Is there any better way to celebrate a bride-to-be than being surrounded by mimosa’s and brunch?! I’ve never planned a bridal shower before; only birthdays, gender reveals, Halloween get-togethers, and the occasional Harry Potter movie marathon. I was on a mission to make this Bridal Brunch the best for my best friend.
So, you ask, what are the ways to throw a successful Bridal Brunch for your bride-to-be?
Let’s go down my list, shall we:
1: Making It Fun For All Age Groups.
The beauty of a bridal shower is the tradition of all the women the bride is surrounded by being present. For some, this includes the age groups from young girls to grandmothers. Making sure you make it fun for all involved is the key. Choosing games that any age group could play, having non-alcoholic themed drinks, and everyone can participate in activities.
Like many of the parties I’ve hosted, our Bridal Brunch, we knew the guest list would include a wide variety of ages. Here is a list of how I made it engaging and accommodating for everyone.
Mocktails – We made sure that the Mimosa Bar had more than just Champagne drinks. For mocktails, all you need is good juice and fruit garnishes. You want them to feel still like they are part of the party, so they were still given a signature cocktail glass to raise for the toasts throughout the brunch.
Traditional Games with a Spin – Everyone who isn’t a millennial at the party remembers playing certain games at their parties. There may also be children who want to play games too. Making sure there are games that they know how to play will help everyone have fun and possibly give everyone a fighting chance to win at something!
Prizes – When creating the prize boxes/baskets, make sure that all the items in it could easily be used or traded with someone at the party. I stuck with the usuals; candles, books, magazines, movies, candies, and more…
2: Brunch Foods, Of Course!
As every party planner knows, if the food isn’t good, the party isn’t a success.
For our Bridal Brunch, I chose to go the finger foods route. I wanted to make sure that we had enough food to cover the initial ‘serving time,’ but leftovers for people to nibble on as the party went on.
- Tier trays with a variety of danishes
- Catered Panera bagels
- Home-baked muffins
- Quiche: made with eggs, sausage, and more.
- Variety fruit trays
- and lastly, a variety of donuts from a local donut shop.
3: Something To Remember The Shower By.
The key to making every guest feel welcome and part of an experience is giving them something to take away.
For this Bridal Brunch, I decided to contact a local flower shop to help me arrange the best bouquet for a Bouquet Bar. This ceremony is commonly used for bridal parties to make their own bouquets before the big day; however, our bride and her groom were eloping. Thinking this activity would bring everyone together and let everyone feel like they were part of the ceremony and process leading up to the big day.
* ProTip: Keep in mind, flowers are natural. You will need to choose flowers you can make sure to keep alive, that will withstand many handlings, and that you have all the necessary tools/climate for possibly transporting and arranging them on the day of.
Every party needs that one thing that is a for sure memory maker! An activity everyone can participate in and keep as a token to take home.
4: Let Them Eat Cake!
Eating cake is a good wrap-up to any party. This is where I decided to play my last game for the event. “Who Has The Groom?!” I created a variety of celebrity husbands and hid the grooms’ photos within them all – attaching each one to the bottom of the cake plates. Once everyone was done eating their cake, I announced that everyone has a husband, but who has the groom?!
* ProTip: Make sure you put the groom towards the middle/top area of the plate stack… sometimes, this game can get awkward if no one has the groom.
5: Don’t Forget To Have Fun Yourself!
These events are meant to be celebrations.
You are the host, but you are also a friend. Enjoy yourself! Mingle, talk with the bride, eat with everyone else, have a couple of drinks yourself. If everyone seems to have a good time, become less anxious. You will begin to lighten up the party even more, making people feel comfortable.