Bridal Party

Below are some of our favorite ideas for the bridal party - we'll be adding more ideas soon.

Pre-Wedding Parties
As the date for your wedding draws near, you and your fiancé will find yourselves the subjects of a whirl-wind of parties. Some you will host, but for most you will be the guests of honor - which means you get to relax and enjoy the festivities. Still, it helps to know what to expect, and you can provide guidance to hosting friends and family when it is requested. Also, make sure someone brings a camera to Pre-Wedding celebrations.

Bridal Showers
The first party to be thrown in your honor will most likely be a shower, which should take place anywhere from two months to three weeks before the wedding. Showers are usually given by the maid or matron of honor, the bridal party as a group, or close friends.

According to tradition, a shower should not be thrown by the bride's immediate relatives, such as her mother, future mother-in-law, or sister, since it would appear that they were asking for gifts. In many parts of the country however, this has become an acceptable practice. The maid of honor or another good friend usually throws this party, or several people act as co-hosts, as bridesmaids often do. It is common for a bride to have more than one shower, and the hosts should consult one another about guest lists, to avoid inviting the same guests to several showers, each requiring a gift. The bride should have already registered for gifts, and it is acceptable for hosts to include registry information in the invitations.

While any female who is on the guest list can technically be invited to a shower, it's best to keep the event intimate, including only the bride's closest friends and relatives. One noted exception is an office shower; it's usually not possible to invite all of your colleagues to the wedding, and they may want to help you celebrate nonetheless. It's also becoming increasingly common to host a co-ed shower for the couple's friends. These are generally held in addition to a traditional ladies-only event, and are more casual.

The best time to hold a shower is 1 - 2 months before the wedding. If at all possible avoid setting shower dates for holiday weekends, many potential guests could have other plans. Invitations for the shower should be sent no later than 3 - 4 weeks before the date of the shower.

The Bridesmaids' Luncheon
Hosted by the bride for her attendants, the bridesmaids' luncheon is given a few weeks before the wedding as a way to say thank you to all the bridesmaids'. The bride may present her attendant gifts at this event, and a pink cake with a trinket baked inside is traditionally served for dessert. According to legend, the bridesmaid whose slice contains the trinket - which can be a ring, thimble, or charm - will be the next to be married. Since busy pre-wedding schedules don't always allow for a last-minute luncheon, you might want to find another way to say thanks. Another good time to treat everyone to a lunch or evening cocktails, is when you are all together to select the bridesmaid dresses.

The Rehearsal Dinner
Every wedding needs a rehearsal, and a rehearsal dinner immediately following is the perfect time to see that everyone involved in the wedding gets acquainted. Traditionally, the rehearsal dinner is hosted by the groom's parents. Not only does this take some the party-planning pressure off of the bride and her parents, but it helps the groom's family feel more involved.

The rehearsal dinner should be intimate enough to serve as a relaxing icebreaker. You will want to invite all those who attend the rehearsal itself; the members of the wedding party, their spouses and dates, children in the wedding party and their parents, the officiant and his spouse, your immediate families and their spouses or dates, and close friends or relatives who are participating in the ceremony.

The rehearsal dinner should be fun and lively - but there's no need to upstage or even attempt to equal the wedding itself. The most popular options include an at-home party with a home-cooked or catered meal, a restaurant with a private room, or a catering hall. The meal may be a sit-down or a buffet, but guests should have a chance to mingle and get to know each other at some point.

Unlike a wedding reception which revolves around a DJ, or live band and dancing, the rehearsal dinner focuses on reminiscing about the bride's and groom's past. Generally cocktails and hors d'oeuvres are served first, and the couple and their immediate families should make a point of introducing guests to each other.

Following the main course, dessert is served and the toasts begin. It's customary for the best man to start off by toasting the couple, and the groom's father may follow. At that point, everyone else can join in the fun, including the bride and groom, who will probably want to toast their parents as well. Afterwards the couple may present their gifts to the wedding party as thanks for taking part in such an important event. They may also present gifts to their parents and each other at this time. At the end of the evening, the bride and groom should depart separately, not to see each other again until they arrive at the altar.

Post-Wedding Party
If the wedding is going to be a very small one, or if many of the invited guests cannot travel to the event, parents or the newlyweds can have a post-wedding party. This is an excellent way to include those people who could not otherwise take part in the celebration; gifts are not required.

BRIDESMAIDS IN DIFFERENT COLORS AND STYLES
Bridesmaids have traditionally worn the same color and style of dress. But, some brides choose to have their bridesmaids break with tradition. With the right mix of different colors and styles, bridesmaids can look beautiful in different variations of both.

BRIDAL PARTY SNACK BOX
Wedding days can be long, especially for the bridesmaids who are with the bride every step of the way. During the sometimes, chaotic flurry of preparations and pictures, food is more than likely an afterthought, so it's always smart to have some snacks close by. You may want to keep a small container handy, filled with finger foods, like pretzels, crudités, small sandwiches, and dried fruits, to ensure that the bridal party has enough energy to make it to the last dance.

SHOWER MEMORY BOOK
Here's a wonderful idea for a shower gift everyone can give the bride collectively. Each guest writes a personal note to the bride or recounts a special memory of her. The notes and cards are collected and bound in an accordion-fold book and given to the bride as a memento.

KEEPING BRIDESMAIDS' UPDATED
Bridesmaids are an important part of a wedding as well as of the bride's life. They should be kept up-to-date on all wedding plans and in touch with one another. Send them a letter complete with all the fine points they will need to know. Begin by listing the names, addresses, and phone numbers of all the bridesmaids; this is especially helpful for bridesmaids who don't live nearby or who may not even know one another. Also include a photograph of the bridesmaid dress, a swatch of the fabric, any information about fittings, and a photo or sketch of the bridesmaid shoes. Finally, a few fond words from the bride will make them feel special, as all bridesmaids should.