Your Bridal Shower Itinerary

What things should be included in your bridal shower schedule?

Don't forget the time needed to decorate the hall and place everything in order.

What items need attention?

The tables should be set. Party favors should be put in place.

The family table and the bridal party table should be clearly marked so that guests do not sit there.

Decorating should be finished before the first guest arrives.

The first concrete time is when the guests are to begin arriving.

There should be at least a fifteen minutes devoted to this.

What will the earlier guests do at this time? Encourage all to sign the guestbook and place their gifts and cards on the gift table.

Guests should be kept busy. Something should be happening all the time.

Are there hors d'oeuvres? Begin serving them as soon as the guests begin arriving.

Is there going to be a meal? Is it catered? Is the caterer going to serve the food? If so, you should ask the caterer how much time is needed for the meal.

Otherwise, the time needed depends on how extensive the meal is.

Are you only serving finger food? You should allot a half hour for this.

Will it be a full dinner? You need at least an hour, plus serving time. If you have many guests and a buffet line, you will need to include time spent for the guests to get their food.

Some of your plans may be carried out while the guests are eating.

If you are to open gifts, you may do so during the meal. Or, you may pass the guestbook or address book at this time. Drawings for gifts may be performed during the meal.

You shouldn't have any games that require concentration at this time, since the guests are busy concentrating on eating, noise levels are higher, and not everyone will hear the speaker.

Other items you may include on your itinerary are:

Introduction of the bridal party and relatives.

Awarding of door prizes. For instance, reward the first guest, the last guest, and so on.

Games. Carefully consider the time each game will take.

Greeting the guests. The bride should make sure to greet each guest personally at some time during the shower. If absolutely necessary, she may have a member of her bridal party help her.