When choosing the members of their bridal party, a bride and groom designate their closest and most trusting few friends and family members. It’s an important role both for sentimental and practical reasons; the role of a bridesmaid comes with many responsibilities. Traditionally, the bridesmaids are the trusted few put in charge of planning the bachelorette party and the bridal shower. While we grew up learning about bachelorette parties through movies and stories, most people don’t know much about coordinating a bridal shower until the time comes to plan one. The following are tips on how to best plan a bridal shower that will be enjoyed and appreciated by the guests and of course, the bride.

Initiate But Delegate

So one of your closest girlfriends is getting married and you want to make sure she has the time of her life… good on you! When it comes to the bridal shower, take initiative and get the conversation going. You can take a spot as head of the party planning committee, but be sure to get other people involved, too. The rest of the bridesmaids, as well as close family members, should and will want to help organize and throw a great bridal shower. If possible, it’s always a good idea to have a meeting with those helping to plan the bridal party so that everyone can meet one another and be sure to be on the same page. If not everyone lives in the same area, you can instead create an e-mail thread for people to chat on. To get the planning started, set up a spreadsheet with everything that needs to get done and have people choose tasks to take on. This delegation will allow everyone to feel included and assures that one person does not bear the planning burden alone.

Photo Credit: MemeGenerator.net

Party Theme

Choosing a theme for the party is a great way to make all of the planning coherent and fun. Be careful, however, when choosing the theme, that it will be something that your bride will appreciate. Keep in mind that she will most likely have family at this bridal shower, so stick with topics you know won’t embarrass her or make her feel uncomfortable. You can even run some ideas by her directly to get an idea of what type of party she would or wouldn’t want. Once you and the planning team have picked a theme, you can start finding games and decorations for the party.

Photo Credit: Melissa Tuck Photography

The Guest List

When it comes to the guest list, let your bride weigh in. Either ask her to create the list herself or make a draft and run it by her. The worst thing you can do for her bridal shower is to accidentally invite guests that weren’t invited to the wedding. Anyone you are unsure about, ask!

Picking a Date

When deciding on a bridal shower date, do your best to gauge the availability of guests—especially of the most VIP guests. Check with bridesmaids and close family members to find a date that works best for everyone.

Photo Credit: Sylvia G Photography

Food

You know the term hangry… you’ve probably even felt it yourself. Don’t let your guests get to a point of being so hungry they can’t enjoy the party; make sure there are snacks provided at the bridal shower. You are by no means expected to cater a full meal, but do include snacks to munch on.

Itinerary

When it comes to the itinerary of the day, you should have a general idea of what you have planned so that things move smoothly, but don’t try to control every part of the celebration. Let things run their course in a way that’s fun and natural for everyone. You don’t have to supervise the event in order for your bride to notice all the hard work you put into the party.

Photo Credit: Sarah Gormley Photography

Gifts

When it comes to bridal shower gifts, it’s a great idea to create a basic guideline. Not everyone has to follow the registry, but it will help give an idea of the kinds of presents that are appropriate to bring. Keep in mind that there may be guests of all ages at this party so save the risqué gifts for the bachelorette party.

Photo Credit: Lindsey Gomes Photography

When planning your girl’s bridal shower, you want to make sure to have her interests and preferences in mind. As long as you get along with the other party planners and have a good time, your bride will surely enjoy her party and appreciate your hard work!