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Choosing a bridal shower venue can sometimes be an easy decision, but it can also be complicated, too. There are a few factors to consider before you settle on a location for the bride-to-be’s soiree. We’ve compiled our top 5 tips for choosing a bridal shower venue below for you to consider when choosing your bridal shower venue.
Number of guests
First and foremost, the number of guests attending often is the driving factor when choosing a bridal shower venue. If the number is small, often the hostess, a member of the bridal party or the mother of the bride will offer to hold the shower at their home. However, if you have a large number of guests invited, you’ll definitely want to consider hosting the shower at a private venue that can accommodate a larger amount of guests.
What the bride wants
Before selecting a location for the shower, you should always consult with the bride. Is her heart set on a particular venue? Has her mom always wanted to host the shower at her place? Is Aunt Dorothy insistent that the shower takes place in her outdoor garden? It’s best to talk to the bride and find out what her wants, needs and desires are, both for the venue and for the overall shower details in general.
Let the theme guide you
If you’re stumped about where to host, consider the overall theme of the shower. Thinking of hosting a garden or tea party theme? Contact a local botanical garden to see if they take bookings. Doing a wine and cheese or stock the bar theme? Consider hosting at a local winery or funky lounge. Hosting a classic bridal shower? Look into a booking a private room at a nice restaurant, golf course or country club. Your theme can really help guide your other decisions when it comes to planning the shower details.
Dollar, dollar bills, y’all
It’s also very important to consider budget in all of this before you make any decisions. Talk to all parties involved first to get an idea of what everyone is willing to contribute towards the shower and see if there’s room for a private venue. Make sure everyone is on the same page (ahem, this means you, bridal party) for contributions, and talk to the bride. If you and the other hostesses weren’t planning on spending a ton of money on a private venue, perhaps the bride is willing to contribute as part of her overall wedding costs, or maybe the mothers of the bride and groom want to help out in this area? Communication is key – but of course, do it tactfully and politely. Things always get awkward when money is involved, but if you have an honest conversation about it from the start, it will make things much less confrontational and potentially awkward.
Consider extra hidden costs
The other things to factor into selecting a bridal shower venue are other hidden costs. If you’re hosting at someone’s home, will you need to rent chairs or an outdoor tent if hosting in a backyard? If booking at a private venue, is there a minimum catering amount you must spend on food and beverage to host it there? Will you need to obtain other things, such as insurance and a liquor license? Make sure when you’re calling around to get quotes that you ask about ALL charges that could be incurred when booking the venue.
We hope this information helps you when deciding on a bridal shower location! And don’t forget, we offer a variety of printable bridal shower invitations in our shop. Be sure to check out all our designs and if you don’t find what you’re looking for, contact us – we’re always happy to design something custom to suit your needs!