Prairie HiveBridal showers are customary traditional events that brides often look forward to just next to their big day itself. A bridal shower is an intimate gathering.
Unfortunately, it is not often easy to know who should and shouldn’t attend a bridal shower.
Do grooms go to bridal showers, too?
Grooms don’t traditionally attend bridal showers. Although it is often unexpected, the groom arrives at the end of the event to express gratitude for the gifts.
On the other hand, some couples opt to host a Jack and Jill party instead that is attended by both the bride and groom.
What Happens During Bridal Showers?
A bridal shower is a fantastic and fun way of officially celebrating an important milestone in the life of a soon-to-be bride. This is a time filled with drinks and food as stories and advice are shared with the special lady getting all the special attention. It is last the perfect chance for guests to shower the bride with gifts that she can use in her married life.
The bridesmaids and/or the bride’s mother will host this amazing event. After picking the date for the bridal shower, the theme will be chosen, and fun games will also be picked. The host can also ask the bride for her preferred guest list.
This guest list is often composed exclusively of her own ladies, those who are closest to her heart, from family members to friends.
However, times are starting to change that even gents, including the groom himself, are starting to attend bridal showers.
Who Can You Invite to Bridal Showers?
To help you prepare your guest list for your bridal shower, the following are the people who can attend this special event:
Children
Bridal showers are often adult-only celebrations with activities that might not be fun or suitable for kids. However, it doesn’t mean you can’t invite young guests, though. But if you decide to do so, see to it that you have a kid’s menu and that the entire event is kid-friendly.
Close Family Members
Close family members are the easiest names to add to your guest list. It is conventional during traditional bridal showers to invite the ladies from both sides of the family.
But every family is unique so be sure to consider the kind of relationship you have with them and invite only those you want to be part of your celebration. Remember that bridal showers are supposed to be intimate so don’t feel pressured to invite people you are not close with, even if they are family.
Close Friends
Since bridal showers are for the bride, it only makes sense that her closest friends join the event. It may or may not be exclusively the bridal part. Even your best pals that are not part of your wedding party can be part of this event. Their presence can make things more fun, taking the celebration to the next level.
Co-workers
If your co-workers are close enough with you, including those invited to your wedding, you can also add them to your bridal shower guest list. While this is not mandatory, you can still do so if there is enough room.
Remember to be considerate if only a few co-workers will be invited and you don’t plan to invite everyone. Avoid talking about your shower around those you don’t want to come in the first place. There are also times when your co-workers host a private shower at work, whether they are invited to your wedding or not.
Long-Distance Family Members and Friends
Just because some of your friends and family members live far away doesn’t mean they don’t deserve to be invited to your bridal shower. Even if you are unsure if they can make it, it wouldn’t hurt to send them an invitation to show them you are thinking of them. They can take part through a Zoom meeting, for example, so they can still enjoy all the festivities.
Male Family Members
It may be a bit odd to invite male family members because bridal showers are traditionally all-women events. But if you have close male cousins, or you want your dad and uncles to be part of your shower, don’t hesitate to give it a go.
Male Friends
Again, men don’t traditionally attend bridal showers. But etiquette about marriage and all related events continue to change to keep up with modern times. It means that if you got some male best friends, feel free to invite them over to celebrate this important life milestone with you.
The Groom
Do grooms go to bridal showers?
It has now become very common and even customary for grooms to make a special appearance after the shower to say hello and thank the guests for their good wishes and gifts. But most grooms don’t really feel comfortable with this attention so it is a must to discuss this with the couple.
Close Female Friends of the Groom
If you are also close with the female friends of your groom, it is also customary to make them a part of your celebration. But it won’t be considered rude if you don’t invite them over if you don’t get along well or you haven’t met them before.
The Wedding Party
The bridal or wedding party includes some of the most beloved people of the bride. Thus, it is just natural that they are also part of your bridal shower guest list. More often than not, the wedding party is also part of the actual planning of the event, which means that their invitation is confirmed right from the get-go.
But it is still recommended practice to send bridal shower invitations to everyone who is part of the planning.
At the end of the day, it is all up to the couple to decide who will be invited to the bridal showers, and whether or not the groom will also attend. Nothing is really set in stone, and everything comes down to personalities and preferences.
