Throwing a Bridal Shower 101

When your close friend asks you to be her maid of honor at her wedding it’s actually more than a privilege, it is an honor. Your friend needs your help and support more than ever through this emotional and life changing time. She has chosen you and has placed her faith and confidence in your unique ability to be her emotional support and friend during a stressful time. Along with that she also trusts that you are the person whom she can confide in and rely on to carry out the intricate tasks and organization needed for the maid duties.

Good thing MY name is spelled correctly! :)

Traditionally, I have this-and-that duties, but since she lives from the South, and I'm from the East part of Manila, I was unable to do this MOH duties. So technically, yeah, I'm one of the worst MOH ever. Pero hindi naman sobrang wala akong naitulong kasi during the brainstorming part ay magdamagan kami kung magusap. I may not be physically helpful, but I was emotionally and virtually there for her, so I guess I was also able to help somehow. (defending myself!)

I have always loved organizing parties. I get so giddy and all with just the thought of it.

The MOH is a key VIP of the bridal party, hand-picked by the couple from their closest crew and selected to represent the leader of the bridesmaids.


In coordination with the bridesmaids, another one of your primary maid of honor duties will be to organize, plan and host a bridal shower for the Bride-to-be. This may or may not be the same bridal shower as one given by members of the family, that will depend on the bride and her respective family.


For Lara's shower, I was the one who basically hosted everything. It was sort of my fault since I didn't take the time to get to know the bridesmaids. Anyway, I sure did not expect that hosting a bridal shower can be this stressful. And did I mention I only had less than a week to prepare? But look at the bright side, I get to choose and make the final decisions on all the stuffs! (Convincing myself that this is an easy task.tsk!)


So I have here a few basic details that you need to know. The following is a quick guide for first-time host/hostess.


THEME:

I was almost decided on the theme for the shower so this isn't really a big deal. I pictured it to be something which can show a glimpse of the bride's personality. So if you are throwing your friend/sister a shower, think about how you can relate their personality, likes, and attitude to your event. In my case, I chose Sweet and Pink as the theme. Also, you have to consider that the theme should be easy so your guests won't have a hard time complying.

This is how I plan to do it.

VENUE:

Now this was the biggest challenge for me. With only a few days of preparation it is very hard to look for the perfect venue for your party. Take into consideration your budget, location, and the safety of your guests. I was the one incharge with everything, so in short, I am also the one to foot the bill. Meaning, I have to stick to a certain budget. Thanks to Google for making it possible and easier to look for a venue. This is actually my top priority during preparation because as long as I have a venue, all the other details are manageable. I have always thought that a hotel room or a KTV room are the ideal venue for a Bridal shower. It is best that you hold the party within a secluded area where you can't disturb other peeple/neighbors. I know how wild, loud, and crazy you can be. Besides, it is most of the time done during night time, and we wouldn't want other people asking us to shut up, right?



GAMES:

As the saying goes, "If in doubt, ask Google" This is my first time to host a party like this. And Google have been very helpful. I have been reading blogs and articles on how they held their bridal showers and thus gave me ideas on what to do. Particularly with the games. Some traditional party games can also be played but you have to add a kinky or flirty twist to each game. For example, you would like to play Pinoy Henyo, you have to make sure that words such as Handcuffs and Lingerie be included there.



OTHER ACTIVITIES:

This includes the Kinky Cakes and the Wild Strippers/Dancers. I honestly haven't seen any of these. I have considered having both but due to tight budget I only have to choose one. And yes I've chosen the strippers....nah!

Reminder: If you really want to hire a stripper, you have to make sure that this person is being referred by a close friend. It is hard to trust strangers this days. Just be cautious.


INVITATIONS AND GUEST LIST:

Just like any other parties, it is great to have invitations and guest list. That way, you are able to know on how many people you need to accommodate. Think about it, how will you be able to accommodate 50 people in a 20 sqm ktv room, or 5 people in Presidential Suite? Invitations doesn't have to be expensive, you can just simply create a FB Event Invite or if you are crafty person, you can even handmade a card.


FOOD/CATERER:

This is sometimes connected with the venue. There are some venues that have consumable promos. If you are only a group of less than 10 people, I suggest that you rent a KTV room. Everything is there. Enough space where you can do a few games, Air conditioned rooms, good sound system with microphone, and most of the time, the amount you pay for the venue is consumable to food and drinks. But if these does not apply, food is not really that big of a deal. This is the kind of party that doesn't need huge food servings or selections. I suggest that you serve cold cuts and finger foods. It is usually just appetizers and cold drinks that are present in this type of parties.


SOUVENIRS:

This is optional. But if you think you can spare a few more bucks, it'll be great to have a little something that is kept as a reminder of the event. You can have personalized cupcakes, shirts, and even soaps.


GIFTS:

Basically, you are throwing this party to shower the bride with gifts! They wouldn't call it a Bridal Shower for nothing, sweety! This doesn't have to be expensive, you can either buy a flirty thong, a body scrub, or anything that the bride can use before, after, or during the honeymoon. The naughtier, the better!


These are only the basic details that you need to know in throwing a Bridal Shower.

And don't forget to have fun!