Where and When Should Bridal Showers be Held?

Showers may be held anywhere from a friend or family members home to a nice restaurant and they are typically held several weeks before the wedding.

Where Are Bridal Showers Held?

A bridal shower may be held anywhere—at a bridesmaid's home, a park, a favorite restaurant, the beach, a spa, a beauty salon, or even the zoo. It may revolve around a theme such as a paint-your-own-pottery studio or an art gallery. It should be clear to guests beforehand whether the host of the shower will pick up all costs or whether they will be expected to contribute and, if so, how much. For example, an invitation to a shower held at a restaurant might say, “A Dutch lunch with entrees starting at $10.” A spa invitation might say, “Call the spa directly to book your appointment. Bring $25 instead of a present to pay for the bride’s gift certificate.”

When Should a Bridal Shower be Held?

Any time from six months to a week before the wedding. If many of the guests are coming from out of town, it should be held close to the wedding date. If almost all the guests are local, holding the shower earlier can add to the anticipation of the wedding. Four months before the wedding is good because it will avoid adding to any last-minute stress for the bride. Some etiquette guides say to hold the shower after the wedding invitations have been sent, but this isn’t necessary as long as care is taken to only invite people to the shower who will receive invitations to the wedding. The traditional day and time is Sunday afternoon, but any agreed-upon day and time is fine.

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