| Planning a Bridal Shower? Feeling
stressed out by this responsibility is natural. Try, for a change,
to think of the positive aspects of this activity. Not only will
this event be exciting for you, but you will be responsible for
the love and happiness felt by both the bride and her guests. With
your new positive attitude in hand, let’s take a look at some
tips to help make planning more enjoyable and, ultimately, more
rewarding.
The first thing to do after determining the shower date is to decide
exactly who will be attending. In terms of sheer number of guests
you should shoot for somewhere in between five and twenty. The reasoning
behind this is that any more than twenty guests can cause confusion
and stress for the bride, which is particularly unwelcome, as this
is supposed to be a comfortable, personal affair. It is important
to remember that this is the bride’s day and she should have
the final say on who attends. Ask her who she cannot imagine having
a shower without. These people will include family members from
her and the groom’s sides as well as her best friends. To
avoid embarrassment, double check that everyone who is attending
the bridal shower is also receiving an invitation to the wedding.
The next choice you face is the enjoyable task of selecting the
invitations. The exciting part about this decision is that it is
entirely up to you and the bride. You are free to choose any theme
or style of invitation. For example, if the bridal shower is to
be held in New York City, you may want to include the bright lights
of Times Square, or possibly the classic image of Carnegie Hall.
If your shower location does not lend itself to a theme, there is
no reason to worry. In this case the best course of action would
be to coordinate your invitations with those of the wedding. Similar
to wedding invitations, your bridal shower invitations will need
specific information. First and foremost is an RSVP date. Next you
should include the location and theme of the shower. Be sure to
inform the attendees of the guest of honor as well as the hostess
and her contact information. It is best to send the invitations
out around a month before the event to allow ample time for guests
to RSVP.
Now that you have sent out word of the shower, you can start planning
the actual event. One of the most important aspects of the shower
is the food that is served. Similar to a normal meal, you should
start with appetizers, making sure that they are not too filling.
Also, try to have a wide range of foods available in order to provide
an assortment of options for your guests. Keep in mind that some
people have food allergies, so it may be wise not to include foods
like shellfish. A variety of beverages is also desirable. At the
very least you should be able to offer water and various juices
to your guests.
Finally, when arranging the shower’s focal activities- gift
opening and game playing- be certain that you have allotted time
for informal interaction between the guests and bride. This will
allow for a much more relaxed and amicable atmosphere.
Hopefully this article has helped you in your quest to plan a splendid
and successful bridal shower. Remember that this activity does not
have to be stressful and can, if these steps are followed, be a
fun and fulfilling activity for you and a memorable one for the
bride.
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