I’m so excited I got to be a part of the planning for this bridal shower! My cousin is getting married in October and we wanted to celebrate his soon-to-be wife with a little get together to make her feel special and welcome her to our family. Planning this party was so much fun and I loved all the little details, from the cute advice cards and printed stationary to the gorgeous pillows everyone loved.

Pick a Bridal Shower Theme
With all party planning the first and most fun part is deciding a theme. I wanted the shower to be pretty with a southern charm kinda feel and a touch of glam. Stephanie, our beautiful bride, loves purple so I went with a mix of blush and pink with a pop of purple for the florals.

How to Plan a Bridal Shower

 

Party Decor
Whether you are throwing a bridal shower in a home or at a venue, you’ll want to designate areas to be decorated. Since our shower was at a home and we had perfect end of summer weather we chose to do use both indoor and outdoor space. A buffet style food table indoors, along with a dessert table and drink station, casual seating outdoors with a few side tables. I filled ceramic vases found at Michaels with pretty blooms for the food table centerpiece. A few glitzy candlesticks and a pretty picture of the couple added a finishing touch.
How to Plan a Bridal Shower

How to Plan a Bridal Shower

Advice for the Bride
I love the idea of having guests fill out advice for the bride cards. I loved reading through mine after my bridal shower, all the sweet notes everyone had written to us. Advice cards are a little personal touch that will make your bride feel special. I found these lovely gold advice for bride cards at Tiny Prints.
Tip: Collect the advice cards and paste them into a pretty scrapbook. It’s a great gift idea she’ll love! 
How to Plan a Bridal Shower


How to Plan a Bridal ShowerBridal Shower Games
There are a ton of fun bridal shower game ideas out there, but I prefer to keep it simple and casual typically. I love the What’s in Your Purse game. It’s cute and doesn’t require you to gather guests and break up the party flow.How to Plan a Bridal Shower

How to Plan a Bridal Shower + Bridal Shower Menu and Food Ideas

 

Bridal Shower Food
Planning a bridal shower menu all depends on time of day. Most showers are hosted in the afternoon, after lunch and before dinner so a simple menu of light finger foods works best. Or you could host a brunch and put out breakfast fare.

For this shower we went with some easy appetizers and lots of desserts. Who doesn’t love sweets?

  • I use a heart shape fondant cutter set to make cute little cheese bites. You can find a similar one here
  • Three cheese spreads with some crackers and toast points
  • Veggies and dip
  • Fill phylo cups with chicken salad and tuna salad. Bake a few minutes and you’ve got an easy finger food everyone loves
  • Make mini dessert cups. Use small clear cups, layer with shortbread cookie and icing or cake bites and pudding. I purchase mini cupcakes from the grocery store, cut them in half at the side and add a layer of frosting, top with a raspberry or chocolate sprinkles. Quick, easy, cute and less mess to clean up after.

How to Plan a Bridal Shower + Gift Ideas for Bride

Great Gifts for the Bride
I love to give gifts that are unique and personal. A stationary set is the perfect gift for a new bride. She’ll be doing a lot of corresponding, with thank you cards and wedding notes. This gorgeous photo stationary is a sweet reminder for her desktop.

Last but definitely not least, these pillows were a lovely party decor detail that the couple could keep and use in their new home. Everyone gushed over how beautiful they were and asked where I found them (Tiny Prints — they have tons of really cute designs!) They were one of my most favorite pieces of the party decor.
How to Plan a Bridal Shower + Gift Ideas for Bride

  • Vendors and Party Details

  • Party Design & Styling Misty Nelson, Frosted Events
  • Bridal Shower Invitations, Acrylic Photo, Personalized Pillows, What’s In Your Purse Cards, Advice Cards, Napkins: Tiny Prints
    Cake Platters and Serving Dishes Home Goods

  • Dessert Table Candy  Candy Warehouse

  • Ceramic Vases Michaels