Office Bridal Shower

Long gone are the days when bridal showers were very formal and traditional. Today, bridal showers are much less formal and focus more on the couple than on the tradition of it all. In the past, bridal showers were expected to be a woman’s only event in the home of the maid or matron of honor and gifts came directly off the registry list. With today’s less formal standards and with more people working long hours during the day, an office shower is the answer for many busy people. An office bridal shower is perfectly acceptable and can be customized for both the men and the women. Most offices now have more relaxed rules about socializing, making the office a perfect place to throw a shower.

There are many ways to hold a shower. The way a shower is given will largely depend on the wishes of the bride-to-be and the person holding the event. Some brides prefer a couple’s shower that includes the groom, while others prefer a more traditional women-only party. Bridal showers that are held in the office are easy to plan and you can count on the attendance to be high. Many employees are more than willing to help out with an office shower, too. When you get ready to plan a bridal shower in the office consider the following tips and ideas to host the perfect bridal shower at work.

Most bridal showers are held about two months prior to the wedding. This is the perfect time to plan a shower because it gives the bride and groom plenty of time to plan ahead. A fun shower is a nice respite from the hustle and bustle of wedding planning. Also, before you plan a big shower at the office, consider the bride and groom’s guest list. As a general rule, it is not good etiquette to invite someone to a shower that has not been invited to a wedding. This is not a hard and fast rule, though. There are exceptions, such as when the bride and groom travel far away for a wedding and might only have family in attendance. However, most of the time, an office shower is usually designed for just that-the office and the office staff and employees that are close to the bride and groom.

When planning a bridal shower at the office, the first step you should take is to talk with the management and get permission to hold the shower. You might find that your company prefers that the shower be held outside of the office during lunch break If this is the case, consider having a shower at a nearby restaurant or at someone’s home that lives near the office. Others might approve of giving the shower at the office and not have a problem with doing so. Also, consider everyone’s work schedule. Make sure that you plan the shower at a time when everyone can be in attendance. If you work somewhere that must stay open to customers or clients, be sure that there is a time frame when the shower will not be interrupted. Sometimes, you might have the shower early in the day or after the workday is over.

Lunchtime might be a perfect time to plan the bridal shower. Although it may be difficult, try to keep the shower short if you are having it at the lunch hour. Usually an hour is enough time for everyone to eat and open gifts. It might even be possible to request a long lunch hour for the shower. If you are giving the shower during lunch hour, consider a potluck style luncheon. Have everyone bring a certain dish so that those who are invited can enjoy a meal and the shower at the same time. To avoid having several of the same dishes, have a sign up sheet or designate certain departments to bring a certain type of dish. For example, have the accounting department bring the appetizers and the front desk brings the bread.

Another other option that works well is to collect money before the shower from everyone. Use that money to purchase a catered meal, deli tray or other easy to serve refreshments. Do not forget to include drinks and other items you will need such as eating utensils, plates and napkins. Remember that alcohol is not appropriate in an office setting. Limit the drinks that are offered to sodas or non-alcoholic punch. If you are not having the shower at lunch, you can get away with simpler fare such as simple snacks or cake.

Many times when showers are held at the office, everyone likes the idea of contributing money towards one large gift. This can often be the easiest way to have a shower at work. Having one large gift will cut down on the amount of time needed to open gifts. In addition, individuals can contribute any amount that they see fit and not feel pressured to give expensive gifts. Most brides will appreciate a larger gift, gift cards or even the money. No one really thinks that cash is a tacky gift! If you do collect money and find that they contributions are low, consider having less food and snacks and concentrate on just a cake and drinks. If the bride has not registered for gifts, consider purchasing a gift card with the money that has been collected. This can be a great way for the bride and groom to buy exactly what is needed and is almost always appreciated.

In addition, when you are giving a bridal shower at the office, try to keep decorations to a minimum for easy clean up. There may not be much time for set up or the office may have limited amounts of space. Place tablecloths on the tables and hang a banner or balloons. This should be enough decoration to set the mood without going overboard. The main idea of a shower in the office is to get co-workers together to honor the bride or groom. Keeping the shower simple, yet fun, is a great way to show your friendship to the bride and groom.