What is a virtual bridal shower? How does hosting a virtual shower work..?
In the wake of the current global pandemic, the world is turning virtual more than ever to connect. Events and weddings across the globe are getting cancelled and postponed. Therefore, we wanted to take some time to address topics related to the current world we are living in. The idea of a virtual bridal shower may be foreign to many, however it is not a new concept. Going digital for bridal and wedding showers has been done for years as a way to more easily connect, typically in circumstances where friends and family are far away.
So how does it work? There are a number of ideas around how you would host this type of event. The basic idea is that an in-person shower is hosted, but guests who live far away can ‘tune in’ via video conferencing. A completely virtual bridal shower may include a few guests in person with the bride, but the majority of the guest list is tuning in virtually.
Now that you have a high level idea of how hosting a virtual bridal shower works, let’s jump into some virtual bridal shower ideas for invites, games, and prizes.
Virtual Bridal Shower Websites: What tools do I use?
The shower can be hosted using a number of different online conferencing and video tools. Whatever you pick, you will just make sure to test out your selected software ahead of time. You want feel comfortable with how it works, and be ready to help attendees troubleshoot.
5 websites for your online bridal shower:
- Google Hangouts
- Skype
- Zoom
- ooVoo
Sending Invitations
While your instinct may be to stick with the virtual theme and send invitations online (and you can certainly do that!) we like the idea of including some physical elements in the planning! Either way, you’ll want to include the following wording:
- The Date and Time (make sure to include the timezone)
- Link to join the conference
- Quick explanation of the virtual shower and how it works
- A way to RSVP
- Optional: Gift / Registry Details (more on this below)
The biggest watch-out when it comes to hosting this type of event is making sure it doesn’t feel like a ‘gift grab’, which will feel off-putting for your guests. You might find other threads online slamming the idea of a virtual bridal shower for being “gift-grabby”, but it doesn’t need to be that way! Keep the focus on the purpose of the bridal shower, which is simply to shower the bride with love and advice. Make sure to communicate this with your invited guests.
Another idea is including something for guests to mail to the bride prior to the shower. Guests can send their favorite recipes, or send an anonymous memory of the bride that she can read during the shower and try to guess who it is from!
Virtual Shower Decorations
Consider sending all guests or just the bride-to-be some decorations that can be displayed during the party. Particularly for the future Mrs., this is a fun way to make this feel special!
Bridal Shower Zoom Backgrounds
Another idea is to use virtual backgrounds like you can on Zoom! There are a number of places you can find and create fun zoom backdrops for your virtual bridal shower, here are a few of our favorites!
Kicking Off The Shower
It is the hostess’s job to guide guests through this virtual event experience. As the guests are logging in, consider playing some light background music and periodically welcome guests to the event as they are signing in. We recommend collecting RSVPs so you know who to expect and wait for.
Once your guests have arrived, make a brief point of welcoming everyone and thanking them for tuning in to celebrate the guest of honor. This may be a good time for a virtual ‘cheers’ to the bride-to-be. Then, ask everyone to briefly introduce themselves (name and how they know the bride).
Virtual Bridal Shower Games
Transform your favorite shower activities into virtual bridal shower games! It may take a little creativity and planning, but it is certainly possible to enjoy games during the virtual shower just like you would in person! Here’s a few game ideas that translate well online to get you started:
The Nearly-Wed Game: Ask the bride’s spouse to be questions before hand, and have the bride guess how her partner answered. Some examples might include “who said I love you first” or “what is their worst habit”. You can find a list of 50 question ideas on One Fab Day to use in this virtual bridal shower game.
Newlywed Trivia: Collect funny, interesting, and random facts about the couple beforehand and turn it into a game! There are a few ways you can play this one. For a simple route, ask the group the question and have them write down their answers, then ask the bride for the truth. Or, get creative and break the group into teams for jeopardy style. Tip: Have guests hold up a colored sheet of paper in front of the web camera if they have the answer!
What’s on your Phone?: This one goes well with the whole digital theme. Provide guests with a list of items and the corresponding point value for each. Player with the most points wins!
We created a shared Google Sheet version of this game that you can download & play this game during your virtual shower!
Download the virtual bridal shower game template.
Click File > Make a Copy For Access.
Prizes & Party Favors
Make sure to have some sort of prize for the winners of your games! This could be a digital gift card that could be easily emailed, or something physical that will be mailed after the event.
Favors are tricky, and in the case of a virtual event like this, we think a thank you email or card to all who attended is appropriate. If you want to send everyone a favor, here are some small items that can be easily mailed:
We hope this gives you some ideas on how you can shower your bride-to-be with love when hosting a virtual bridal shower! If you host your own virtual event, let us know how it went and share your tips in the comments! We’d love to hear from you.
