The Key Differences Between a Wedding Shower and Bridal Shower

Showers are one of the most popular pre-wedding events, as it is a time to celebrate the soon-to-be bride and/or groom before their big day. But what is the difference between a wedding shower and a bridal shower?

The main difference is a bridal shower is a time to celebrate the bride only, while a wedding shower is for the couple. A bridal shower is a more traditional shower to honor the bride, while a wedding shower is a modern twist that celebrates the couple.

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Hosts

When planning a shower, the first step is determining who the host will be. A bridal shower will typically be hosted by the bridal party, with the maid of honor being the leader. Additionally, the bride’s future mother-in-law and/or her close friends may be involved in hosting duties.

Since a wedding shower is all about celebrating the couple, it can be hosted by different groups of people. This can include members of the wedding party, family, and friends. Traditionally, the loved ones hosting the shower will plan and pay for the majority of it.

Attendees

When choosing who to invite to either shower, the guest list may change a bit. One etiquette rule to follow is that guests who are invited to any shower must be invited to the actual wedding—however, not all wedding guests have to be included in the shower.

For a bridal shower, typically only women are invited and can be members of the wedding party, close family and friends, and relatives like aunts and grandmas. Additional guests can also be from the bride’s mother, such as her friends and co-workers, who have watched her daughter grow up and want to celebrate as well. There aren’t any rules on how many people to invite to a bridal shower, but a general range is anywhere from 10 to 50 guests.

For a wedding shower, both men and women are welcome to join in celebrating the couple-to-be. This will typically be larger than a bridal shower, with the guest list ranging anywhere from 30 to 50 guests or more.

When it comes to attire, there are no hard rules on what to wear to either shower unless there’s a theme in place, such as the bride choosing, for instance, a trending style and color for the fall wedding season, such as, emerald green bridesmaid dresses. Otherwise, guests are free to wear what they would like – as dressing to the nines is reserved for the wedding itself.

Activities

The main purpose of either shower is to celebrate either the bride or the soon-to-be couple, but there are some key differences in what you’ll be doing at each.

At a bridal shower, there will typically be games and entertainment, gift opening in front of guests, as well as lots of finger food. Ice breaker games such as trivia about the bride and/or couple are popular, as are other activities such as giving marriage advice.

Wedding showers are a bit more relaxed, with the focus being on mingling and socializing. Attendees may choose to bring a gift, and the couple will normally open them at a later time rather than in front of everyone. Ice breaker games may also be included, but expect more of a laid-back atmosphere than a structured one.

Timing

Both wedding showers and bridal showers take place close to the wedding itself. Normally, a few months before the big day, on a weekend, and for a few hours.

Typically, a bridal shower will be a brunch, lunch, or early afternoon event. A wedding shower is more flexible, so it may be during the day, or it will be an evening event around dinner time or happy hour.

Gifts

When it comes to gifts, there will be some differences between the two showers. One thing to remember is to double check if the bride or couple has specified a theme for the gifts or if gifts aren’t expected.

At a bridal shower, common gifts to give are personal items for the bride only. These can include jewelry, lingerie, custom gifts for her, and more. Additionally, guests can give the bride gifts from the couple’s wedding registry if they’re more comfortable with that.Also they can give gift fashion movies on Netflix

Gifts for a wedding shower tend to be items the couple can both use. Typically, these would be gifts from the wedding registry. Gifts such as household items and gift cards are common to give to the couple.

Start Planning

With the differences between a wedding shower and a bridal shower defined, now it’s time to start planning. When deciding on which to have, remember that a couple may opt to have both. Either way, enjoy celebrating the soon-to-be couple and their future.

Lizza Beehttps://Styleeon.com
lizza Bee has 3 years of experience in a professional content writer. she keen to write and share ideas about Home Decor, and Fashion.

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