Ask a Wedding Planner: Who Should You Invite to Your Bridal Shower?

Your bridal shower is a special day. It’s a chance for you to celebrate your upcoming marriage with the people who love you most!

But for many brides, their shower comes with its own worries. For instance: who do you invite to help you celebrate?

After all, you want to find the right balance.

You probably won’t invite exactly the same people to both your wedding and your bridal shower. So who should you invite to your bridal shower?

As a Master Certified Wedding Planner based here in Connecticut, here are my thoughts.

Should You Invite Both Men and Women to Your Bridal Shower?

Many soon-to-be brides wonder whether they should invite men to their bridal showers.

The truth is, this is totally up to your personal preference!

Some brides have close friends or family members who are men, and want them to be there for the festivities.

Other brides think of the bridal shower as an opportunity to celebrate specifically with the women in their lives.

And some couples want to have a “couple’s shower,” celebrating their upcoming marriage together with all of their loved ones.

Whatever feels right to you, do it!

Your Bridal Party

If they’ll stand beside you while you say your vows, you will probably want them to be there for your bridal shower. Your bridal party is made up of the ladies who love you most: your closest friends, a sister or cousin, or maybe even an in-law-to-be.

In some cases, your bridesmaids and maid of honor may even be the ones planning the shower. Either way, they are sure to be a part of your pre-wedding celebrations.

Your Family

As you prepare for the wedding, your family members are likely an important part of the process. 

Decide which members of your family you want to be there for your shower:

Who do you have close relationships with?

Who has been a part of your support system in your relationship?

Will any family be coming into town early for the wedding? If so, be sure to invite them!

Please keep in mind: Family looks different for everyone. Your family may be the one you were born into, but as an experienced wedding planner, I know that family can be complicated. Chosen family is a totally valid form of family. Whatever ‘family’ looks like for you, that’s okay. You’re allowed to build the support system that works for you!

Your In-Laws

Whether you’ve already gotten close with your in-laws or not, it’s a good idea to invite them to your bridal shower. It’s the perfect opportunity to bond–and to include them in your life!

Your Friends

Friends are such a vital part of any support system. And when you’re preparing for one of the biggest days of your life, your friends are sure to be with you every step of the way.

So make sure you invite your friends to your bridal shower!

Some brides choose to have separate showers: one for their family and one for their friends. This is a great option if you feel like you need to keep those parts of your life separate, if you feel like your friends and family won’t ‘click,’ or if you have such a big family that you want to be able to dedicate more energy to your friends.

But if your friends aren’t throwing you a separate shower, make sure they are included on the guest list.

Your Coworkers

Are you close with your coworkers? Do they feel like part of your support system?

If so, you may want to include them when inviting people to your bridal shower.

Some workplaces will host their own shower to celebrate a team member. But if they won’t be hosting their own, your coworkers may want the opportunity to come celebrate with you!

However, if you only plan to invite certain coworkers, it’s a good idea not to share too much about it at work. Give them the invitations privately and don’t spend too much time talking about it in front of other coworkers. It’s completely fine if you are closer with some coworkers than with others, but you don’t want to create an uncomfortable work environment for yourself or others!

Your Community

Beyond family, friends, and coworkers, there are probably other people in your life who are a part of your support system.

If you are a member of a church or other religious community, consider inviting fellow members to your bridal shower.

If you volunteer with an organization on a regular basis, you have probably developed close relationships with some of the other volunteers. If so, you may want to include them on your invite list.

Are you a part of a club? Do you play a sport? Some of the other people involved have probably become an important part of your life–and they will want to celebrate with you.

You may even have close relationships with neighbors who will want to be a part of your pre-wedding festivities.

Whatever your community looks like, consider inviting the people in it to your bridal shower.

Congratulations!

I wish you a joyful wedding, and hope you have a wonderful time at your bridal shower.

If you are a Connecticut bride-to-be interested in the support of a planner for your shower or wedding, I would love to help you! Reach out to me through my contact form here.