The first thing to know is that a bridal shower is definitely a party that is all about giving gifts to the bride. From an etiquette point of view, what this means is that it is not appropriate for a bridal shower to be hosted by a bride’s mother or sisters, because it can look like they are grabbing for gifts of her behalf. A better choice for the host is one of the bridesmaids who is not a close relative of the bride’s. This does not mean that the bride’s family cannot contribute to the shower at all.

An important thing that the bride should remember is that you cannot ask a friend to have a shower on your behalf. Planning a bridal shower is time consuming and expensive, and although one is usually organized by one or more of the bridesmaids, it is not one of their obligations. Chances are that one of your close friends will step up and offer to host a party for you anyway; just make sure that she does it willingly, not under pressure.

The guest list of a bridal shower should consist only of guests who are actually invited to the wedding. It is the height of rudeness to ask guests to come to a party and give you a gift without including them in the main event. The only possible exception to this is if you work in the type of office that has a cake for every imaginable event. If your co-workers want to get together and toast you before your wedding, that it their prerogative.

Traditional etiquette about shower gifts is that they should be some little item that the bride can use in her new home, or something fun for the honeymoon. In general, a shower gift should be less expensive than the wedding gift, although the trend in recent years has been towards more lavish shower gifts as well. If you are uncertain, you can always ask some of the other guests what type of gifts they are bringing to help you find a price point that will not look too extravagant nor too chintzy.

After the wedding, there is one final piece of etiquette to be observed: writing the thank you notes! It is the bride’s duty to handwrite a thoughtful note for all of her wedding gifts, from the most stunning piece of jewelry down to the lowliest potholder. And don’t put it off – this is a task that is easiest when it is tackled in the week after the shower. A good tip is to have someone make a list of the gift and the donor’s name during the shower. That way, you will be sure not to forget to thank anyone. After all, showing your heartfelt appreciation is always good etiquette!

There are lots of shower ideas to serve as your reference in planning a shower. These days, most bridal showers are theme-based, and with the help of the Internet, you can easily come up with something unique and memorable for the party. If you do not have some ideas on what the part would be look like, first, you have to decide what theme you will apply. The theme of the shower should revolve around the bride’s personality. You can think of a wine tasting theme shower if she likes wine, or a sports theme party if she’s into sports. There are more to choose from, but you have to be careful on deciding which is perfect for the guest of honor.

Invite her family members and closest friends to her bridal shower. If you are quite unsure who to invite, you can ask the parents or other family members about it. That is if you want the party to be a surprise, but if not, you can ask her directly on who should be invited to her party. Buy or make homemade invitations that suit best to the theme of the party. You can choose colors that are uniform or is not, complement the colors that are involved in the bridal shower. Send the invitations as early as possible to inform the guests ahead of time. If you choose to make your own invitations at home, well this task is actually pretty easy. All you need is to buy nice paper cards and look for available templates on your computer. Of course, there are plenty of shower invitations available in many stores if you wish not to make homemade invitations yourself.

Bridal games will make the party alive. These are important parts of the shower where can everyone can enjoy and laugh! You can also catch some funny moments while guests are playing games. Bridal shower games encourage guests to start interacting and feel relaxed while the party is going on. Online, you can research for a collection of party games that you can have for her bridal shower.

Of course, you don’t want to forget the food! There are lots of delightful ideas like appetizers, finger food with quick and easy dip, and soups recipes that you can serve in the party. Your choices may include a vegetable or fruit tray, tomatoes and eggs, cucumber with parsley, slices of melon, cheese straws, egg-may sandwiches, chicken sandwich spread, party cookies, simple cream dip, potted beef, barbecues and the like.

Other essential shower accessories that a bridal shower should have includes bridal shower favors, party decorations, table centerpieces and shower gifts. You can easily find these items online. Also, if you wish to include a personal touch on these items, you can do that too by simply having theme personalized with the bride’s name or initials, the shower date and a nice quote.