Who to Invite to a Bridal Shower - Historic Acres of Hershey (2024)

FAQs

Who is supposed to be invited to the bridal shower? ›

If you are having a traditional bridal shower, it's conventional to invite women from both sides of the family (grandmothers, cousins, siblings, etc.) However, every family is different, so consider your relationship first and make sure you are inviting only those with whom you actually want to celebrate.

But even if you're not having a joint wedding shower, your partner can choose to show up and mingle toward the end of the party. Finally, you're also welcome to invite out-of-town guests to the bridal shower, as long as you give them plenty of notice.

Many bridal showers include female friends and relatives like aunts, grandmas, the bride's mother, and the mother of the groom. This is because brides generally don't want their older relatives included in their bachelorette party, but of course, that's up to you.

In short, the host is the one who pays for the bridal shower—or at least some of it. Most commonly, this is the maid of honor, but the couple's relatives, friends or even the to-be-weds themselves can all pitch in to cover the cost of the wedding shower.

The short answer is, you should not invite anyone to your shower who will not be invited to the wedding. Your shower is an intimate gathering of some of the closest women (and men if you choose) in your life, and if anyone makes the cut for your shower, they should also be close enough to you to get a wedding invite.

The appropriate amount of money to give as a bridal shower gift is the same as the amount you would spend on a tangible present: $50–$75. Give the couple what you can comfortably afford within that range. If your budget doesn't quite stretch to the $50 mark, that's okay.

Since showers are intended for the bride's nearest and dearest, every shower guest must already be on the wedding guest list. Because it's understood that guests should bring a present to a shower, it's not appropriate to invite people whom you don't plan to include in the wedding.

This may seem obvious, but inviting people to the bridal shower if they are not invited to the wedding is inappropriate. It will likely offend them, and it looks very much so like you're pandering for gifts. As such, find time to connect with the bride-to-be and discuss who's on the final wedding guest list.

Consider inviting important out-of-town family members of your partner like their parents, grandparents or other relatives that matter to the both of you. "You are blending your lives together; it's important to extend that to their friends and family," explains Evans.

A key mother of the bride task on the day of the wedding is to host the reception with the other parents. Take the time to chat to guests, thank them for coming, ensure everything is happening as it should be and just generally make sure the day is running smoothly.

Do you bring gifts to a bridal shower? ›

In short, yes. If you're attending a bridal shower, you should always bring a gift with you to congratulate the bride. This is considered good bridal shower etiquette. Even if you're a part of the bridal party or wedding party, a gift is still necessary.

These pre-wedding celebrations can be a significant financial commitment. Bridal showers typically cost bridesmaids around $50 to $150, depending on the chosen venue, decorations, and activities.

A bridal shower is a more intimate gathering than a wedding and the guest list usually consists of the bride-to-be's closest female friends and relatives, including close relatives of the soon-to-be-bride's spouse.

Key Takeaway: The host is the one who usually pays for the bridal shower. However, if needed, others can help, too. The planning process can be a beautiful collaboration between the maid of honor, the bridesmaids, the bride's mother, and the groom's mother. And yes, even the bride can join in if she wants!

A bridal shower honors the member of the couple who identifies as the bride; for a wedding with two brides, it can honor either (or both). A wedding shower honors a couple—and, like a bridal shower, is planned by friends or family members of either partner.

It's totally up to you and your fiancé to decide whether he will attend the bridal shower.

Bridal showers are typically thrown by the bride's side of the family or the bridal party. The mother of the groom, along with the groom's side of the family, are typically also invited to the bridal shower. Couples showers are becoming more popular, though it's also common for the groom to not attend these events.

The Traditional Bridal Shower Host

The maid of honor isn't the only option, however. Anyone who is close to the bride—including her mother, sister, cousin, grandma, or future mother-in-law—can host. It used to be that immediate family members were never named as official hosts.