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Fabulous Bridal Showers!
Planning
the party
1. The Bride
- What kind of party does she want?
- Does her Mom want or expect to be part of the planning?
- Where should it be held? Does it have to be at a venue with no stairs for Grandma, or will all of her downtown girlfriends be hoping for a place convenient to mass transit? Will there be lots of people coming in from out of town making a location close to (or in) a hotel extra convenient, or will attendees expect to be able to bring their small children? Get general guidelines if you can, and explore your options from there if the bride doesn’t already have her heart set on one place.
- When should it be held? If there are out of town bridesmaids, or if you’re out of town, try to plan dress fittings, the shower, the bridesmaids luncheon (if you’re in a part of the country that does that), or other events to be held in one weekend to enable more important guests to attend? Plan for at least several weeks before the wedding.
2. The Venue
- Is there a restaurant with a private party room that’s convenient, reasonably priced, nicely decorated, and has plenty of parking? If so, how far in advance do you have to book, will you have your own servers, and is there a fee for the room? How long will you have the space? If those factors work, what entrée do they recommend, and what is an average price? Are there plating fees for the cake or corking fees or other costs you need to know about? What is their policy on bumping groups for other parties?
- Do NOT book the first place you talk to, even if you know it’s where you want to go. Calling and/or visiting a few other places gives you a chance to hear more about traditions for showers in your area, get a feel for what costs are reasonable for the area, and to hear great ideas others are using. It will also make you a much better consumer when you do call back to the place you want to book. Caveat: if you’re starting the planning late, you may have to book more quickly than adequate research allows. Start researching as early as possible, but don’t commit until you have to.
- If you can’t find an affordable restaurant or hotel option, or just want to do something different, get creative. Is there a bakery or coffee shop normally closed in the afternoon you can work with? Does the local Parks Department have suggestions for an affordable space? One creative Maid of Honor used a friend’s dance studio, promising to have guests remove their shoes and to clean the floor afterward. (Yards of toole over the mirrors made it bright and festive without making guests self-conscious.) How about the lobby of a local theater if not in their season?
- If you use someone’s home, please prepare the food elsewhere and bring it in. It’s enough to invade the house without taking over the kitchen, too! If you do use
- someone’s home, have a small hostess gift for them at the conclusion of the shower – they probably saved you a bundle! Make sure you discuss all arrangements ahead of time so you’re not springing any surprises on them. Don’t assume you can use their china or anything other than the space; ask if you should rent serving ware, glass ware, etc. Don’t ask them to pick up the flowers or the cake or anything else. Offer to help prepare the space in any way you can, and plan to stay and clean up thoroughly after the event. The person providing the space absolutely has a right to approve food and decorations arrangements, even if you and the other maids are picking up the tab.
- Whether using a restaurant, public space, or personal home, make sure the person taking RSVP phone calls can provide information on parking and other details. This is particularly important if there is any kind of entry fee or parking charge.
3. The Food
- If using a restaurant, do they have recommendations of entrees they have previously served to bridal showers of a similar size?
- Can they make a backup dish for vegetarians or those with specific allergies? You’ll want to check with the bride to see if she knows of any dietary needs of her guests; but even if she doesn’t, be prepared for guests RSVPing with special requests.
- Can you bring in a cake from a bakery or will they require you to get it from them? If you can bring it in, will they charge you to cut and serve it to the guests?
- Will you have wait staff assigned specifically to your event, and if so, at what cost? Will gratuity be included with the total?
- Do they have center pieces for the tables?
- Do they have a gift table or a place for a gift table that is convenient for your guests but isolated from other patrons of the facility?
- Will there be other events scheduled for the facility the day of your event? If you are booked for a particular room, could you be bumped for a larger party, and how much notice will you have if that is the case? If you could be bumped, are there potential problems (stairs, for example) you need to know about? How much set up/clean up time will you have if there is another event scheduled in the same place on the same day?
- If there are other events, will there be ample parking for your guests?