Traditionally, it was the duty of the maid of honor to put together a bridal shower. These days, laying the duty on one person alone isn't always done. Sometimes the maid of honor will collaborate with the other brides maids, or family members, in order to put together that special bridal shower.

It can still be confusing to put together a shower. Where does one start? Planning and organization is key to having a successful event. It only takes a handful of ideas and knowing a few essential tools to putting it all together.

Collaborate with the Bride

Come on. It's not like a bridal shower is any sort of secret any more. She's going to know it is coming up. That doesn't mean you can't keep a few surprises for the bridal shower. It just means you will be better prepared.

What you might want to do right off is let the bride know you are planning a bridal shower. You don't have to say what your plans are, but it will help to get her opinion on things. This is especially important regarding two things: The date and the invitation list.

The right date and time she might be available will be very important to learn, and very hard to decipher unless you happen to be with the bride every day, all the time. With the bride's help, you can help plan around when she might work, or plan to pick out a dress, or another party to go to, etc. Ask her what dates are open.

The invitation list is another example of what you'll need to consult the bride on. You'll assume to send an invitation to every female in the wedding invitation list, and of course you'll want to ask the bride about it too. She might have a few opinions about whom she would like to see there. If you are trying to plan early, you'll want to send out bridal shower invitations after the wedding invitations have been sent out.

If it is a huge wedding guest list, ask the bride to select 20 or 30 guests from the list for her shower. Bridal showers tend to be smaller events, with just close friends and family. If the bride has many close friends, it might be better to ask a couple of people to help with the planning and paying for the bridal shower. You could also hold separate showers for different groups. Let the family have one and then have one for the friends.

Beyond this, you can pretty much plan the rest on your own. Though now that the bride knows about when and who will be there, if you ever have a question about what she might like, or won't like, you can ask her about it. The rest will be up to you.

Types of Bridal Showers

There have been all sorts of bridal showers held. It is no longer just a dinner, or a tea party out in the garden. These are perfectly fine parties, and if you think the bride will enjoy them, it is great to have them. However, there are alternatives to the traditional to consider too. Bellow are some ideas for themes. Remember, a traditional bridal shower is about two to three hours. That doesn't mean you couldn't plan something special with the bride and few of her closer friends for afterwards, the rest of the day, or all night.

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