You want to have a shower for your friend who is soon to be married, and all of a sudden you're in a panic. There are so many things to do and you don't even know where to start. This article will help you get organized.

Your first task should be setting a date. Most bridal showers are held in the early afternoon on a weekend. You should give guests plenty of notice, and of course the bride as well. This is a very busy time for her so her weekends may be booked up quickly. Most bridal showers are given between three weeks and three months of the wedding.

Once the date is established, you will need to draw up a list of invitees. A sure way of getting all the information you need is to ask the bride for the wedding guest list. There are some definite rules to follow here: the maid of honor or bridesmaids usually host the shower (if there is only one), and don't ask anyone who hasn't been invited to the wedding. It would be insulting to imply that someone is good enough to bring a shower gift but not special enough to attend the wedding itself. In some cases the couple has planned a wedding to which only family will be attending. This doesn't happen often. If this is the case invite the bride's female friends and all the couple's female relatives, which is the usual etiquette for bridal showers.

Planning the menu for the event is the next step. Since most bridal showers take place in the afternoon, light snacks and light drinks, such as wine, are appropriate. Its fine to ask a close friend to assist with bringing food, but it's inappropriate to ask all guests to assist with food and drinks. After all, it's quite rude to ask people to bring a gift to an event and also bring food as well. Always offer non-alcoholic drinks for those that prefer not to imbibe.

A traditional part of most bridal showers is to play games, usually with some correlation to the impending nuptials. This is a fun way to break the ice and get the guests involved in conversation. Typically, small prizes are offered to the "winner" of the games. There are a variety of games that can be played, everything from an innocent to the slightly naughty. Of course, selecting the appropriate type of games will be dependent in part on the guests invited and their comfort level. Usually, two or three games are enough to break up the ice and the monotony.

Be aware of a couple of additional protocol issues. The bride's mother does not plan the bridal shower so as to eliminate the appearance of being motivated by a wish to merely get as many gifts as possible. If a guest would like to bring a friend to the shower, politely decline. An explanation about how awkward the guest may feel with family and friends of the bride should be sufficient reasoning to dissuade the most persistent individual. Take plenty of pictures at the bridal shower - the bride will enjoy looking back on a scrapbook of memories of her shower, and the family and friends that gathered together to wish her well.

Article Source :
Holly Clandon is the webmaster for FT Bridal, the #1 source on the internet for information about Bridal, For more articles on Bridal visit: www.ftbridal.com/articles
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