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Throw a shower the bride will never forget.
We make it easy for you with our handy shower planning checklist and helpful hints on picking a theme, inviting the guests and playing the perfect games.

Wedding Shower Checklist

Shower Planning Guide
Shower Invitation Tips
Shower Games

Throwing A Wedding Shower

Traditionally the wedding shower was the maid of honor's honor. Today, anyone can be the host. And you don't have to do it alone. Rally the troops! Bridesmaids, relatives, neighbors—everyone. Get the gals together and follow these easy steps to celebrate in a big way before the bride’s big day.

1. Set A Date
So you won't conflict with cake-tastings or dress-fittings, run a few dates by the bride first. Unless, of course, the shower is going to be a surprise. And let everyone know the date early enough so they can make travel plans.

2. Choose A Number
Set a budget right from the get-go. While the host traditionally picks up the tab, it's perfectly fine to ask all the bridesmaids to help out. Ask them early on, and have everyone agree on the budget and shower specifics.

3. Pick A Place
When it comes to the location, get creative! A wine bistro? An art gallery? Maybe transform your home into Shower Central? Things book up faster than you'd think, so call early if you need to make reservations.

4. Dream Up the Theme
Create a unique shower theme, or try out one of the suggestions below. Once you have a theme, it'll help set the tone for everything from the invitations and décor to favors and entertainment.

Garden Party:
Plant your shower in a blooming backyard, a picturesque park or a botanical garden. Decorate with flowers in clay pots and make place cards out of seed packs. For brunch, turn watering cans into lemonade pitchers and serve garden-fresh goodies and chocolate “mud” pie. Send guests home with tulip bulbs. Gift ideas include gardening tools, patio furniture and floral bedding.

Wine & Cheese:
For decorations, fill empty wine bottles with flowers and extra wineglasses with votive candles. Ask each guest to bring two bottles of wine: one to share during the shower, and one for the couple (if they registered for a wine rack, consider it for a group gift!). For games, have each guest share a memory from their bottle’s vintage, and during the tasting have them rate each wine. Cleanse the palate with fancy cheeses, fruit and crackers.

Jack & Jill:
Go ahead and bring the boys! But make sure to plan events accordingly. Forego the girly cucumber sandwiches, and go unisex with heartier food. Consider a Bridal BBQ, a Pre-wedding Tailgater (have Bloody “Marries,” sport-themed decorations, and gifts the couples would use), or a Wedding Homerun (with all home-themed gifts, of course).

Tea Party:
Start the party at teatime and serve fancy girly foods. For decorations, put flowers in teacups; for place cards, use tea bags with the name of each person attached.

24-Hour Shower:
Guests are assigned a time of day and bring a gift related to that time of day (for example, ‘10 p.m.’ guests bring bedding and ‘8 a.m.’ guests bring a coffeemaker). This idea could also be adapted to each month. Beach chairs for August, a shower head for April showers, Christmas ornaments and decorations for December, etc.

5. Plan the Food
If you're starved for time, order ready-made deli platters (from the SuperTarget® deli if there's one close to you) or have the party catered. Let the food follow your theme. For a special touch, give each dish a wedding-related name. Anyone up for Bridal Brie? Honeymoon Honeydew Wraps?

6. Send Out the Invites
Mail the invitations at least four to six weeks before the party—even earlier if you're having out-of-town guests. On the invites, ask everyone to RSVP at least two weeks prior to the shower.