| Marriage is an important milestone
in anyone’s life, and is celebrated amongst friend and family
members, but can it also be taken to the office setting? With diligent
planning and eager colleagues, of course it can. The events surrounding
such an occasion as a bridal shower does not have to be excluded
from the workplace: the enthusiasm for your happiness is mutual,
the energy level is just as high, and most importantly, the planning
that revolves around such an affair is generally parallel to what
one would face outside of the office. The event coordinator is the
person responsible for the majority of the planning of a bridal
shower, and does not differ in this case. For the most part, the
person who is determined to undertake this specific role is usually
someone familiar with the star of the show: the up and coming bride.
There are some steps one must take in order to undergo a successful
bridal shower and the main thing is approval of the event from the
head official, or boss. After that, there’s the task of choosing
a specific day and an appropriate time for the shower to take place.
The rest of the planning is simple and can be addressed in a few
simple steps:
The Guests
Who is to be invited to such an event is determined by the size
of your workplace. In theory, for such a special occasion, you would
love to have everyone celebrate such a joyous event, but this is
only possible if you work in a small, intimate environment. When
dealing with a large corporation or office, it is best to limit
the number of workers, and invite people who you are familiar with
or a smaller branch of the department…generally who you would
appreciate the most for attending.
The Invitation
Usually, one would assume that they would have to go through the
extra length of buying elaborate invitations printed on expensive
paper, but in the office, that isn’t mandatory. Since you
see these people everyday, it is more than appropriate to extend
an invitation to guests by electronic mail or simply approaching
them.
The Location
Where the event is to take place, once again, varies on the general
environment. If the workspace is small, the bridal shower can easily
take place right in the office. However, if there is a distinguishable
area that can be used, do not hesitate to hold it there. In addition,
the setting can also extend further than the realm of the office.
At everyone’s lunch break, it can be arranged for everyone
to meet up at a restaurant not too far from the workplace. The only
precaution to take though, is to make sure that you call in advance
to let them know how many are attending and when.
The Duration
Time is very important when dealing with a workplace. If the bridal
shower is to be celebrated during business hours, please be mindful
that the event usually should not exceed more than an hour. However,
to avoid such a limited time frame, the bridal shower can be scheduled
to take place after work is done for the day.
Refreshments
Sometimes a simple cake is appropriate, but there are many different
ways to handle such a situation. If a full lunch is desired, the
best method is to have a buffet. You could have a potluck where
each person is expected to contribute to the menu, but it is efficient
if you make sure before the expected day what everyone is bringing
to keep the menu diverse: you don’t want everyone to show
up bringing forks or just macaroni and cheese. Some of the best
selections are sandwiches and assorted fruit platters, however if
the star of the show has a specific food she enjoys, you can have
this as the theme of the food. If this calls for too much coordination,
colleagues often put in money to have food from restaurants sent
to the office. Most importantly, make sure that there is enough
plates and silverware to go around, and keep in mind no matter what
you plan, it is never appropriate to serve alcohol.
The Decorations
Technically, decorations are never really necessary, but they bring
a vital piece to the celebration: atmosphere. If you decide to opt
for this, party gear such as floral decoration, colorful balloons
and streamers are efficient, and the best choice for setting and
cleaning up.
The Gifts
The most common method for giving gifts in the office, once again
is everyone pitching in to buy one or more items. It is the job
of the event coordinator to find an appropriate gift either by asking
or using discretion. One of the simplest and less complicated ideas
is the purchase of a gift card.
The Favors
Favors are a fun and entertaining way to thank people for attending,
but like decorations, it is never mandatory. Favors can be bought
at local party stores, or you can recruit the help of a skilled
colleague to make them for you.
These are mostl of the elements that are needed to make a bridal
shower in the workplace a success. Compared to other events, they
can be relatively simple, but if further explanation is needed,
please feel free to browse this site’s additional related
pages.
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