Who Plans The Bridal Shower? Everything You Need To Know

A bridal shower is a time-honored tradition to “shower” a bride in love and support before her wedding day. And a gift or two doesn’t hurt, either. If you know a soon-to-be bride, you might be wondering – who plans a bridal shower? Who’s in charge of all the party planning and preparation, and how do you make sure that a bridal shower is memorable and fun for everyone involved?

Here at Peerspace, we know a thing or two about weddings, showers, and memorable events. So, we have a few ideas to help you out. Read on to learn more about who plans the bridal shower, and how to throw a special party that the bride is sure to love. 

Who plans the bridal shower? The primary candidates

Traditionally, a bride doesn’t plan her own bridal shower. Someone close to her will usually volunteer to take on the role of shower planning, and all the responsibilities that go along with it. But who are the primary candidates for shower planning? These are the top choices: 

Maid of honor

Traditionally, a bridal shower is planned by the maid of honor. A maid of honor is the proverbial head of the bridal party. So, it’s only natural that the responsibility of planning a bridal shower falls to her. 

A maid of honor might also take on other responsibilities of wedding planning, like coordinating hotels and travel plans, planning a bachelorette party, or even helping out with vendors at the wedding. This effectively makes a maid of honor an unofficial wedding planner, and the bride’s primary wing girl.

Bridesmaid or another member of the wedding party

If the maid of honor is unavailable to plan a bridal shower, then the responsibility might go to another bridesmaid. Splitting out responsibilities between members of the bridal party can help ease the burden involved in wedding planning and make things easier for both the bride and the maid of honor. 

So, if a bridesmaid wants to help out by planning a shower, or if the maid of honor wants to delegate some of her responsibilities, a bridesmaid can make an awesome party planner! 

A family member

Of course, members of the bridal party aren’t the only ones who can plan a bridal shower. Sometimes, a close family member or friend might want to step up and help throw a bridal shower for the bride-to-be. Primary candidates include the bride’s mom, grandma, sister, cousin, or aunt. If one of the bride’s future in-laws wants to help out with wedding planning, this is an awesome opportunity for them to get involved. A bridal shower is a fun opportunity for both sides of the family to mingle before the wedding day, and to get to know everyone. 

A co-worker

Sometimes, a co-worker might want to show their support by hosting an office shower for the bride-to-be. An office bridal shower can either take place alongside a bridal shower with other family members and friends, or you can combine them together to create an ultimate bridal shower experience. It all depends on what the bride wants to do, and what she has time for throughout the wedding planning process. 

Things to keep in mind when planning a bridal shower

Now that you know who plans the bridal shower, let’s talk about what you can do to send it to the next level. 

Just because the bride doesn’t plan the shower herself doesn’t mean that she’s not involved in the planning process. Whoever the honor of shower planning falls to, the party planner will usually work with the bride to coordinate ideas, dates, and times for the shower. Here are a few things to try, so that you can make the event super special! 

Make a gift registry

“Showering” the bride with gifts is one of the traditional activities involved in a bridal shower. These gifts can include things like home supplies for life with the bride’s new partner or more fun items, like clothes and accessories. 

To give guests an idea of what they should bring, setting up a gift registry is a good way to ensure that everyone is on the same page. Of course, this step is optional if you’re hosting a gift-less bridal shower. It’s totally cool for a bride to say no to gifts and opt to spend the day enjoying everyone’s company instead. Just remember to consult with her beforehand. 

Find an awesome venue 

By hosting at an awesome venue, you can elevate your bridal shower and help create a special and unique atmosphere that’s ideal for celebrations. Luckily, we know just the tool to make this happen–Peerspace. 

Think of Peerspace as a massive inventory for party and event venus, with unique spaces located in metros all across the United States and Canada. All you have to do is input your event type – in this case, a bridal shower– and your city. Your search results should be full of tons of awesome venues where you can host your special event, like an elegant and historic loft, a peaceful pool, or even a spacious art atelier. It’s an amazing way to set the stage for a good time at a bridal shower. 

Curate a delicious menu 

A delicious menu is a must-have for any good bridal shower. Buffet spreads are the go-to solution here so that everyone can grab as much or as little food as they want while mingling with the bride and the other guests. If you booked a Peerspace venue for the bridal shower, you’ve got an extra ace up your sleeve, called Peerspace concierge. 

Peerspace concierge can help you coordinate with local caterers to arrange food for your event. Just let them know what kind of menu you’d like to feature, and they’ll help to have it ready at your event–no extra effort from you required. 

We hope this has cleared up the question of “who plans a bridal shower”. 

For more answers to all your party planning questions, head over to the Peerspace resources section for more awesome ideas about weddings, showers, and more events. 

Find unique bridal shower venues on Peerspace