Couple wedding shower vs bridal shower- is there a difference? These two terms sound familiar, but they’re entirely different. Keep reading to find out what these events mean, their guest lists, types of presents, and fun ideas to use.
Don’t forget to check this amazing list of bridal shower questions for a fun party!
Difference Between Couple Shower And Bridal Shower
Bridal Shower
Bridal showers are so much fun! These events are usually hosted by the maid of honor or the bridesmaids for JUST the bride (or one of the brides).
It usually happens a few weeks before the wedding day, and it’s located in the house or yard of one of the hosts.
You can opt for a traditional bridal shower, where you and the girls spend time together, have delicious food, and open presents. Some ladies prefer to take things up a notch and introduce fun activities, unique cocktails, cool invitations, and more. Another way to go is to plan a themed bridal shower that will have everyone raving about it.
A bridal party is a completely different phrase than a shower. This is the group of people that the couple chose to participate in the wedding. They will also be very likely invited to a bridal or wedding shower, but this term isn’t meant to describe an event.
CHECK: Memorable Gifts for Shower Host
Couple Shower
The wedding shower, also known as a couples shower, is a joint shower that takes place a few weeks up to two months before the wedding day. This isn’t an all-female event, but it includes guests of all sexes. The location can vary, starting from the host’s home, to bars, restaurants, yards, parks, depending on what you prefer.
The couple will receive gifts, and they will open them in front of the guests. This usually happens right after dinner, while everyone else is having fun and drinking. Some hosts plan a part of the evening with speeches by the closes friends and family members of the couples, but that’s not always the case.
In general, no couple will host their own shower. Instead, there is always a host who plans the entire event and, in most cases, finances it. It can be anyone, a best friend, a family member, and it doesn’t matter if it’s a male or a female.
Couple wedding shower vs bridal shower, which one is better, and which one should you opt for? There is no wrong or right answer; it’s just a matter of personal preference.
If you want to spend a wild night with your female friends and female cousins before you dive into married life, that’s great. But if you want to organize a co-ed wedding shower together with the groom and your closest friends and relatives, that’s great too.
Some people decide to have 1-3 showers because this is an exciting time and they want to celebrate the upcoming wedding and their future life together. If you like both ideas, why not do two showers? Getting married is a good enough reason to celebrate for months.
READ MORE: Fall Couples Wedding Shower Ideas
The Guest List
In general, bridal showers are all about the bride spending time with her favorite female friends and relatives. The guest list depends on the type of event and on your wishes. Some brides prefer an intimate circle, while others want to invite the extended family. There is no wrong or right way to do it, and trends change every single year.
The wedding shower guest list is much more diverse. In other words, there won’t only be female guests at this pre-wedding celebration, but also male guests. These are usually close friends and family members of the happy couple.
There is no specific number of guests for wedding showers; it’s all up to what the bride and groom want and the host of the pre-wedding event. If you like this to be a large happening with many people, that’s an option.
Most people go for a small, close circle that is also invited to the wedding. In general, people don’t invite friends and family members to a couples shower if they won’t be invited to their wedding.
Presents
Although everyone is familiar with the basic shower etiquette, many people are confused about what’s an appropriate gift for bridal showers and what’s suitable for couple showers.
If you opt for a bridal shower, all the gifts that you’ll get will be for you and will be female-oriented. In other words, brides receive lingerie, clothes, jewelry, skincare, makeup, perfumes, and more.
When you plan a co-ed wedding shower, you can expect a much different present list. Your guests will very likely bring gifts that are meant for both the bride and the groom. It can be literally anything, starting with a coffee maker, household items, family heirloom, and more. As long as the presents are meant for the happy couple and not only for the bride, you can’t go wrong.
Check: Couple Questions Game (100+ Ideas)
Fun Couples Showers and Bridal Showers Ideas
According to the latest report, the most popular bridal shower idea is a tea party, followed by a relaxing spa party, lingerie shower, vintage décor, and beach parties. If these options sound boring, you can always opt for a garden shower with a food tasting session, wine tasting, tarot reading, charity shower, hiring a private chef, dancing class, food tasting.
Couple wedding showers can be a bit more tricky because they have to appeal to both the bride and the groom. Some of the best ideas include a pool party, playing fun couple wedding shower games, a unique brunch, a city-themed party, BBQ, champagne party, cocktail testing, and more.
FAQs
Bridal shower vs bachelorette party- what’s the difference?
Bridal showers and bachelorette parties are not the same. Bridal pre-wedding events are planned and paid for by the host, while bachelorette parties are planned and paid for by the bride’s friends. Bridal showers are short events where guests bring gifts.
What time should a bridal shower start?
There is no rule when this event should start. It can be a brunch, an afternoon tea, a lunch, or even a diner. It’s primarily up to the host that makes this event happen.
What are the best bridal shower gifts?
When you attend bridal showers, you should bring gifts for the bride. It can be anything useful, starting with lingerie, clothes, perfumes, skincare products, makeup, and sometimes household items.
Who gets invited to a couple’s wedding shower?
Usually, the guests invited to a couple’s wedding shower includes the couple’s closest friends and relatives. You can think of it like a joint bridal shower and stag party instead of having two separate parties.
How many people do you invite to a couple’s shower?
The couple’s shower is an intimate party with 15 to 50 guests. You typically need to invite the ones who are closest to the bride and groom.
What do you serve at a couples wedding shower?
A couple’s wedding shower is a small cocktail party where you can serve some snacks to your guests. A good suggestion is to have a grazing table where you can serve bite-sized portions of food.
Conclusion
Wedding shower vs. bridal shower- which one is the best option for you? If you prefer an all-female gathering with your close female friends and family members, you should opt for a bridal party.
Some couples prefer mixed showers with both male and female guests. If that idea is more appealing to you, then you should go for a wedding shower.
References
- Brittany. 2020. “Wedding Shower vs. Bridal Shower: What’s the Difference? – Wayfaring Weddings.” Wayfaring Weddings. June 23, 2020. https://wayfaringweddings.com/wedding-shower-vs-bridal-shower-whats-the-difference/.
- Kenney, Caitlin. 2013. “Bridal Shower Statistics – Ultimate Bridesmaid.” Ultimate Bridesmaid. December 12, 2013. https://ultimatebridesmaid.com/tag/bridal-shower-statistics/.
- Wedding Experience. 2020. “Pre-Wedding Event Glossary: Bridal Shower vs Wedding Shower & More.” WEDDING EXPERIENCE. August 31, 2020. https://wedding-experience.com/pre-wedding-event-glossary/.
Couple wedding shower vs bridal shower: which one do you think is better? Please share your thoughts below!
Andreea is a very passionate content creator and her purpose is to provide you with the most interesting articles, while constantly discovering new facts. She’s been freelance writing for the past five years and has created numerous articles and educational materials while managing her own blog.
