01
A virtual bridal shower, in four lines
For about eighteen guests on one video call, as Revelwick estimates.
- Length
- About 45 minA welcome, a game or two, the gifts and a toast
- Host cost, no boxes
- About $95Flowers and something sent to the couple for the day
- With a box for every guest
- About $580Treats or a drink mailed to eighteen guests, against about $340 for an in-person shower of eighteen
- Hosts
- TwoOne runs the event and one sits with the bride-to-be
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How to plan a virtual bridal shower
The steps for a virtual wedding shower, from the platform to the thank you notes.
Choose a platform
Zoom, Google Meet or Facebook Live. Pick the one most guests already use, and test it with the bride the day before.
Make the guest list
Friends, family and coworkers who could not travel to the wedding celebrations, with their time zones.
Send e-vites by email
The date, time with time zones, the link, the registry, and any dress code or theme.
Plan the activities
One or two virtual shower games and a round of advice or memories.
Send food and drink ideas
A recipe for a signature drink or brunch dish everyone can make at home.
Plan the gifts
Registry gifts shipped to the couple, unwrapped on camera or after the event.
Send favors or prizes
E-gift cards, a printable recipe card, or small boxes mailed ahead.
Follow up
Post photos or a screenshot, and send thank you notes.
03
Virtual bridal shower games
Fun games to play on a video call. See <a href="/bridal-shower/bridal-shower-games/">bridal shower games</a> for more.
The newlywed game
Ask questions the couple answered beforehand, and reveal the answers on screen.
Bridal shower bingo
Everyone marks off presents as they are unwrapped, using printable cards. See bridal shower bingo.
Virtual scavenger hunt
Players race to find household items and show them on camera.
Pictionary or emoji pictionary
Draw on a shared whiteboard, or guess wedding phrases written in emojis.
How well do you know the bride
A quick quiz with points for each correct answer.
Recipe exchange
Each person shares a favorite recipe for the couple's first kitchen.
Find the guest bingo
Bingo squares such as has met the groom or lives in another state, to help guests meet.
04
A virtual bridal shower in forty-five minutes
A simple run of show for a video call. Adjust the times to the guest list.
Fifteen minutes early: the call is open
Open the call early with the camera on, so guests who arrive first have someone to talk to.
Zero to five: hello, and the shape
Welcome everyone, say who is joining and from where, and share the plan and how long the event will take.
Five to fifteen: one thing, thirty seconds each
Each guest shares one memory or piece of marriage advice for the bride, in an order the host reads out.
Fifteen to thirty-five: six gifts, held up
Open a few gifts live and thank each guest by name. Open the rest afterward and thank those guests in writing.
Thirty-five to forty-five: the toast and the goodbye
A toast from the host and someone close to the bride, a game winner announced, and a clear goodbye.
Afterward: leave the call open
Leave the call open for anyone who wants to stay and chat.
05
Virtual bridal shower ideas and tips
Making an online celebration feel personal.
A virtual bridal shower lets friends and family celebrate the wedding from anywhere. Keep the event short and structured, give everyone a turn to share, and send something small to the bride-to-be so she has flowers or a treat on the day.
A shower at work
A virtual wedding shower at work can be a short call over lunch, with a group card, a group gift and one game. Check with a manager and keep it optional for coworkers.
A hybrid shower
If some people are in the room and others join virtually, put the camera where remote attendees can see the celebration, and give them their own turns to speak.
Keep the cost in mind
Mailing a box to every attendee costs more than feeding the same guests in person, as a Revelwick estimate, so decide early whether boxes are worth it or whether one gift to the bride is enough.
Unique virtual wedding shower options
Consider a couples shower that includes both partners, a themed event with a dress code everyone can meet at home, or a guided class such as cocktails or flower arranging with supplies mailed ahead. Include a slideshow of the couple's photos so friends and family can enjoy the love story together and show their support.
Short, structured, and a turn for every guest.
The virtual shower ruleOnline
06
Virtual bridal showers, answered
Questions about hosting a bridal shower online.
How do you host a virtual bridal shower?
Choose a video platform, send e-vites with the link and time zones, plan one or two games and a gift opening, and keep it to about 45 minutes.
Test the call first.
What games can you play at a virtual bridal shower?
The newlywed game, bingo, a scavenger hunt, emoji pictionary, a how well do you know the bride quiz and a recipe exchange.
One or two is enough.
How long should a virtual bridal shower be?
About 45 minutes to an hour.
Leave the call open afterward for anyone who wants to chat.
How do gifts work at a virtual bridal shower?
Registry gifts ship to the couple ahead of time, and some are unwrapped on camera.
Thank everyone in writing.
What platform should we use?
Zoom, Google Meet or Facebook Live, whichever guests already know.
Share the link in the invitation.
How much does a virtual bridal shower cost?
About $95 for flowers and a gift sent to the bride, or about $580 with a box for every guest at eighteen guests, as Revelwick estimates.
An in-person shower of eighteen is about $340.
Can a virtual shower be a surprise?
Yes, with a partner or family member bringing the bride to the call on time.
Share the plan with that person only.
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What to read next
The in-person version, who pays for it either way, the notes that follow, and the games worth playing.
08
Where this comes from
The costs are Revelwick estimates. The run of show is editorial advice.
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.
What is ours
The forty-five minute run of show, the games and the planning steps are Revelwick's editorial suggestions. The video platforms named are examples; none paid to be mentioned.