Bridal Shower Etiquette – What you need to Know

Who pays for the bridal shower, invitations etiquette & more!

Bridal showers are a beloved tradition that celebrate the bride-to-be and provide an opportunity for friends and family to shower her with love and gifts before her big day. However, with any social gathering comes a set of expectations and guidelines, also known as etiquette. Bridal shower etiquette is essential for ensuring that the event runs smoothly and that everyone has a great time.

Bridal Shower Ettiquette: The Big Taboo – Who Pays?

This is by far the most asked question but also the least openly discussed question. There are a number of options as many people are a lot more conscious that everyone and their guests have different personal budgets. There are 3 main options:

1. The bride pays – If the bride wants to be extra generous and has a very generous wedding budget they can always host and pay for the bridal shower
2. Splitting equally among all members of the party – Every member of the shower pays equally. The total bill amount is divided equally amongst the number of guests including the bride.
3. Bridal Supplement – This is where each member of the party pays equally the food and the drinks. Any additional fun and entertainment is paid for by the bride.

General Bridal Shower Etiquette

Write the Guest of Honor’s Name

While it may seem like a no-brainer, many people forget this crucial part when designing invitations for a bridal shower. The invitation needs to highlight the guest of honor clearly. Start the invitation with a cheerful greeting. Under that, write the name of the bride-to-be in a bigger font. 

The guest of honor’s name should be in bold and should stand out from the other fonts used in the invitation. This way, anyone who opens the invitation immediately knows who the guest of honor is. 

Choose a Theme

The color scheme, design, and style of the bridal shower invitation should align with the theme for the bridal shower. Whether it’s a bubbly brunch, tea party, or themed event, your invitation should reflect your idea. 

Considering the theme before designing the invitation will help guests prepare for the event. And once they see how much effort you put into the invitation, they’ll take your party theme seriously as well.

RELATED: Unique Bridal Shower Themes To Try In 2023

Clarify the Date and Time for Proper Bridal Shower Ettiquette

Do you want to get the party started on time? If so, make sure your guests know when the event starts. Ambiguity in the date and time can cause a lot of problems for you and your guest. For instance, saying noon on the invitation instead of specifying 12 PM can lead to your guests thinking they can stop by whenever around lunch time. 

Timings for a bridal shower can vary greatly depending on the theme. From a late or afternoon luncheon or morning brunch or a late-night party, there are all kinds of bridal showers. Therefore, guests should know the right time and date. To make sure they get the message, print out the time clear fonts. 

Write Address

The date and time should be followed by the address and location. Make sure to write your full address, so guests who are new to the city don’t have trouble finding the venue. 

Also, write down parking details or directions so it’s easier for guests to reach the venue. Since we all rely on digital navigation to get around, add a QR code to the invite so it directs guests to the Google Maps location of the venue is ideal.  

Mention the Hosts’ Names

It’s important to mention your name, as well as the names of other people hosting the event. While it may not seem necessary, it falls under invitation etiquette. If you don’t indicate the name, guests may get skeptical and contact the bride. And if you’re planning a surprise bridal shower, this is a big no-no. 

You can also mention contact details such as your number and email address. This way, if they need to contact someone to get more event details, they can reach out to you. This will come in handy on the day of the event, when you have to help people find the venue. 

Add Necessary Wedding Details

If the bridal shower is a themed event, provide specific details about it. You can also mention the particular kinds of clothes or bring something if needed. 

Bridal Shower Ettiquette for Invitations

Wondering how to design a bridal shower invitation and what things to include? Here are some ideas and tips to keep in mind for invitations. 

Opt for Virtual Invitations

Looking for a simple and easy way to invite guests to a bridal shower? In that case, opt for an e-invite. Virtual invitations are perfect for people who are too busy to meet every guest and invite them to the party. Many e-invite apps or software also allow you to create professionally designed bridal shower invitations. 

RELATED: Find The Most Exciting Digital Bridal Shower Invitations Ideas

Hire Designers

If you want unique invitations that your guests will adore, hire graphic designers. These experts can help you create an invitation that reflects the party’s theme. Also, you can ask them to add illustrations and other aspects to make things a bit more exciting and interesting. Or you can figure out how to make them look professional.

RELATED: Bridal Shower Invitations Wording Examples

Send a Sweet Treat with an Invitation

If you want to create a bit of hype and excitement before the event, send a treat or gift with the invitation. This gives guests a sneak peek at what they’ll experience at the bridal shower. It’s also a subtle way of saying that it will be one of the most memorable events they attend this year. 

Choose the Invitation Sending Date

Don’t send an invitation too early to the guest, if it’s a surprise, as anyone mistakenly can say anything about the party to the bride. Also, sending invitations a couple of days before the event will prevent the guest from preparing for it. Send the invite around a week before the bridal shower so nothing can go wrong. 

Key Takeaways for Bridal Shower Ettiquette

It’s important to keep bridal shower invitation etiquette and ideas in mind when preparing invitations. Of course, you want to make this event memorable for the bride-to-be. For that, it’s important to think about all the above-mentioned aspects to ensure everything goes right.