8 Tips on Planning a Surprise Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is a fun party just for a soon-to-be bride. Unlike an engagement party, this party is all about the bride. It’s also night quite as wild as the bachelorette party. Many people think a bridal shower is a bit excessive. If your friend was flippant about a bridal shower, you can plan a surprise shower. If you do it right, she’ll have a great time and never expect a thing! Here are 8 tips on planning a surprise bridal shower.

1. Work together


While you may be the one who takes charge during the situation, you can’t accomplish a surprise bridal shower completely on your own. Make sure to work with other people in the bridal party, the bride’s family, and the groom. When every collaborates, it’ll be easier to pull off the surprise effectively.

2. Use misdirection

One of the most difficult parts of hosting a surprise bridal shower is keeping it a surprise for the bride. You need to use some sort of misdirection. The easiest thing to do is say the party is for someone else. This will give them a reason to be free that night. It’s also easy for everyone else to remain consistent.

3. Figure out the budget

The first thing you need to do is establish your budget. You don’t want to plan before getting financed and end up paying for more than you expected out of pocket. Talk to people who may want to be involved to get contributions. Once you’ve established the finances, you can start planning. Be sure to be as forthcoming as possible about the cost so people know exactly where the money is going.

4. Arrange the guest list

The bridal shower doesn’t need to be as extensive as the wedding. You will invite mostly women. Naturally, the bridal party and the bride’s closest friends and family will be invited. The rest of the guest list will be largely dependent on the budget at this point. When you send out invitations, be sure to make people aware that it is a surprise. You don’t want anyone telling the bride about the party. Also, you should tell people to arrive early (at least a half hour/hour before the bride). Keep details of the party off of social media.

5. Don’t forget about the guys

The bridal party is usually just for the girls. However, that doesn’t mean that the guys should sit at home doing nothing. Talk to the groomsmen to plan something for the guys as well. Awesome bucks nights usually involve a bunch of beers at the pub, so consider making reservations for them. If your friend is close with the guys, you may even want to be unconventional and invite them to the festivities.

6. Pick a theme

a good party should have a theme. If there is a theme associated with the wedding, do your best to coordinate the themes. For example, if it’s a tropical, beach wedding, try a luau or something similar.

7. Get food/decorations

You are going to have to put some effort into setting up. Most important, you’ll have to arrange for food and decorations. You may choose a potluck or to cater. If you choose a venue, you may allow them to handle the details. Be sure to consider the bride’s personal preferences since it is her day. Ask for help when it comes to the decorations. This will alleviate some of your responsibility, and it will get people there on time.

8. Take plenty of pictures


The bride should only have one bridal party in her entire life. You want to make sure it’s something she remembers forever. You want to make everything look good enough for a picture. For that reason, you should bring your camera. You can even set up areas for people to take pictures or even a photo booth. If you don’t think you’ll have time to capture everything, hire a professional photographer.

You love your friend. That’s why you want to give her the best surprise bridal shower ever. Well, work with everyone in her bridal party to accomplish it, and make it something to remember. She’ll be grateful you were able to pull it off.