The Bridal Shower Invitation

Tradition has flown out the window with regard to bridal showers. Etiquette police have taken an apparently forever sabbatical about dictating what is and isn’t proper. No longer is it an absolute rule that showers are to be given solely by a non-family member. Mothers, sisters, aunts, female cousins…whomever wishes can give the bride a party without fear of being frowned upon nowadays.

Bridal shower invitations, as well, follow no set-in-stone rules. There are however a few simple things you need to keep in mind with regard to the style and theme of the event itself and remembering to include in invitations necessary information.

Necessary Info for All Invitations

For instance, you must include the four Ws: Who, What, Where, and When as you consider the written content of your bridal shower invitations. “Who” pertains, of course, to the lucky person for whom the party is being given. “What” tells guests that it is a bridal shower. “Where” lets them know how to get to the party (some hostesses include maps and explicit directions), and “When” clues them in on what time the shower is to be held.

Optional information includes requesting an RSVP so you won’t be left with umpteen-extra helpings of food and favors and informing the party-goers if the shower is going to be a surprise for the soon-to-be-bride. If you do decide on requesting an RSVP, don’t forget to include a self-addressed, stamped envelope and/or your phone number so the invitee can reach you in order to decline.

Match to the Formality or Casualness of the Occasion

Other than the above information, the most important decision you’ll have to make about bridal shower invitations is on what style and decorative stationery theme you wish to send. And this will depend on what style and theme of bridal shower you’re planning on throwing. You wouldn’t want to send elaborately elegant invitations to an ultra-casual, picnic-style get-together at the park. Nor would you want to send cutesy, handmade invitations to a sophisticated, sit-down affair at a fancy restaurant.

And on the subject of bridal shower locations, don’t forget that these happenings can be wherever desired – as long as it’s somewhere the bride finds pleasing. With this is mind, think about spas, the beach, on a houseboat, at a botanical garden…at a bowling alley – if that’s what makes the bride happy!

Save Time, Shop Online

Fortunately, we have the Internet nowadays, so shopping for bridal shower invitations doesn’t have to be an offsite, energy-sapping excursion that entails using up high-priced gasoline and wears out our feet (and sometimes our nerves!). The number of online stationers that cater specifically to all things bridal runs into the multitudes; it’s only a matter of sitting down and doing some serious online browsing – after you’ve at least narrowed your theme down somewhat.

So the bottom line as far as bridal shower invitations are concerned is this: Keep them in tune with the event itself and be sure to give all the necessary information. After that, the decisions are all yours!