Bridal Shower Checklist
4.8/5 with 487 votes
Table of Contents
Introduction
Our Bridal Shower Checklist is designed to guide you through every essential step in planning a beautiful celebration. From creating a guest list to coordinating decorations, this template ensures you cover all aspects of the event. Use our Checklist App to save your progress, customize tasks to fit your vision, and sync across devices for seamless planning. Collaborate with friends and family to make the day special, while keeping everything organized in one place.
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Toggle Eight to ten weeks before the bridal shower status
Eight to ten weeks before the bridal shower
Toggle Guest list status
Guest list
Check with the bride to see who she wants invited - it's her shower and her choice.
Toggle Budgeting status
Budgeting
You'll need funds, so hit up family and friends to show the bride to be a good time.
Toggle Date status
Date
Bridal showers are traditionally a morning or early afternoon affair, and so should be held on a weekend.
Toggle Location status
Location
The shower may be held at home, in the dining hall of a nice restaurant, in a church or many other venues.
Toggle Four to six weeks before the bridal shower status
Four to six weeks before the bridal shower
Toggle Theme status
Theme
Ask the bride if she desires a particular theme,. If not, you can get creative.
Toggle Invitations status
Invitations
Invitations should be pretty and feminine, and request an RSVP as well as include directions to the event.
Toggle Menu status
Menu
Call around and select a caterer, and decide on a menu. Brunch items are lovely for morning showers, or afternoon showers may feature teatime treats.
Toggle Registration status
Registration
Register the bride online for items the couple will need to set up housekeeping.
Toggle Three weeks before the bridal shower status
Three weeks before the bridal shower
Toggle Flowers status
Flowers
Floral arrangements should be tasteful and understated. Ask the florist about specials.
Toggle Balloons status
Balloons
You may wish to opt for balloons instead of flowers if the budget is tight or some guests have allergies.
Toggle Seating status
Seating
If held at home, the shower may be large enough to require extra tables and chairs to be rented.
Toggle Cake status
Cake
A bridal shower cake is traditionally a white cake, but layered cakes with jelly filling are coming in style. Order early.
Toggle Two weeks before the bridal shower status
Two weeks before the bridal shower
Toggle Games status
Games
Select fun games to play at the party, and shop for any needed supplies - including pencils and small pads of paper for word games.
Toggle Prizes/favors status
Prizes/favors
Plan on a small favor bag for each guest to take home. Also have some small prizes for the games.
Toggle Dishware/flatware status
Dishware/flatware
You can go for casual and a quick clean up with paper and plastic, or get out Grandmother's china for a formal bridal shower.
Toggle Caterer status
Caterer
Double check with the caterer concerning the menu and game-plan for the party.
Toggle One week before the bridal shower status
One week before the bridal shower
Toggle Guests status
Guests
Contact those who have not RSVPd, and find out if they will be attending.
Toggle Video/photos status
Video/photos
Someone should be in charge of videotaping the event, and another person can take pictures. A professional may be hired if the party is very elaborate.
Toggle Gifts status
Gifts
Purchase gifts for the lucky couple, and check the registry to ensure there are no duplications.
Toggle Decorations status
Decorations
These should be already purchased and ready to put up.
Toggle The day of the bridal shower status
The day of the bridal shower
Toggle Set up status
Set up
Everything possible should be delivered the day before to make set up stress free.
Toggle Cake. status
Cake.
If the cake is not being delivered, assign someone to pick it up
Toggle Flowers status
Flowers
The florist may deliver, or you may have to pick these up as well.
Toggle Gift list status
Gift list
One person should use the invitation list to note who gave what gift, so thank you notes can be mailed later.
Toggle Cleanup status
Cleanup
Large trash bags should be stocked for discarding trash and wrapping paper during the party, making final clean up easier.
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Details
Traditionally, bridal showers were held to make sure that the bride would not lack for items such as linens, dishes and other important household wares. Today, more and more people hold bridal showers for fun, with gifts ranging from the sensible to the absurd. The main goal of today's bridal shower is to make the bride feel special and provide her with things to take into her marriage.
Tips
- Showers are best held approximately a month before the actual wedding. Usually the mother of the bride takes charge, planning and executing the shower, although a sister, or close friend or even the mother-in-law-to-be may step in if needed. The best showers are a collaboration between many of the bride's friends and family members. In some cases where the couple met at a place of employment, their coworkers may choose to throw them a shower. Guests for the shower can include immediate family on both sides, close friends and neighbors or co-workers.
- Many showers nowadays are mixed gender, with fun things planned for couples to do and appropriate gifts. A theme may be chosen to up the fun factor, and guys may be pitted against girls during team games. Alcohol may be served if desired, although it should be confined to light drinks such as wine, beer and margaritas or daiquiris as a bridal shower is generally a daytime event.
- Planning ahead for the shower is part of the fun. Guests can coordinate gifts to prevent embarrassment such as might occur if two people bought identical coaster sets, or the bride ended up with four toasters or bread makers. A registry can help such duplication to be avoided. For couples showers, also, make sure you double check everyone's plus one to ensure that an uncomfortable situation does not arise in the form of an unwanted guest!
Who it's for
This Bridal Shower Checklist is for anyone who wants a simple, practical way to get things done without missing steps.
- Avoid forgetting - keep all your Bridal Shower essentials in one place (external memory)
- Save time - start from a proven Bridal Shower structure instead of a blank page
- Stay on track - track progress, come back later, and keep momentum
- Coordinate with others - share the list and divide responsibilities
- Learn the process - follow the steps in a sensible order, even if it's your first time
How to use it
How to use this Bridal Shower Checklist
- Save Bridal Shower Checklist to your free Checklist account so your progress is saved and synced across devices.
- Customize it in the app: remove anything that does not apply, then add your own details for Bridal Shower (dates, sizes, addresses, notes).
- If others are involved, invite them to collaborate and divide responsibilities.
- Work through the list: check items off as you go, and set reminders for time-sensitive steps.
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Scores 4.80 with 487 votes