7 tips to make your pre-wedding party awesome

culled from:pulse.ng

Bridal showers can be very stressful and a little awkward too, where all your female friends and relatives from both sides, meet in one place.

Usually, this is the ideal time for you to have fun with your girls, and also indulge in your feminine side, especially if your fiancé isn't buying into your Pinterest fantasies for the wedding day.

Whether you’re the bride, bridesmaid, or the hostess, there are lots of ideas out there for throwing a beautiful and memorable bridal shower that won’t bore everyone.

Here are seven ideas and tips for throwing an awesome bridal shower:

1. Serve finger-foods: From cucumber sandwiches to mini burger sliders, finger-food is perfect for creating a relaxed and elegant affair. For a tea party-themed shower, arrange several tiered cupcake towers with a mix of mini sandwiches, scones, and biscuits. Since most bridal showers are during the daytime, whatever you choose, the key here is serving easy-to-eat food that’s light and refreshing.
2. Set the tone with an interesting invitation: Planning a wedding is all about compromise, since you and your partner are likely going into this with different ideas of what makes a perfect ceremony. The bridal shower is where you get to display whatever style and colours you’re loving at the moment. If you’re the host planning for the bride, make sure to get an idea of her favourite colours and ideas for a bridal shower.
3. Go for sophisticated florals for table decor: Forget those cheesy paper decorations and party confetti — sophisticated floral centerpieces are all you need for a chic bridal shower. Get vases from around the house or purchase an assortment in a bright hue, then simply fill with the bride’s favourite store-bought flowers.
4. Create a stylish decor: Now is the time to recreate all those crafts that you’ve been adding to your Pinterest board for the last five years. It’s much easier to make those super cute, DIY teacup candles for an intimate bridal shower than it is for even a medium-sized wedding.
5. Share sweets while opening presents: Sometimes the present unwrapping can end up taking over the shower, especially if the bride doesn’t keep things moving along while opening. To avoid this, keep everyone entertained with fun desserts and candies during this part of the shower to make the time fly. Stick with small treats for easy snacking while mingling.
6. Have a chic cocktail bar: Whether it’s punch or margaritas, everyone loves a good drink bar. This idea doubles as decor — cover a buffet table in a cute table cloth and set out champagne, a mix of juice options, and bowls full of fruit for garnish. Finish the set up with colourful paper cards to label each item and help guide guests.
7. Give your guests useful favours: Take your shower to the next level with cute gift bags or favours for your guests. You can't go wrong with homemade jars of jam (or store-bought!) wrapped in colourful fabric and tied at the top; it’ll be a hit with the old ladies and college friends alike.