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

  • Nicole Adams
  • February 24, 2023
  • Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is a more intimate gathering than a wedding and the guest list usuallyconsists of the bride-to-be’s closest female friends and relatives, including close relatives of the soon-to-be-bride’s spouse. Especially if the bride’s future mother in law is hosting, nearest and dearest in-laws often attend the shower, too.

Who Gets a Bridal Shower Invitation?

A bridal shower is an opportunity to officially celebrate a bride-to-be. It’s a time to eat and sip some bubbly, share advice and stories, and shower the special lady with extra attention. This intimate gathering is traditionally hosted by the bridesmaids, and/or the mother of the bride or future mother-in-law and will have a much smaller guest list than the main wedding event. Keep in mind that everyone who comes to the shower should definitely be invited to the wedding.

The bridal party, including the maid of honor and bridesmaids generally make the top of the guest list, followed by immediate family members from both sides of the aisle. If the bride welcomes children at her shower, guests may also include nieces, the flower girl and junior bridesmaids. Friends from the couple’s close social circle, friends from childhood or college, etc will likely attend. You don’t have to invite plus ones, co-workers or acquaintances of your parents, or friends of your future spouse unless you’re close to them.

Traditionally, showers were meant to be a party for ladies only, however, co-ed showers are quite common, especially if there are bridesmen in the bridal party. For a Jack and Jill style shower, all genders are invited, including close male friends, and both the groom and his dad may make a special appearance towards the end of the shower to mingle and thank everyone for their well wishes and gifts. Ultimately it’s up to the bride and host to decide who should be there to celebrate the couple.

What to Do During a Bridal Shower

Nowadays, it’s not unusual for couples to have a joint or coed shower with both of their loved ones present. It’s also common to have more than one shower to accommodate different guests in different locations. While a shower is generally more of an adult event, some couples welcome children and include a kid-friendly menu and activities. Ultimately, the details of the party will be determined by who’s coming and where the gathering will happen.

Unlike engagement parties where gifts are optional, guests are usually encouraged to bring a gift to a bridal shower; there’s usually a set time when everyone will sit down with the bride while she opens presents. You’ll want to set up a station for gifts and a system to record what she’s received so she can easily write her thank-you notes. There’s usually a meal or hors d’oeuvres served with drinks and plenty of time to mingle. There may also be games and activities for attendees.

Simple Bridal Shower Itinerary Example

  • Host(s) arrive at the bridal shower venue a few hours early to set up for the party, including decorations, food preparation, and drink stations.
  • 1:00 pm-1:30 pm: guests arrive, enjoy hors d’oeuvres, and mingle.
  • 1:30 pm-2:00 pm: the main meal or dessert is served.
  • 2:00 pm-2:30 pm: guests gather for games, like wedding mad libs, bridal bingo, or couples’ trivia.
  • 2:30 pm-3:30 pm: the bride opens her gifts, and her partner may make a planned or surprise entrance.
  • 3:30 pm-4:00 pm: the host shares a toast to the bride, thanks the guests for coming, and hands out bridal shower favors.
  • 4:00 pm: guests begin to leave.

Most bridal showers last between two and four hours, and typically take place during late morning or early afternoon (think brunch or luncheon). The event begins with celebratory food and drink and heartfelt connections and then a time for the bride to open gifts. Towards the end of the shower there’s often a toast to the bride, and some sort of favor for guests to thank them for attending.

Historic Acres sits along beautiful rolling hills and offers a variety of stunning settings indoors or outside, for any event. If you’re looking for the perfect venue for your bridal shower in Hershey, PA, contact our team today to learn more about our event spaces, available dates, and more.

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

FAQs

Who to Invite to a Bridal Shower - Historic Acres of Hershey? ›

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.

Who is traditionally invited to a bridal shower? ›

If you're hosting a traditional bridal shower, it's customary to invite women from both sides of each family. So, siblings, cousins, grandmothers, etc. The same would go for the men on both family sides for a groom-specific shower.

Who to invite to bridal shower out of town? ›

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.

How many people should be invited to a bridal shower? ›

How Many People Do You Invite to a Bridal Shower? Inviting between 30 and 40 people to the bridal shower is the sweet spot, with the understanding that some people probably won't be able to attend.

Who pays for the bridal shower traditionally? ›

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.

Who not to invite to your bridal shower? ›

Don't Invite Anyone to the Bridal Shower If They're Not Also Invited to 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.

What is etiquette for a bridal shower? ›

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.

What is the etiquette for the mother of the bride at the bridal shower? ›

Wondering whose responsibility it is to host the shower? Gottsman says the bridal party. "Under optimum circ*mstances, the attendants in the bridal party would host the shower," said Gottsman. According to Gottsman, the mother of the bride (MOB) should be a guest, but should not participate.

Should the groom's mother host a bridal shower? ›

These are among the biggest names in either wedding or MOG protocol. Therefore, I think we can definitively say that is IS okay for the mother of the groom to host a shower. So, if this is feasible and something you want to do, go for it.

Should grandmothers be invited to all bridal showers? ›

Those that should be invited to a bridal shower are: the bride's attendants, other close, personal friends of the bride, and. local family members of the bride & groom (mothers, grandmothers, sisters, and possibly aunts and cousins).

What is the normal amount for a bridal shower? ›

CostHelper.com, a website that compares the cost of services, reports that a typical bridal shower can run from $15 to $40 per person for a luncheon or party in a private room at a mid-range restaurant. If you're going all out with an elaborate bridal shower, you could be talking $40 to $150 or more (gasp!) per person.

Who normally hosts a bridal shower? ›

The Traditional Bridal Shower Host

The maid of honor traditionally takes on the role of chief shower planner. But she isn't a one-woman show: She relies on the bridesmaids to help her with planning logistics. On the day of, the girls run the party, making sure everything goes smoothly and that guests are taken care of.

What is the average size of a bridal shower party? ›

Traditionally, a shower is an intimate affair with only the future spouse's (or spouses') closest friends and family in attendance. For some people, however, bigger is better, and the guest list becomes more extensive (and therefore more costly). In 2023, the average bridal shower size is 30 guests.

What food to serve at a bridal shower? ›

Fabulous Bridal Shower Finger Foods
  • Crescent Vegetable Appetizers. Quick & Easy Crab Dip. Veggie Dippers. Open-Faced Turkey Sandwiches.
  • Veggie Crescent Cups. Flower Fruit Kabobs with Luscious Fruit Dip. Watermelon & Blackberry Bites. ...
  • Mini Rainbow Fruit Kabobs. Fruit Jersey Cake. Balsamic Fruit & Cheese Kabobs.
May 19, 2023

What do the groom's parents pay for? ›

The groom's family traditionally paid for all costs associated with the rehearsal dinner and honeymoon, wedding day transportation, and the officiant. The groom paid for the bride's engagement ring, wedding ring, and groomsmen gifts. It is also common for the groom's family to pay for the alcohol at the reception.

What does maid of honor pay for? ›

"We often see the maid of honor assist in covering the cost of the bridal shower (often in conjunction with a family member of the bride), covering her own costs and some of the costs of the bride for the bachelorette party (in conjunction with the rest of the bridesmaids), her own travel to and from the wedding, a ...

Are men invited to bridal showers? ›

As you are creating the guest list, keep in mind that men usually aren't invited to the bridal shower. However, it's ok to include male guests if you're hosting a co-ed wedding shower for the couple.

Who is expected to give a bridal shower? ›

When it comes to the question “who hosts a bridal shower,” the most popular answer is usually the maid of honor. One of the most important maid of honor duties is leading the charge to plan the bridal shower, from choosing a venue to sending out bridal shower invitations, planning games to choosing favors.

What to wear as a guest to a bridal shower? ›

As with any outfit you choose to wear, you should consider the weather and season when selecting your ensemble for a bridal shower. “In the winter, you can lean into long dresses, jumpsuits, and nice pants. In the summer, it is safe to lean into shorter midi skirts and dresses,” Abbasi notes.

Does the groom attend a bridal shower? ›

It's totally up to you and your fiancé to decide whether he will attend the bridal shower. Modern etiquette suggests that he show up toward the end of the shower to say hello and help stock up the car full of gifts. Some men even drop in for a few fun games.

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