Planning the perfect Bridal Shower
So your bestie has asked you to stand by her side at her wedding as either a bridesmaid or as maid of honour! What a beautiful gesture since you’ve been besties for as long as you can remember! Along with the honour of being an important part of your bestie’s big day, comes with it some party planning opportunities. Keep reading for some tips and inspiration on Planning the perfect Bridal Shower for the soon to be bride. One she will remember forever.
First things first, you need a theme. Yes, the bride is the guest of honour but here is a chance to show her off AND some of the things she loves. Themed events also help with the direction of all other things like decor, games and food/drink. No matter the theme, I recommend you incorporate the following components
Photo Backdrop
Every good party has an area where invited guests can snap those Instagram worthy photos. After all, we attend events in our best dress (especially after not having attended events for so long with Covid-19). Your guests will swoon over a photo area to snap their smiles with the guest of honour. This can be as simple as a plain wall with an organic balloon garland, or a boxwood green wall with handmade paper flowers. Most decorators (ourselves included) have a range of different colours and styles of backdrops to offer. The possibilities are endless!
Balloons
Balloons are a great way to fill in space and make an impact. They are easy to tear down and good quality balloons are now biodegradable. Balloons are versatile and now come in so many colours, shapes and sizes. We recently expanded our service offerings into balloon installations and we are having a ball(00n) designing custom garlands, balloons walls, bouquets and arrangements.
Chair Decor
If gift opening is part of the activities at your bridal shower, consider a nice chair for the bride to be to feel special sitting in. Maybe you can jazz it up by attaching faux or real flrorals to the chair, or a “bride to be” sign. There are local vendors who rent lavish chairs specifically for this reason. Ask your decor specialist for advice with this.
Cake, Cupcakes and Sweets
Nothing says celebration more than a cake or cupcakes do. Once you determine your theme, talk to your confectionery specialist about options on how to incorporate your theme into the colours, flavours and design of your cake.
Custom Signage
Think Welcome sign, neon sign, drink station sign, guest book table sign as well as place cards. These can be custom made using chalkboards, mirrors, wood and acrylic. Get creative with this. For example these citrus wheels were transformed into place cards for a citrus themed event.
Linens, Plates, Straws and Napkins
Lush linens and sparkly linens can elevate the look of your event. It might be all you need to jazz up the snacks table. A cost effective way to tie in more colours and your theme is to buy colourful paper napkins and disposable plates.
Specialty Drink
We are specialist when it comes to creating specialty drinks. Find out the guest of honour’s favourite spirit and incorporate the theme colours and flavours into your drink recipe. Think outside the box with garnish ideas and glassware to serve this in. There are many non alcoholic options to chose from as well, or simply be sure to offer something non alcoholic. A fun way to liven up your cocktail is by freezing edible flowers into ice cubes.
Snacks
Wether you go the route of hiring a caterer or the DIY route of putting together the snacks yourself, nibbley type foods are a must for bridal showers and celebrations. Again, playing on your theme, you can tie in snack ideas and make cute signs describing what the treats are. Bite size, easy to handle and eat are the best idea here. Be sure to have options to accommodate the most common dietary restrictions like vegetarian and gluten free.
Music
This can be as simple as softly playing an Apple Music or Spotify playlist. If time permits, build the playlist yourself by choosing your bestie’s favourite tunes. Music is a good distraction during the sometimes awkward moments of the first guest arriving or when conversations might not be flowing.
There are so many other decor and party planning considerations but if you plan to incorporate the above must haves, your party will be a great success!
