Throwing a wedding shower can be a very exciting event. When you begin planning a wedding shower in your home, there are a few steps to take and considerations to remember in order to throw a memorable wedding shower. Through careful planning, you can throw a terrific shower that can leave your friend, coworker or family members thrilled that you have contributed to their upcoming nuptials.

Picking a Date

The first thing that you need to do when you are throwing a wedding shower at home is to pick a date for the big event. Although your own schedule plays a big part in this decision, the most important schedule to consider is the bride-to-be. Without the bride-to-be, you have no shower! Begin working with the bride-to-be around three months before her big day to select the perfect date for her wedding shower. This gives you enough time to find a date that is around a month before the big event.

In addition to the bride-to-be, you should consult with the special women in her life, including her mom, mother-in-law-to-be, sisters and aunts. Although you may not be able to find a date that suits every single person that may be invited, it is important for the key people in the bride’s life to be included. If there are people traveling from out of town to attend the wedding shower, you should start planning even earlier than three months prior to the wedding. This helps to provide your guests with enough time to plan their travel.

Inviting Guests

Unless the wedding shower is a surprise, you may want to ask the bride-to-be for her guest list at the same time that you set a final date. If the shower is going to be a surprise for the bride-to-be, the best source for a wedding guest list is her mother, sisters/brothers, or closest friends. Invitations to a wedding shower should be sent about a month before the event. This gives those guests enough time to determine if they can attend, find wonderful presents for the bride-to-be and respond to the invitation.

Games, Gifts and Giveaways

One key portion of a wedding shower is the games that are played. Many different games are appropriate for wedding showers and some have to do with testing the guests’ knowledge of the bride and groom. Others make predictions for the happy couple. Some other games that can be considered involve the guests splitting up into teams and playing a form of Pictionary or Charades. Some brides do not enjoy games, so you should check with the bride-to-be before planning.

The history of wedding showers were to gather gifts for the bride so that she was prepared with every household item she might need when leaving her parent’s home and going to the home of her husband. These days, most women live away from home before they marry and they may already have many of these essentials prior to the wedding. In any case, most brides-to-be create wedding registries to let guests know which items they desire for their new life. It is against protocol, however, for a bride to tell her guests where she is registered. That becomes your job as the host of her wedding shower. When you invite guests, you can either include an insert with the invitations, or can personally talk to each guest to let them know what registries have been created.

Giveaways can be a fun part of a wedding shower. First, it is a way to thank the guests for attending the special event and honoring the bride-to-be. Secondly, and more importantly, it gives guests a fun trinket to remember the wedding shower. Giveaways do not have to be terribly fancy or expensive. Consider the tastes of the bride, any themes she may be using for her wedding, and you may be able to pick out the perfect giveaway for the wedding shower. Often, little trinkets are selected that can hold candy inside. Other ideas include candles and items that can be personalized with the names of the happy couple.

Food

Your last consideration when you throw a wedding shower in your home is the food that you provide for your guests. To determine the appropriate food to serve, consider the time of day when the shower is going to occur. If the shower occurs near a major mealtime, you should provide a meal for your guests. For showers that are mid afternoon or early evening, it is appropriate to serve a variety of finger foods. If you know of any dietary restrictions for your guests, you should try to accommodate them. In addition, you should consider serving a snack for those attending the celebration. Cakes are a great choice for any type of celebration. You can contact your local bakery to ensure it is ready for the day of the bridal shower.