Image Credit: Jordan Weiland via 100 Layer Cake
Yay! One of your closest girl friends is getting hitched and has asked you to be part of the bridal party. Of course you said, “I do” and jumped right on planning the bridal shower. But now that the glitter and congratulations have subsided, you’re left wondering when will I have time to do all this? Sound familiar? Between work, gym time, book club, cooking dinner, and whatever else you have going on in your life, planning a bridal shower can seem like a daunting task for a busy girl. Take a breath and read on because we’ve got some tips to help you plan the perfect bridal shower with little stress and lots of time to spare.
The Invitation
To save time, skip ordering, addressing, and mailing out paper invitations. Instead, opt for a digital invite. Check out Paperless Post for some gorgeous options. After you pick out the design, purchase coins through the website, stick a digital stamp on the envelope, and send away. And for the family and friends who don’t do email, just give them a quick call to let them know the details.
The Venue
There are plenty of options when it comes to venues: restaurants, lounges, outdoor spaces, rented rooms, special dining places (like tea rooms), spas, activity based (painting class, putting green, etc.), host home. Each has its positives and negatives so weigh out which will work best for the group. For instance, if you have a relatively small group you can consider setting up a spa day, but a larger group will probably work best at a restaurant, park, or home. You can always ask the bride-to-be what she prefers or what she definitely doesn’t want to get a better idea.
Photo by: Sara Wight via Inspired by This
The Decor
Picking out decor doesn’t have to be time consuming when you get creative. Look at what you already own or ask friends and family if they have something specific you need. Nothing interesting? Hop online for a bit of shopping so you can find exactly what you’re looking for. If you have more time, head to local shops to purchase what you need or get ideas. If the bridal shower will be at a restaurant or other public place, you’ll have less to think about in the decoration department.
The Menu
If you don’t have a lot of time to prepare a large meal, consider finger foods, veg/fruit trays, cheese and crackers, etc. You could also have food catered or ask guests to bring a dish for a potluck style bridal shower. Make sure you let everyone know exactly what they need to bring so you don’t end up with too much of the same thing. If all else fails, host the shower at a restaurant and provide some home-baked desserts for a personal touch.
Free printables from Cheryl Style
The Games
Putting together bridal shower activities and games might seem like a total chore – you don’t want them to be totally lame, but you also don’t want to spend hours and hours researching game ideas, buying whatever you need for the activities, and organizing it all the day of the party. The key is to not complicate the process. Think about the bridal shower theme and create an activity around it (i.e. kitchen theme/cooking class). Or print out games like the one above (or this one) for a simple, but fun activity.
The Favors
A busy girl doesn’t have time to get all Martha Stewart with the bridal shower favors, so head to Etsy for the perfectly crafted gift of your dreams. It’s still personable, customizable, and yours with the click of a button.
