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Bridal shower ideas at a glance
The planning numbers before the full list of ideas.
- When
- 2 to 6 weeks beforeBefore the wedding, with invitations sent four to six weeks before the bridal shower
- How long
- About two hoursFood, one or two games or activities, the gifts and the cake
- The budget
- About $340Revelwick's estimate for a shower of eighteen at home, including food, drinks, decor and favors
- The idea to start with
- The venueWhere the bridal shower happens sets the budget, the food and the decorations
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Bridal shower theme ideas
A theme gives the invitations, decorations and menu one direction. The full list is on the themes page.
Garden party
Floral centerpieces, a long table outside and lemonade. Elegant, and it suits every age on the guest list.
Brunch and bubbly
A mimosa bar and a make ahead menu. See the bridal shower brunch page for the plan.
Tea party
Teacups, scones and finger sandwiches for a classic afternoon celebration.
Something blue
Blue and white details and hydrangeas, inspired by the wedding tradition.
Love is brewing
A coffee bar and mugs as favors, for a morning shower.
Petals and prosecco
Fresh flowers, a prosecco bar and a flower bar activity. The bridal shower themes page has 42 ideas in all.
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Bridal shower venue ideas
Where to hold the bridal shower, from free to fully catered.
At home
A living room, a kitchen and a backyard. The cheapest and warmest option for a bridal shower of up to about twenty guests.
A restaurant private room
The food, tables and clean up are handled for you. Ask about the room minimum and whether you can bring a cake and decorations.
A garden, park or backyard
Beautiful in spring and early fall. Have a rain plan and check whether the park needs a permit.
A tea room or a winery
A venue that already fits a theme, so the decorations take care of themselves.
An event space or a hotel
For a larger guest list or a more formal event. The bridal shower venues page has the questions to ask before booking.
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Bridal shower decoration ideas
Decor ideas that create the look without a big budget.
A flower wall or a floral backdrop
One spot for photos, behind the gift chair or the dessert table. Faux flowers or a greenery wall can be rented or made.
Balloon garland or balloon arch
Choose two colors from the invitations. A garland over a doorway is cheaper and easier than a full arch.
Floral centerpieces
Small jars or bud vases with a few stems, kept low so guests can talk across the table.
Table settings and linens
A tablecloth or runner in the theme colors, cloth napkins and place cards for a seated lunch.
A welcome sign
One custom sign at the door with the bride's name. It sets the style of the whole bridal shower.
A champagne tower or a dessert table
A decoration and a treat at the same time, and a natural spot for photos.
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Bridal shower food and drink ideas
Easy menus and drinks that suit a daytime celebration.
A brunch menu
Quiche, a pastry board, fruit and a yogurt parfait bar, all made or bought ahead.
A grazing table or charcuterie board
Cheese, cured meats, crackers, fruit and dips. It feeds a crowd and doubles as decor.
Finger foods
Tea sandwiches, caprese skewers, mini quiches and chicken salad on small croissants. See the bridal shower food ideas page.
A mimosa bar
Sparkling wine, two juices and fresh berries, with sparkling cider for guests who are not drinking.
A signature cocktail and a mocktail
One drink named for the couple, and a non alcoholic version so everyone can toast.
A coffee or tea bar
Good coffee, a selection of teas and milk options, for a morning or winter shower.
Desserts and the cake
A cake, cupcakes or a dessert table. The bridal shower desserts page has more ideas.
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Bridal shower games and activity ideas
One or two games, or an activity instead, to get guests talking.
Bridal shower bingo
Guests guess the gifts and mark them off during the gift opening. The bridal shower games page has the full list.
How well do you know the bride
A short quiz about the bride and the couple that every guest can play.
A flower bar
Guests build a small bouquet to take home. See the flower bar page.
Advice and date night cards
Guests write marriage advice or a date night idea for the couple, a keepsake the bride keeps.
Recipe cards
Send a blank card with the invitation and collect the recipes in a box or binder for the bride.
A photo booth or backdrop
A frame, a few props and a phone on a tripod. Guests take photos with the bride throughout the party.
A craft or a class
Decorating tote bags, a paint and sip, or a candle making class, for a bride who would rather create than play games.
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Bridal shower favor ideas
Small thank you gifts guests will use.
Something to eat
Honey jars, cookies, macarons or a small box of chocolates.
Something that grows
Seed packets or a small succulent that matches a garden theme.
Something from the theme
Mugs for love is brewing, lemon soap for a main squeeze shower, mini prosecco for petals and prosecco. See the bridal shower favors page.
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How to plan a bridal shower, step by step
The timeline, choosing the ideas, at home and budget showers, and the etiquette.
The best bridal shower ideas start with the bride and the budget, then the venue, and everything else follows: the theme, the invitations, the decorations, the food and the games. Planning in that order keeps the celebration personal and stops the costs from creeping up.
A bridal shower planning timeline
Eight to twelve weeks before: talk to the bride, set the budget, choose the date and book the venue. Six to eight weeks before: choose the theme and send save the dates if guests are traveling. Four to six weeks before: send the invitations with the registry details. One to two weeks before: confirm the food, buy the decorations and favors, and plan the games. The day before: set up. On the day: enjoy the party.
Choose ideas the bride will love
Ask the bride about her style, her favorite foods and flowers, and whether she enjoys games. A bride who loves her friends and family around a table will want a long lunch; a bride who loves making things will want a flower bar or a craft. Build the plan around her, not around a list of trends.
Bridal shower ideas at home
A shower at home is the cheapest and warmest version. Set the food in the kitchen so guests gather there, put the gift chair in the living room with the seating in a loose circle, and use the garden or patio for drinks in good weather. Borrow chairs rather than renting, and put one friend in charge of the door.
Bridal shower ideas on a budget
Revelwick's estimate for a bridal shower of eighteen guests at home is about $340 in total. What keeps it there: a home or a borrowed garden, brunch or afternoon tea rather than lunch, grocery store flowers split across jars, one game, and invitations sent online. Skip the balloon arch and printed signs if money is tight, and spend on the food.
Ideas for a small bridal shower, and a large one
A small shower of eight to twelve guests can be a seated lunch, a tea room booking or a cooking class. A large shower of thirty or more needs a buffet, more seating than it looks like it needs, a microphone for the games, and a friend writing down gifts during the gift opening.
A bridal shower playlist
Keep music in the background: soft pop, acoustic covers, love songs and a few of the bride's favorites, at a volume that lets people talk. Turn it down for the gifts and the toasts.
Bridal shower etiquette in brief
Invite only people who are invited to the wedding, let somebody other than the couple host, put the registry on an insert or the wedding website rather than the invitation, and send thank you notes within about two weeks. The what is a wedding shower page covers the etiquette in full.
Personal touches that make a bridal shower feel custom
The details guests remember are the personal ones: a photo display of the bride and her friends through the years, the couple's favorite cocktail on the menu, a family recipe on the dessert table, or a custom sign with the date she met her partner. None of them cost much, and each one makes the celebration feel like it could only be for this bride.
Ask the bridal party and family to create one small thing each, a playlist, a slideshow, a guest book page or a speech, so the shower feels made by the people who love her rather than bought.
What the bride and guests wear
The bride often wears white or a light color, a dress she will be comfortable in for two hours of sitting, standing and opening gifts. Guests dress for a daytime party in the venue's style and avoid white. The what to wear to a bridal shower page covers the details, and the invitation can mention a color if the theme has one.
How to make the gift opening fun
Seat the bride where every guest can see her, give one friend a notepad to write down who gave what, and let another collect ribbons for a bouquet made of bows for the rehearsal. Bingo cards keep guests involved, and a short toast before the first gift sets a warm tone for the rest of the party.
What to leave out
A second game that runs long, decorations that need an hour of setup, a menu that has to be cooked on the day, and anything that would embarrass the bride in front of her family. A simple, well planned bridal shower feels more special than a busy one.
Start with the bride and the budget, then the venue. The theme, decor, food and games all follow from those.
The planning orderBride, budget, venue
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Bridal shower ideas, answered
The questions hosts ask while planning a bridal shower.
What are good bridal shower ideas?
A garden party or brunch theme, a flower bar or bingo during the gifts, a mimosa bar, floral centerpieces and favors guests will use.
Start with the bride and the budget, then the venue.
What should be included at a bridal shower?
Food and drinks, a gift opening, one or two games or activities, a cake or dessert and a toast.
About two hours in total.
How do you plan a bridal shower?
Set the budget and date with the bride, book the venue, choose a theme, send invitations four to six weeks ahead, then plan food, decor, games and favors.
Set up the day before.
How much does a bridal shower cost?
Revelwick's estimate for eighteen guests at home is about $340 in total.
A restaurant or event space costs more.
Where should a bridal shower be held?
At home, in a restaurant private room, a garden or park, a tea room or winery, or an event space.
The venue decides the budget.
What are easy bridal shower decoration ideas?
Low floral centerpieces, a balloon garland, a welcome sign and one photo backdrop.
Use two colors from the invitations.
What food should you serve at a bridal shower?
A brunch menu, a grazing table, finger foods, a mimosa bar and a cake or dessert table.
Choose food that can be made ahead.
What are bridal shower activities besides games?
A flower bar, advice or date night cards, recipe cards, a photo booth or a craft class.
One activity can replace the games.
How do you throw a bridal shower on a budget?
Host at home, serve brunch or tea, use grocery store flowers, pick one game and send invitations online.
Spend on the food rather than decor.
When should the bridal shower be held?
Two to six weeks before the wedding.
Send invitations four to six weeks before the shower.
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What to read next
The planning page these sit inside, the games, the room, and who is paying for it.
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Where this comes from
The costs are Revelwick estimates. The four decisions are ours.
What the figures are
Every cost on this page is a Revelwick editorial estimate for a bridal shower of about eighteen guests. It is a starting point for a budget conversation rather than a quote, and prices move, so check the current price before you book anything.
What is ours
Sorting the ideas into four decisions, and putting the venue and the food format above the theme, is ours. It follows from the format rather than from taste: two hours, one host and eighteen people who all want to talk to the same person.
We do not name shops, venues or brands.