A bridal shower is a party held to celebrate the upcoming marriage of a bride and groom. Traditionally, the event is only for women but mixed bridal parties are becoming increasingly common. It usually involves food, drinks, and gifts for the couple. The guest list can include any woman who is close to the bride, from her cousins to her college roommates and best friends. The bride’s mother is also often invited, as she has been by her daughter’s side through the years and wants to share in the excitement.
In the past, a bride’s family would offer money or goods as a dowry to secure her husband’s hand in marriage. The shower originated as an alternative to this practice, allowing women who didn’t have a rich dowry to still marry well. Today, the bridal shower is an opportunity for guests to help the bride build her new household and welcome her into her role as wife.
Typically, the bride will provide her maid of honor and other attendants with a list of preferred bridal shower guests, date, time, location, activities, and other details. Depending on the culture and geographical location, this may be an intimate party of 20 or a larger gathering of a few hundred. The bride is the guest of honor and will open her gifts in front of her guests, while other guests may play games and help her with her wardrobe selection.
Wedding vendors, including florists, bakers, and venues, are all encouraged to share their experiences with the couple on social media. This is a great way to show the couple how much they appreciate their work and also helps potential customers get a feel for what to expect from the vendor.
For the couple’s wedding website, it is customary for both individuals to write their version of the “Our Story” section. This allows the couple to express their personalities and highlights important aspects of their relationship in their own words. Whether they choose to be funny or sentimental, this is a great way for the couple to stand out on their own terms.
If you are asked to give a speech at the wedding, it’s always wise to start jotting down ideas early. This will give you a pool of memories to draw from when it comes time to write the speech. You can even share a couple of your favorite anecdotes to make your speech stand out and entertain the crowd.