We are excited to announce a new section of Bridal and Baby Shower lists and planning pages in ListPlanIt‘s Holidays & Occasions, including budgets, agendas, supply lists, registry lists, gift lists, and much more! If you will be hosting a shower in the near future, members can begin printing them out and get started planning.
Your best friend just called you and told you some good news! There is to be a (wedding | baby) in the near future. After you get over the initial surprise and excitement, your next move is probably to begin planning a shower for her. There are many things to think about when planning a shower for someone – the guest list, decorations, games, refreshments, and more.
Although most everyone loves a surprise party, you want to consider asking the guest of honor’s opinion when planning her shower. There may be certain people she would like to invite and certain things she wants (such as a certain theme for the shower). Plus, at this point, she may have a lot on her plate in preparing for the big day, so another surprise might not be what she needs at the moment.
- Date
Talk to the bride- or mom-to-be and find out what dates would work best for them first. If it is to be a surprise, be sure to discuss it with the groom- or dad-to-be and find out if he has the low-down on her calendar. Discuss any potential dates with your co-hosts and then make a decision quick. Dates fill up fast, the closer you get to them. Be sure to send notification of the date, or “Save the Date” notices. You can create an event on Facebook or, one of my favorites, Evite.com. - Location
Find out a good place to hold the event. The location of the shower may depend on the size of the guest list. If you are only inviting a few friends, maybe volunteer to have it at your house or in an intimate tea house or restaurant. If the guest list is long, larger showers may need to be held in other locations such as a church, a conference room at work, or a private room in a restaurant. If you are having the shower during months with pretty weather, you might even consider having it outside in a park or a backyard. - Guests
The guest list for a shower is very important. You want to include all the important people in your friend’s life. Be sure to have her bring her address book so you can get the addresses you need. You should let her decide whether it is going to be a girl’s only shower or a shower for everyone. If she would like the groom- or dad-to-be there, he may be more comfortable with other men around. Consider inviting her brothers, father, stepfather, uncles and any other men she would like to have there. Brainstorm guests she would like to invite from places such as family, work, school, or church.
- Invitations
Once you get the guest list set, you will need to choose invitations. Again, these depend on the size of the shower. If you are only having a few people, you may want to purchase invitations at a local party store and hand address each envelope. However, if you are having a larger shower, you may want to order custom-designed invitations from somewhere that will do all the addressing for you. Email invitations are becoming popular in the age of reducing.
- Schedule of Events
Once the invitations go out, you need to plan the actual shower. Again, if it is not a surprise, be sure to consult the bride- or mom-to-be. A theme would give direction to the party decorations and many other details. Some people like showers games and some do not, so you will need to ask her about this. Here are websites to find lots of ideas for fun Bridal Shower Games and Baby Shower Games.
- Food
You will also need to decide what type of food to serve. You may want to serve a full meal, appetizers or just cake and desserts. Again, take the bride- or mom-to-be into consideration. If she is trying hard to fit in a dress or has been having awful heartburn, you may want to be mindful. Don’t forget drinks – do you want punch, soda, or tea? - Details
Miscellaneous things to think about include purchasing favors for the guests, keeping track of RSVPs, taking pictures (find a guest that would be willing to take lots of photos), assigning someone to write down gifts and names, and cleaning up afterwards. Don’t forget to figure out how the guest of honor will get all her gifts home.
Are you hosting a shower in the future? Have you been a host for a bridal or baby shower in the past? Tell us about some of your favorite tips.
