As the Maid of Honor, you have three main responsibilities: planning the Bachelorette Party, being the right-hand-person to all things wedding planning (whether it be a second opinion on bridal hair/makeup or helping with some DIY wedding prep), and planning the Bridal Shower. As the Maid of Honor to my older sister, I was excited to plan the Bridal Shower until realized I had never been to one! I had no idea where to start, but with the help of friends, family, and the Internet, I was able to pull it off. Now, I'll pass my plan of action to you.
Step 1: Make Sure You Have Some Help.
There are a lot of things to take into account when planning a Bridal Shower, and it's important not to take everything on yourself. Make sure you have people who will help along the day, whether it be a sister-in-law, a parent, or the bridal party. Planning a special event like a shower is definitely a team effort.
Step 2: Ask for the Guest ListAsk the bride-to-be for her guest list, and before picking a date, be sure to confirm that the VIP's (the bridal party and important family members) will be able to make it.
Step 3: Pick a the Venue and Wedding ThemeOnce you decide on a date that will work for all the VIP's, decide where you would like to have the shower. We decided on the Fig and Olive Restaurant in the Meatpacking District in NYC, since the bride-to-be had been there before and was a huge fan. I reached out to the Fig and Olive 5 months prior to our decided date, and they were able to provide a gorgeous semi-private room for our large party. Once the venue is set, decide on decorations, and gather ideas on how you would like your Bridal Shower to look and feel. This is where Pinterest comes in handy!
After deciding on the guest list, location, and theme of the Bridal Shower, send out the invitations. This should be done no later than 2 months prior to the event. I used Wedding Paper Divas, which has adorable designs at a great price. Be sure to include the Bride's registry information, so the guests know what gifts they can provide.
Step 5: Organize a MenuThe next step to planning is deciding what food and drinks you would like to be served. Fig and Olive made this part of the planning fun and easy. They allowed us to choose items from a pre-planned menu and customize the menu with a photo of the future Bride and Groom. Be sure to choose food options that everyone will enjoy with staple food pieces like chicken, salmon, salad, etc. In addition, make sure to check if anyone has any food allergies when deciding on what to serve.
Step 5: Organize Some GamesNow for the fun part! Organize a game or activity for the Bridal Shower. We decided on two games: one for the Bride-to-be and one for the guests. For the guests, we played "Guess Who Said It", where before the shower you ask the Bride and Groom the same question separately, and provide the quotes/responses to the guests. They have to guess if the quote is from Bride or Groom. For the Bride, we played "Groom Trivia", where we asked the Groom questions and put the Bride to the test to see if she knew his answers. Since Bridal Showers usually include a wide range of family, I would recommend keeping the games 'PG', and save the rowdy games for the Bachelorette Party.
Step 7: Provide Party Favors for the GuestsMake sure you have party favors for the guests that they can take with them after the shower. It doesn't have to be big; just something nice to say thank you for coming. We provided nail polish for all the ladies, with customized "Mani Thanks" cards from Etsy.
Step 8: Have Fun and Be a Good HostessWhen the day arrives, make sure you're being a good hostess as the Maid of Honor. This includes making sure everyone knows each other- stand up and ask everyone to introduce themselves and say how they know the Bride-to-be. Take notes on who brought which gift so the Bride can send out 'Thank You' cards later on, and of course, make a cute speech for the Bride. Lastly, make sure to enjoy the day and appreciate the work you've put into the event!
Click on the photo below to see more... and happy planning!
