invite someone to the shower who was not asked to attend the wedding. That could be awkward, to put it mildly. Make sure you also extend invitations to the members of the bridal party.

When to Hold the Event

Typically, you will want to have the wedding shower a couple of months before the big day. If your loved one planned their wedding quickly, it’s okay to do it sooner but remember you are going to send out invitations and you want people to have ample time to arrange their schedules so they can attend the party.

Party Decorations and Venue

If you are the one hosting the party, remember that you are also paying for it. That’s important to keep in mind when you are choosing a venue for the celebration. You can host it at your home or somewhere else, like at a place you both first met. For example, if you’re looking into wedding venues in Atlanta because you met there, that might be the perfect spot for a party.  You may also think about having it at a restaurant she loves, just make sure it fits in your budget.

If you choose to hold it in your home or somewhere that allows you to decorate, you will want the decorations to match the bride’s style. For instance, if she is a minimalist, you can probably get away with a few tasteful flower arrangements and a chic banner. To make the decor useful as well as pretty, look for items like this yellow canister set to put the flowers in or even use them as snack containers. Gift them to the bride when the party’s over. Decorating is simple and you can find a lot of brilliant DIY ideas online to help give you a little inspiration. If it falls in your budget, you might even ask someone else to decorate the event for you.

The Menu

The menu can be a little tricky because you want to make sure that you provide a selection of different dishes for the guests that also meet the dietary needs of the bride. The first thing you can do is to ask her if she wants anything specific. We have a wide variety of recipes to choose from whether you are doing appetizers and desserts, a full meal, or a buffet.

After you decide on the menu, you’ll want to make sure that you create little cards that let the guests know what the dishes are. If something contains nuts or eggs, make sure you jot that on the card so that anyone with an allergy can avoid that dish. The last thing you want is to see someone the bride loves end up in the emergency room because they ate something they are allergic to.

Have a Good Time

Finally, remember to have a good time. Sometimes things come up during party planning that can stress you out but just roll with it. Everything will work out in the end. The bride obviously loves you or she would not have asked you to host the party. It’s going to be a great day that all of you will remember for years to come. And hey, if you have a great time with this party, maybe you’ll be asked to host the baby shower if the bride and groom decide to expand their family.