A bridal shower is traditionally a party held for the bride and organized by her maid of honor and bridesmaids. They are usually an opportunity to give the bride some gifts which will be of use to her in her new home or to help her assemble her trousseau.

The bridal shower can form just one of the many pre-wedding parties and are seen as a chance for all the female members of the wedding party along with other friends and family to get together.

Although it is traditional for the maid of honor to organize and perhaps host the shower, in these times it really doesn’t matter who organizes or hosts it, as long as the shower is organized well in advance of the wedding day and in consultation with the bride herself.

When it comes to where to hold your bridal shower you have a range of options. It is usual to hold it at home, although this doesn’t have to be the bride’s home or the maid of honor’s, if you are inviting a lot of people then choose to hold it at the biggest house available! Themed showers are becoming very popular, along with dinners in restaurants or intimate lunches.

In terms of when to hold the bridal shower, it is a good idea to plan to hold it around four to six weeks before the wedding day. It used to be tradition to keep the shower a surprise from the bride, however this is no longer the case, mainly because the bride will no doubt be working so it will be vital to include her in the planning and in particular in setting the date and time.

A popular trend these days is to hold a couples shower in which both the bride and groom are involved. These have also become known as Jack and Jill parties. If you organize a couple’s shower then consider how big a venue you will need as you will have twice the number of guests than for a traditional bridal shower!

Don’t confuse a bridal shower with a hen or bachelorette party. Although they can take on pretty much the same format, the latter is often an event reserved for ’sending the bride off’ before her wedding day as she bids goodbye to singledom and enters marital bliss!

The best bridal showers tend to be small intimate gatherings where close family and friends are invited. Be careful though, don’t invite anyone whom you haven’t invited to the wedding! The number of guests will also have an impact on any games you intend to play at the party, which are a fun part of the shower. As a guide aim to invite around 10 to 25 people.

There is a good trade in bridal shower invitations these days, although these can cost as much as the wedding invitations! There is no formal requirement to send out formal invitations, simple invites designed at home on the computer are perfectly acceptable! If you are planning a themed shower then make sure you include details on the invitations, especially if you want guests to come in fancy dress or some other attire. Themed showers are great fun to plan and host and should be used to determine the decorations, games and even the food and drink!

Finally, you should consider whether or not to give out bridal shower favors. Some do, some don’t and they will add additional expense, however, they are a nice touch and great way to say thanks for coming. You don’t need to buy anything fancy or expensive - chocolates or candies are the usual choice, presented in pretty bags or boxes.

Bridal showers are not compulsory but they are a lot of fun and a great opportunity to give the bride and groom gifts to help them start their married life.