Essentials You Need to Set Up Your Sister’s Bridal Shower

27 Dresses, Princess Diaries 2, and Mamma Mia: What makes these three renowned romance-comedy movies similar? The bridal showers! Lucky for you, you’ll be the supporting character in your sister’s spotlight moment. Although this character is somehow “on the sidelines,” her task isn’t easy! 

Planning a bridal shower sure is difficult! There are so many things to consider for the preparation phase and many unforeseen circumstances that you must be ready for. It is the prelude to an event wherein she seals a lifelong companionship with the love of her life. This is one of the dreams your sister has long waited for. Hence, it is only natural that you take part in ensuring this bridal shower’s success! 

Don’t know where to start? No worries! We’ve got you covered. Taking a breather from all the details is important to consider and see the bigger picture. Main concepts can help you clear your mind and give you a headstart when planning bridal showers. Here are some essentials you need to consider while setting up your sister’s bridal shower! 

Venue

Girls having fun on the beach

Where will the bridal shower take place? It’s important to consider your sister’s preferences while planning this part out. Is she not exactly the conservative type? Maybe we can skip a church function hall venue. However, if she is especially faithful and has found a family in her churchmates, then the church hits close to home. Is she a fan of salty air, sunshine, beach waves, and fresh winds? Perhaps you should consider a beach venue! Does she love floral scenery and being surrounded by nature? A landscaped garden is a great option. 

It’s also important to consider the season while planning the venue. If it rains or snows often around the bridal shower date, then it would be wise to consider an indoor venue instead. If the weather is expected to be sunny, then most likely, a vibrant, beautiful view of the sunset may be expected.

Invitations

You can start by listing all the people you think your sister would like to celebrate her bridal shower with. This list shouldn’t necessarily include everyone on the guest list, but instead, enlist names of those who hold a certain level of closeness with the bride. The usual tradition includes the bride’s friends, her mother, aunts, and other female family members. It’s a given that the bridesmaids and maid of honor will be present in the bridal shower.

For those who are younger and familiar with technology, you can opt to send them a digital invite instead of printing out invitations and mailing them since the latter is costly and time-consuming. It is recommended, though, to send the older invitees a hard copy of the invitation because there is a high chance that they will miss the invitation if it is sent online. 

The next step is to choose a design. You don’t have to go overboard, but remember that having a design that resonates with the bride or with the wedding theme they have selected is a way to show your thoughtfulness. Here’s an example of a bridal shower invitation! It includes a catchy phrase, the bride’s name, and the setting. 

Bridal shower activities

Bridal Shower Guests having fun

What’s going to happen during the bridal shower? Again, it’s important to take some time to ponder and think about what the bride’s preferences are. Does she love pampering and beautifying herself? Then a spa day may be greatly valued. This may include manicures, pedicures, facials, massages, and/or foot spas. 

Is the bride the playful type who enjoys games? Then she might find the bridal shower fun if it included her favorite board, card, or parlor games! There are many easy games you can prepare. If it had to be board games, snakes and ladders, Monopoly, and Game of Life are common ones. You can get creative and make games about the bride and how well the attendees know the bride through a quiz-like game wherein you may ask questions such as about the bride’s favorite food or TV show or where the bride was born. If most of the attendees are adults and their contemporaries, drinking games such as beer pong can be an interesting way to have fun. 

Of course, photographs are a must! You can set up a makeshift photo booth or bring funny and cute props. You can even find prompts online for iconic poses that the guests and the bride can mimic, such as magazine cover photo positions or funny movie scenes. 

If your sister is the sentimental type, you can create an activity that will commemorate the bridal shower! One way to do so is to bring paints of different colors and set up a large white paper or canvas where the attendees get to imprint their painted hands on and sign their names. Another nice idea would be to bring a blank scrapbook and a set of pens with assorted colors. Guests can then leave a special message for the bride, one that she can draw inspiration from during difficult days and reminisce when she misses those she cherishes the most.

Decorations

Bridal Shower Guests and cute bridal shower decor

No party is complete without looking presentable; this rule doesn’t exclude bridal showers! Basic decor to consider are banners, balloons, flowers (plastic, if the bride has pollen allergies), and tablecloths. There should also be a presentable backdrop for photo-taking opportunities. You can also base your decisions on the bride’s favorite color, then collate decorations that follow that color scheme. 

Food

Desserts with heart design

Other than the bride, the element people look most forward to is the food! After a bunch of activities you have lined up for the attendees to participate in, surely they’d be hungry. Although the guests are who we are feeding the most, always think about the bride. What food is she fond of, and what is she not allowed to eat due to allergies or restrictions? Is she on a diet for preparation before the wedding? What time will the event be? The last question can help you decide how heavy the food should be (i.e., if the bridal shower takes place late morning, then a brunch may be most appropriate). 

While you plan your sister’s bridal shower, ensure that the person you want to satisfy the most isn’t your mother, the elderly fond of making comments, or your sisters’ friends with varying interests and preferences. The person whose smile you want to see is your sister’s. Ask your sister when doubting whether you should have eclairs or cupcakes or if the balloons should be pink or purple. After all, this bridal shower is for who knows what makes the bridal shower as personal as possible – your sister!