How to Host a Bridal or Baby Shower

Menopause is not the only change that happens during mid-life. Social commitment transitions are abundant. Children’s sporting events, concerts, plays, and other various activities consumed our schedules at one point. From there, we moved on to graduations and parties; high school and college. Suddenly, we find ourselves in need of knowing how to host a bridal or baby shower. Time sure does fly!

There are so many details involved in hosting a shower. These affairs can be time-consuming and overwhelming but they don’t have to be. I have thrown countless showers and my expertise can guide you through this process. Follow my easy steps on how to host a bridal or baby shower and your event will go off without a hitch!

Disclaimer: No budget amounts will be discussed because this is a personal decision for all hosts and varies greatly. Hosting a shower at home that is small will cost less than a larger shower at a restaurant.

Step 1: How to Host a Bridal or Baby Shower – Determine the Number of Guests

Make a list of potential guests. Don’t forget to include the honoree and her guy, family, friends, neighbors, co-workers, out-of-town guests and yourself. Creating this list on a spreadsheet is beneficial to keep an accurate count along with the ability to print labels for invites and recording gifts. However, there is no need to have an exact count right now.  A rough estimate will give you an idea as to where the shower can be held. More concrete numbers will be necessary before you order your invitations (Step 6).

Step 2: Choosing a Theme and a Location.

Steps 2 & 3 should be completed simultaneously as they go hand-in-hand.

The number one priority before making any plans is to talk to the bride (B) or mom-to-be (M2B) to get their opinions. Don’t worry, this is still your show and the ultimate choice is yours. The majority of honorees are so grateful that you are hosting a shower and don’t usually cause any ruckus.

The theme can dictate a perfect location or the location can determine the theme. It does not matter in which order this step takes place. Either way, try to have the venue match the style of the shower. For instance, a bridal shower held at Chuck E. Cheese may not be the best choice unless it matches the bride’s personality. Don’t be afraid to think outside of the box. Today’s showers are not the same events from years ago and anything goes!

Download your FREE copy of Over 100 Bridal & Baby Shower Ideas! Click Here!

Know how to host a bridal or baby shower and save money. When throwing a shower, I choose a décor that the B or M2B would like to decorate their home or nursery with. Shopping for these items at stores like Hobby Lobby will allow you to gift your decorations. Plus you can use coupons and there are always great sales! This makes the shower personal and it also is smart financially. Spending money on decorations that are thrown away is senseless. Instead, every time your special girl looks at her goodies, she will have warm memories of the wonderful event that you hosted in her honor. Once the theme is decided upon, it is time to let your imagination go wild!

Download your FREE copy of Over 100 Bridal & Baby Shower Ideas! Click Here!

Step 3: Setting the Budget

Not only do you need to know how to host a bridal or baby shower, but you also must determine a budget for decorations and the venue. There are many hidden expenses that you may be surprised about.

Here are a Few Extra Costs to Consider:

A Home Shower

• Extra chairs and tables
• Tablecloths
• A tent if the party is outdoors
• Cooking or catering the event
• Plates, cups, napkins, silverware, serving ware, chafing dishes, and other serving pieces
• Bathroom necessities
• Parking – do you have to hire a valet or is parking accessible

A Venue Shower

• Can you bring your own cake/desserts?
• Cake cutting/serving fee
• Open or cash bar
• Room rental fees
• Cleaning fees
• Gratuities

Step 4: How to Host a Bridal or Baby Shower – Determining the Menu

Base this decision on the time of day the shower is held. Brunch, lunch or dinner are the most common choices. However, offering breakfast or even appetizers can be a great way to save money while hosting a shower. If choosing the latter, be sure to have a complete and satisfying selection for your guests. Don’t forget to accommodate any special diet requirements. Choices for those with food allergies, celiac, and even vegetarian/vegan choices should be available for guests in need. Remember, they are bringing gifts and taking time out of their very busy schedules to celebrate with you! Treat them like royalty!

Step 5:  Wrapped Gifts or a Display Shower?

Will your special girl (and her guy) be opening gifts or will this be a display shower? With traditional showers, the honorees open gifts one at a time in front of the guests. Modern showers display unwrapped gifts. I prefer display showers and would never do it any other way!

Traditional Shower Pros:

• People expect to have the honoree open gifts
• Games can be associated with this method
• There is a bit of excitement and this makes the B or M2B feel like a child again

Traditional Shower Cons:

• The guests spend extra money on wrapping
• People tire of watching the gifts be opened
• The guests stop paying attention and start talking amongst themselves
• Guests really don’t get to see what gifts have been given or who they are from
• It is hard to hear what the bride or mom-to-be is saying
• Opening gifts takes FOREVER!!!
• Think of our planet! Such waste!
• This takes time away from socializing; honoree with guests and guest-to-guest
• The B or M2B may feel uncomfortable being the center of attention
• A helper is needed to record each gift giver and their gift accordingly which can be confusing because there are so many distractions and noises

Display Shower Pros:

• Guests do not need to spend extra money on wrapping
• The gifts are displayed, and your visitors will love being able to see and touch every present
• Everyone knows who each gift came from
• It makes the atmosphere stunning and acts as décor
• The honoree can spend time with each guest, making them feel special and appreciated
• There is less waste – Go Green!!
• It allows guests to get up and move around the room which increases socialization
• The bride or mom-to-be does not have to stand in front of the entire room and talk
• Gifts are “checked-in” upon arrival. No need for recording them in chaos.
• Highly organized and fool-proof

Display Shower Cons:

• It does take more work and planning
• Organization is key and must be set-in-place prior to the event
• Multiple helpers are needed for checking guests in
• Information on planning a Display Shower is hard to find

(Luckily, I have written an e-book with this information and much more!)

As you can see, I do not see many cons for a Display Shower! Want to know more about display showers and how to host a shower, check out my e-book, Bridal & Baby Shower Secrets Revealed which will be released soon. All you have to do is sign-up for your copy of Over 100 Bridal & Baby Shower Ideas!

Step 6: The Invitations

By this time, the guest list should be finalized and you can now choose your invites.

Will you print them yourself or have them done professionally? You can make your own invitations using Microsoft Word and purchasing some clipart from Etsy. The downside to making your own is that printing at home can be an exhausting and frustrating occurrence. To avoid this, I design my own invites and then send them off to an office supply store (Office Depot) to have them printed! If designing is not your thing, Etsy and Minted have beautiful options.

Invitations should be mailed at least 6 weeks prior to the event. Your final counts should be collected 1 week prior to the venue or caterer’s deadline.

• For success in responses, I recommended avoiding the traditional wording of R.S.V.P. Instead, the phrase I choose is “Please Respond By….”. By using this tactic, usually, only 1-2 people have to be tracked down for their response. This saves a lot of time and frustration also. I am all about easy!

These are just the beginning steps of planning your event and getting you on your way to hosting the perfect shower. For a more in-depth tutorial on how to plan a bridal or baby shower, check out the information below.

Don’t forget to download your FREE copy of Over 100 Bridal & Baby Shower Ideas!

Make sure you sign-up because you will then be notified about my new e-book that is scheduled to be released within a week.

Bridal & Baby Shower Secrets Revealed

This complete guide will provide detailed, step-by-step instructions on how to host a display shower! Also included in the e-book will be a convenient checklist plus a downloadable spreadsheet for tracking guests and gifts. As a bonus, you will get a few games that you can print and use at your shower. Don’t miss out on this exciting package! There are so many little details to think about during planning such an event but eventually, you will know how to host a bridal or baby shower too!

While you are here, please check out my bio. Take a look at this post too to learn a little bit more about how I have reached the point where shower planning is part of my life.