Who Should Be Invited to a Bridal Shower

A bridal shower is one of the most fun and anticipated events leading up to the wedding. It is a more intimate gathering that includes the bride’s closest friends and family members. So who do you invite to the bridal shower? And most importantly, who doesn’t get an invite? To help you decide who should be invited to a bridal shower, we broke it down into different categories to help ease the process.

Creating a Guest List

Creating a bridal shower guest list can be a bit unnerving, but don’t let it get to you. Ultimately, the bride gets to decide on the number of guests (unless it’s a surprise shower, of course). It’s up to the host, usually the maid of honor, another member of the bridal party, or a family member of the bride, who consults with the bride on the number of guests she would like to have at her bridal shower. The bride should create a list of must-have guests to guarantee her closest family and friends get an invitation.

For more on who should host your bridal shower click here.

Should You Invite Every Woman Invited to the Wedding?

No, you do not need to invite every woman on the wedding guest list to the bridal shower. However, it would be rude to invite someone to the bridal shower and not the wedding. This will offend the person and make it seem like you are just asking for gifts.

An Intimate Affair

Bridal showers are much smaller, more personal, and more intimate than the actual wedding. So if you want to keep the guest list smaller, it is completely acceptable. Don’t feel obligated to invite significant others or friends of relatives unless the bride is actually close to them. Even with an intimate guest list, make sure that it showcases the bride’s different social circles, including family, childhood and college friends, co-workers, etc.

Should the Groom’s Close Female Friends Be Invited?

The groom’s close female friends should only be invited if the bride is close to them as well.

Close Family

If only one bridal shower is being held, both sides of the family and both sets of family friends should be invited. However, if multiple showers are being held, you can invite family and friends from one side only or have a mix from both sides, depending on the locations. Traditionally for bridal showers, it is customary to invite women from both sides of the family. This typically includes mothers, siblings, cousins, aunts, and grandmothers.

The Wedding Party (Bridesmaids)

Since a bridal shower is a pre-wedding event, the bridal shower must be invited. Most of the time the wedding party is actually part of the bridal shower planning, so their attendance is expected. But that doesn’t mean they don’t deserve a physical invitation.

Friends of the Bride

The point of the bridal shower is to honor and celebrate the bride, who is the star of the show, so her friends should be among the first people on the guest list. This usually extends past the bridal party. Having the bride’s closest friends in attendance will make the party more enjoyable and memorable.

Co-Workers

If you have the room and there are co-workers with whom the bride is close, definitely feel free to include them in the celebration. However, don’t feel obligated to invite all the people you come in contact with during the work week. Only invite the co-workers you consider friends. If you are planning on inviting only a handful of co-workers out of a large group, remember to be considerate of that. Try not to talk about it too much in front of co-workers who aren’t invited.

Distant Relatives

Distant relatives are not the relatives who live far away — they’re the ones who don’t have a close relationship with the bride. While they may be invited to the wedding and it is customary to invite family to your bridal shower, consider the relationship first. A bridal shower is meant to be more intimate, so don’t feel obligated to invite family members you are not close with.

In the end, consider your relationship with everyone and only invite those you are close to and truly want at your bridal shower. Don’t feel obligated to invite someone just because. In the end, the celebration is about you.