Tips on Planning a Bridal Shower In Las Vegas
Planning a bridal shower in Las Vegas is a tremendous privilege and responsibility. Even if the bride-to-be doesn’t know you’re handling the planning yet, she’s trusting you to throw an incredible event she’ll remember. Understanding what’s involved in planning a bridal shower and using the tips and insights explored here will help you plan the perfect shower.
Who plans the bridal shower?
Traditionally, the maid of honor handles the bridal shower planning. But sometimes, the maid of honor lives in a different state and isn’t available for all the hands-on duties before the wedding day. Or the maid of honor may be a matron of honor, with career and family demands consuming her time.
Other people who may plan the bridal shower include the following:
- A bridesmaid
- A family friend
- A wedding planner
- The bride’s mother
- The bride’s sister
Going with a non-traditional planner does throw a few wrenches into the planning process. Suppose you’re a college friend who will be a bridesmaid who hasn’t met the bride’s family. Or you could start planning a shower and learn her sibling is also planning a shower.
Here are some bridal shower tips you can use to avoid conflicting events:
- Contact the bride’s family members or friends: Unless the event is a surprise for the bride, you can ask her directly to see who’s hosting. If it’s supposed to be a surprise, ask the bride-to-be for access to a detailed list of all family members and friends invited to the wedding. The bride-to-be needs this list when addressing invitations and planning the perfect seating arrangement for her reception, so she’ll have it anyway. Contact family members or friends to find out if a bridal shower is already in the works before you start planning.
- Talk to the best man: The best man usually plans the bachelor party. Since ensuring everyone’s free for that date is part of the process, he may know if someone’s planning a bridal shower.
First steps
Once you know who’s planning the bridal shower, it’s time to make other crucial choices. You might list bridal shower ideas popular in Las Vegas to help narrow your options. Whether you’re planning the event or have a wedding planner handling the logistics, you’ll need to choose a date, plan a decoy event (if it’s a surprise), and select a shower theme.
Choose a date
You may have this step checked off if you communicated with the bride’s friends and family when deciding who’d plan the shower. However, you may need to check with several family members to ensure you aren’t planning a bridal shower on the bride’s parent’s wedding anniversary or another significant date.
Set up a decoy event
If the bridal shower is a surprise, you may need a close friend or family member to schedule an activity with the bride to ensure she’s available for the shower. The person handling the decoy event assumes responsibility for getting the bride-to-be to the shower while you handle all the last-minute arrangements.
Choose a theme
The early stages of the planning process involve choosing a theme. The bridal shower theme can influence several other decisions, such as the bridal shower decor and color palette, choice of venue, and guest list. The theme should reflect the bride-to-be’s interests. Suppose she loved Barbie. A Barbie-themed bridal shower could influence the color palette, decor, and shower activities.
If you’re planning something spicier, your plans could affect the guest list. You may want to encourage family members to plan a separate event so you don’t have to worry about inviting the bride-to-be’s future mother-in-law.
Set a budget
Who pays for the bridal shower is another thing that’s changed over time. It’s possible the bride-to-be’s family is traditional and has a budget for the bridal shower. However, if modern conventions prevail, it’s up to you to cover the costs. Either way, you must determine how much money you can spend to guide your decisions as you plan this event.
Refer to an event budget planning guide and talk to people who’ve planned bridal showers or other events, such as baby showers or anniversary parties. You can also check websites to learn how much things cost.
Bridal shower expenses can include the following:
- Activities
- Decorations
- Food and beverages
- Invitations
- Photography
- Transportation
- Venue rental
Who should be on the guest list?
Your theme could affect the guest list, but refining the guest list can be more challenging if your event is suitable for everyone. You may have an event venue in mind, which could affect the guest list if the venue is small. If you haven’t chosen a venue yet, you can choose one based on the event’s needs.
Make a detailed list of the bride-to-be’s friends and family members. You can use a color code or ranking system to prioritize people in each category. Inviting the bride-to-be’s mother and sister may be crucial, but inviting her third cousin may be optional. You’ll need to know who absolutely must attend and who you can cut if you need to trim the list because of the venue size or budget. Finalizing the guest list ensures you’re ready to send out bridal shower invitations.
Single vs. multiple venue events
You may choose a single venue for the shower or plan an event with multiple venues. A single venue offers the convenience of planning for one location. You don’t have to worry about transporting people to a second venue or doubling your decor budget.
There are still some good reasons to consider a multiple-venue event, though. Suppose you want a family-friendly event and an intimate party for the bride’s closest friends. Moving to a second venue may offer the perfect transition from a large gathering to a smaller celebration.
Gift registry
Ideally, you’ll create a gift registry before you send out bridal shower invitations. The gift registry should list things the bride-to-be wants or needs that suit the type of shower you’re hosting. Consider the following when setting up a registry:
- Event-friendly gifts: You might leave x-rated gift options off the list if you plan a family-friendly event
- Affordability: Unless everyone attending the shower is part of the same socio-economic class, some attendees may have budgetary limitations, while others can afford lavish gifts. Create a registry with everyone in mind and include affordable and expensive items.
- Accessibility: Set up a gift registry at a venue people can access. If everyone attending the bridal shower lives in Las Vegas, you can choose a local retailer for the registry. However, suppose people are traveling from out of state. In that case, choose a retailer with stores near their location or find someone who can receive deliveries for out-of-state attendees.
- Suitability: Bridal shower gifts should reflect the bride-to-be’s tastes, needs, and wants. A couple who’ve lived together may have all the household essentials they need. In contrast, a college student moving out of the dorms when they get married may need many practical items. Ensure the items on the gift registry reflect their needs, but don’t limit the list to essentials only. Make sure the list includes practical and personal items the bride-to-be will love.
How many activities should there be during a bridal shower in Las Vegas?
Planning bridal shower activities prevents awkward lulls. You may have groups of family and friends attending who don’t know each other, and some fun icebreakers can be a great way to put everyone at ease.
Most showers have up to three bridal shower games. The number of games you should plan depends on the following:
- Time to fill: You may need more activities for a longer shower
- Number of attendees: If you have fewer attendees, it takes less time to play games
- The itinerary: The shower could include a formal sit-down dinner. Some attendees want to see the bride-to-be open their gift, and a gift opening could take up a lot of time. However, some people don’t want the gift opening to be part of the bridal shower festivities. Determining what is and isn’t on the itinerary will help you know how many activities to plan.
Remember, you don’t have to use the extra games you plan. Extra activities will help keep people engaged if you have spare time to fill, and nobody will know if you run out of time without playing all the games you prepared.
Where to have a bridal shower in Las Vegas
There are many potential bridal shower venues in Las Vegas, which makes choosing a venue challenging. Start by considering the following:
- What do you want to serve? Your menu options can impact your venue options. You’ll need a venue with a liquor license if you want to serve alcohol. Hosting an event at a restaurant can be a fantastic option because you won’t have to worry about food service or preparation. When you host a bridal shower at Aqua, you can celebrate in style while we deliver an exquisite menu your guests will love.
- Do you want to have seated dining or a cocktail reception? Seated dining can prevent complications if you have groups of people attending who don’t get along. Seated dining is also great for highlighting the bride-to-be at a head table. However, a cocktail reception allows guests to mix and mingle.
Celebrating in style
Remember, if you plan a multiple-venue event, you can combine an elegant dinner with any activity. Changing the venue can be a fantastic way to change the event’s tone.
Whether planning a multiple-venue event or a classy bridal shower in Las Vegas at a single, refined venue, Aqua delivers impressive menu options, including hors d’oeuvres, appetizers, cocktails, and exceptional entrees to suit any palate.
Sources:
A Complete Guide to Maid of Honor Wedding Duties. (2023).
Matron of Honor. (2023).
