One of the first steps to planning any bridal shower is to decide on which bridal shower invitations you’ll be sending out to the guest list. But before you can even do that, you’ll need to have a general idea of what you want these invitations to say.
Aside from providing the basic details like who, what, when, and where, the general rule of thumb when it comes to bridal shower invitation wording is that it should reflect the overall theme and expectations of the day.
For example, if you’re hosting a couples shower, you would want to use wording that makes it clear it’s a coed event. Or perhaps your bride is set on a ‘display’ style shower, in which case you’ll need to inform guests to leave their gifts unwrapped.
To help you decide on the exact bridal shower or wedding shower invitation wording that works best for you, we’ve broken this article down into four main parts.
What to Include on Bridal Shower Invitations
No matter what bridal shower theme you have planned, there are four basic but important details that every invitation must include:
1. The Guest of Honor’s Name
No duh, right? Just be sure to use the bride’s name (first and last name!) so there’s absolutely no chance of confusion. For a couples-themed shower, be sure to include the groom’s name as well so guests know it’s not a girls-only event and that the celebration is for the happy couple.
2. The Date, Time, and Location
These three details are a must when it comes to wording your bridal shower invitations. To avoid any misunderstandings, include which day of the week the shower falls on and make sure the date is spelled out rather than in numerical form (i.e. April 24th, 2021 instead of 4/24/21).
Depending on where you’re holding the bridal shower, you may choose to include both a start and end time for the event. For example, if you’ve rented out a specific venue for an allotted time (i.e. 1-4 PM), it’s important to include that on the invites. However, if you’re hosting at your or someone else’s home and are comfortable with an open-ended finish to the shower, simply include the start time.
As far as location goes, we suggest including both the formal name of the venue along with the full address (number, street name, city, state, and zip code). If the bridal shower is being held at your or someone’s home, we recommend including that on the invitation as well so guests know whose home they are visiting.
3. The Name of the Host(s)
While the bridal shower is traditionally hosted by the maid of honor and fellow bridesmaids, that is not always the case. Furthermore, the location of the shower does not always reflect who’s actually hosting (aka planning and executing) the event. For example, sometimes the shower is hosted by the wedding party, but located at a family member’s house.
To make things clear, include the homeowner’s name as the location (i.e. Megan’s Home or The Smith Home) and the actual host or host’s name after “Hosted By”. This way, guests are clear on who to thank for what.
4. RSVP Information
Make sure to include information on when and how to RSVP!
Including an ‘RSVP by’ date is so important because it gives you as the host plenty of time to plan based on the number of guests attending. We suggest making the RSVP deadline at least one week before the shower, though preferably two weeks out if possible.
Alongside the date to RSVP by, you want to tell guests how they should RSVP. It’s up to you as the host to include a phone number and/or email address. If including a phone number, be sure to specify if you prefer guests to respond by text or call.
Additional Information
Depending on the theme and expectations, here are a few additional pieces of information you may want to include on your bridal shower invitations:
Registry Information
If the bride has curated a wedding registry that she wants guests to purchase from, you’ll need to include this information on the bridal shower invitations. These gifts are great for the big day as well as shower gifts.
As far as the wording goes, there are two ways to go about providing this information:
- “For registry information, please visit [insert the couple’s wedding website here]”
- “[Bride] is registered at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond”
Theme Requirements
Like we mentioned in our intro, if you’re having a themed bridal shower, there may need to be some additional information about the theme included in the bridal shower invitation wording.
Typically this information has to do with whether or not guests must follow a specific dress code (such as certain colored attire or themed accessories) or bring a certain type of gift to match the theme.
Special Requests
This miscellaneous category can mean many different things. For example, if the bridal shower you are hosting is a surprise to the bride, you need to let guests know to keep their lips sealed and arrive on time.
Or perhaps you are putting together a homemade cookbook for the bride, so you need guests to fill out recipe cards to bring to the shower.
Bridal Shower Invitation Wording Examples
Now that you have all the informational details covered, it’s time to decide your exact bridal shower invitation wording. For those of you who are looking for traditional sayings, here are some classic examples:
- “Please join us for a bridal shower honoring [Bride].”
- “You are invited to a bridal shower in honor of [Bride]”
- “Help us celebrate the bride-to-be [Bride]”
- “Let’s shower [Bride] with love”
- “A bridal shower for [Bride]: laughter, joy, and a whole lot of love!”
- “Let’s toast to the future Mrs. [Bride].”
- “Showering [Bride] with happiness and good wishes!”
- “You’re invited to a bridal bash for our beautiful bride-to-be, [Bride].”
- “Come share in the joy as we honor and celebrate [Bride]’s journey to ‘I do.'”
Here are some other fun wording examples based on specific themes:
- “Let’s Pamper the Bride-to-Be”
- “Traveling from Miss to Mrs.”
- “Brunch & Bubbly”
- “Fall in Love”
- “I Do BBQ”
- “Love is Brewing”
And a few more bridal shower invitation wording examples, just for fun:
- “Join us for a sprinkle of love as we shower [Bride] before her big day!”
- “Sip, Sip, Hooray! It’s time to celebrate [Bride]’s special day!”
- “Bubbly, brunch, and a whole lot of love! Let’s shower [Bride] in style.”
- “Calling all gal pals! Let’s shower [Bride] with giggles, gifts, and girl time!”
- “Cheers to the Mrs.! Join us for a bridal shower filled with laughter and love.”
How to Decide Between Printed vs Email Invitations
The age-old debate: printed or email bridal shower invitations? For some, the answer is as easy as knowing the bride’s preferences. For others, not so much.
If you are struggling to decide which form of bridal shower invitation works best for you, check out our pros and cons list for both options:
Printed Invitation Pros:
- Traditional and formal
- The bride can keep a copy as a memento
- Easier access for non-tech-savvy guests
Printed Invitation Cons:
- Environmentally unfriendly
- May need to be hand sealed & addressed
- Typically more expensive than evites
Email Invitation Pros:
- Environmentally friendly
- Easier RSVP for guests
- Typically cheaper than printed
Email Invitation Cons:
- Considered less traditional/more casual
- May be difficult to access for older guests
- No hard copy to give the bride
Our conclusion? There’s no right or wrong, it’s totally a matter of personal preference. Whatever form best fits your style and budget is all that matters!
When to Send out Bridal Shower Invitations
While this doesn’t necessarily have anything to do with the actual bridal shower invitation wording, it’s always an important bit of information to revisit.
As with the ‘RSVP by’ date, it’s always better to give yourself too much time instead of too little time. That’s why we suggest sending out bridal shower invitations as early as six weeks in advance, but no later than one month out.
Final Thoughts
In a nutshell, the tone of the shower starts with the bridal shower invitation wording, so you want to make it fitting and memorable for the occasion. Whether it’s a traditional shindig or a quirky theme, don’t forget the essentials like date, time, and location, bride’s name, host’s name, and RSVP info, plus any theme details. In need of some wording inspiration? We’ve got you covered with classic and fun examples above!
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