So, let's discuss: When should you have a wedding shower?

Timing is everything when it comes to wedding festivities, and planning your wedding shower is one of those pre-wedding events that requires some thought. Whether you, as the bride, are directly involved in the planning or not, deciding when to host the perfect wedding shower warrants taking a few factors into consideration. While it’s a day for close family and friends to gather to enjoy food, drink, games, and gifts, it’s most importantly a day to celebrate the bride-to-be. So, here are our tips on how to plan a bridal shower, and when to have it.

The Bride Is Everything

First and foremost, as the bride-to-be, planning your wedding shower around dates that you’re available and can accommodate the event in your calendar is integral. Your preferences take precedence and must be communicated to your wedding shower planner as soon as possible. Couples’ showers have gained popularity over the years, so if that’s your plan, then ensure that your fiancé has been consulted and is also able to share his or her preferences on all of the following aspects so that it’s a celebration that you both can enjoy together.

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Consult Your Wedding Party

The last thing you want is to be planning your wedding shower without anyone from your wedding party showing up. As a first step, check in with all of your wedding party members to ensure that they will be at the event, especially if it matters to you that they are all present.

Think in Timelines

When planning your wedding shower, the general rule of thumb for timing is from about a few weeks to a few months before the wedding date. Consider how much time you’d like between your shower and the wedding (and any other events in between), and then space out the event in advance.

Consider the Wedding Shower Venue

If you’re eyeing a specific spot to host the event, then keep that in mind when planning your perfect wedding shower. Some venues have waitlists that stretch out for years (or months), so, depending upon the popularity of the wedding shower venue, you might have to move your event around.

Decide Upon Your Shower Guests

You probably won't invite your entire wedding guest list to your shower, but this part still requires some thought. You do have to consider when family, close friends, and members of your wedding party can make it, so consider asking around for their availability, or send out a quick e-poll to gauge which dates work best for maximum guest attendance. And, do you, the bride, need to travel, too?

Avoid a Public Holiday

Check your calendar to ensure that the date that you chose for your wedding shower doesn’t coincide with any national holiday or, if yours is an interfaith or intercultural wedding, that there is no religious holiday or traditional festivity on the same date.

Ready the Gift Registry

Guests at your wedding shower are planning to shower you with gifts, so having your wedding gift registry ready for them ahead of hosting your wedding shower is important. If you need time to set it up with your fiancé then that might dictate when you host the shower.

Prepping a Wedding Shower Theme

Planning for your wedding shower with a theme in mind may need some special elements in terms of décor, food, party favors, venue, or even outfits, so gauging the time that you’ll need to get everything together will help determine a date for the wedding party.

Not Too Close to the Wedding

You do not want to wait too long before planning your wedding shower, because the closer you get to your wedding day, the more you’ll have to do. Plus, your wedding shower planner or planning committee might need a breather, too.

Photo Credit // Paradis Photography

It Could Be a Surprise

This might turn into a surprise shower if your wedding party and you are open to that option. In that case, planning your wedding shower will depend on your proposing a handful of date options of when you’d be available and what your preferences are in making your wish a reality.

Virtual Version

If you’ve decided to host a virtual wedding shower for any reason, there is a possibility that more guests will be able to attend, so plan on dates and times, considering all locations that guests will be calling in from. If you’re planning on creating some unique elements in the form of a virtual guest pack—such as a special wedding shower backdrop, party playlist, and suggested bites and cocktails—then ensuring that everyone received that information ahead of your virtual wedding shower will help determine when to host the event.

No matter how well you do plan the shower, be prepared for a few day-of party hiccups, such as arrangements that don’t pan out or guests that don’t show up. The important part is that you’re present to indulge in your wedding shower and enjoy the moment as your loved ones celebrate you. No matter when you’re planning to attend your wedding shower, that should always be your guiding factor.