BRIDAL SHOWER TIMELINE

When thinking of your bridal shower, there can be a lot of unanswered questions. Today I am going to walk you through a bridal shower timeline, and when to start planning it. If you are having a bridal shower brunch/lunch, the shower should be about three to three and a half hours in length.

Before anything is booked, the first thing to do is decide who is planning it and what the budget is for the bridal shower. After the budget is set, pick a date that is around 2-3 months out from the bride’s wedding date. After the date is set it’s time to start making the bridal shower guest list. The final guest count for a bridal shower is usually around 30-50 guests, but can have many varying factors.

After the guest count is finalized, it’s time to figure out the location where the bridal shower will take place. The most traditional option people go for is someone’s home if they have enough room to host that many people. Another option is to have the bridal shower hosted at a restaurant, private hotel/banquet area, or any venue that the bride is interested in.

Bridal shower table decor adorned with white linen, jute placemats, clear glass plates, oranges and orange, prink and grapefruit floral centerpieces

After the venue is booked it’s time to pick the bridal shower theme! This could be the perfect way to add a special touch or add some personality to the bridal shower with matching invitations, decor, and food. Feel free to get creative and look on Pinterest or Tik Tok for fun ideas. Some popular themes we have seen are Brunch and Bubbly, Disco, Garden Party, Build your own Bouquet, and Tropical. There are so many fun options to get creative and make the shower come alive.

After the theme is finalized send the invitations out 6-8 weeks prior to the event date. After this it’s time to plan the food menu and bridal shower activities for the special day. Fun games can be bridal shower bingo, trivia about the bride, and wedding mad libs. Make sure to have fun music playing in the background as a filler!

Pink theme bridal shower with dessert card and pink balloon arches

Below is an example of a bridal shower itinerary to help you plan that special day!

11:30am - 1:00pm | Host(s) arrive at the bridal shower venue and set up the venue. This includes decorations, food and drink stations, and games.

1:00pm - 1:30pm | The bride and guests will start arriving at the party. During this time guests will start to mingle and have appetizers.

1:30pm - 2:00pm | The main meal will be served at this time, or appetizer hour will continue. Dessert and other food items will also be set out for guests for after the main meal. If a main meal isn’t on the itinerary, guests will continue to mingle and enjoy appetizers.

2:00pm - 2:30pm | During this time guests will play the bridal shower games that have been prepared for everyone.

2:30pm - 3:30pm | After games the bride will then open gifts.

3:30pm - 4:00pm | After gifts are done being opened the host can share a toast to the bride, and then thank the guests for coming to the party. If bridal shower favors were provided, they will be handed out during this time.

4:00pm | After the toasts and gifts are done being handed out the bridal shower can end and guests are welcome to leave.