Time to plan for your bridal shower! The bridal shower is a fun way for the Bride to come together with her bridesmaids, flower girls, and practically any woman involved with the wedding. Usually it is hosted by the maid of honor, or a close woman such as the bride’s sister or best friend. The host will lead the lunch with a few kind words to the bride, then move on to some fun games to get to know the bride and groom a little more. Also, if the bride is not opposed, she can open the gifts from the ladies after the lunch. (Yes, bridesmaids are expected to bring gifts unless otherwise stated.)

If you are the one planning the bridal shower, don’t worry! You have an entire crew of bridesmaids to help you. In the process, you may want to try and keep it on the down-low and try that nobody spills the details to the bride–not even the date of the party! She is working so hard planning the wedding; think of how fun it would be for her to go to a party filled with fun surprises and games (and better yet, one that she didn’t have to work out the details for!)

We totally understand that being in charge of this event can seem a little daunting. But fear not! We’ve gathered some budget-conscious, quick, and simple games and tips for planning the bridal shower:

Decor

Upon Entering the bridal shower, have cute pictures tied to the bottom of the balloons of the bride and groom. Its super cute and a great conversation starter. Not to mention plenty of great memories for the bride!

You don’t need big, elaborate bouquets of flowers to make a statement. Think small and creative. Take some plain flowers of any kind and add in lemon or grapefruit to the bottom to dress it up and hide the stems. You can use plain clear vases or even mason jars for a country theme!

Lunch

A simple and hassle free idea is to have an afternoon high tea style lunch with little sandwiches and light food. For dessert have some macarons and cookies with tea. 

Not a fan of proper tea and cookies? Then how about a DIY Mimosa Bar, with some fruit and cheese platters scattered throughout the party! Having the bridesmaids make their own drinks is a good way for the them to start conversations and get to know each other! All you need is juice, champagne, and some cute stemware!

Games

Games are a great way to break the ice and get the conversation going! Here’s a couple ideas from The Knot:

1.) Memory: Try to stump your guests on the bride’s “love story.”
How to play: At the beginning of the shower, the bride should share her “love story” with the group, bringing up key events (where they met, how they proposed, etc.). Then, after opening presents, the host surprises guests by asking questions about the story. Throw in curveballs with questions like “How many times was ‘love’ used in the story?” The person with the closest number gets a special prize.

2.) Bridal Pictionary: Just like the original, only wedding-themed.
How to play: In a bowl, place slips of paper that have different wedding-related phrases on them (tossing the bouquet, going to the chapel, always a bridesmaid and so on). You’ll also need a white board with markers or an easel to draw on. Divide the group into two teams. Nominate an artist on one of the teams. Have them pull a phrase from the bowl and then set the timer for them to draw it out. They get 60 seconds and if their team can’t guess it right, then the other team gets a chance to guess. The winning team is the first to guess 10.

Party Favors:

On the way out, leave the bridesmaids with small favors such as this customized nail polish which they can wear during the day of the wedding!

Or send them home with something homemade like this simple sugar scrub!

Throwing a special, memorable bridal shower can be easy and fun! Let us know your suggestions in the comments below.

Photos: Tuesday Morning/WeddingMix