Here Are Our Favorite Bridal Shower Themes Of 2021 And Beyond

Bridal showers are the perfect opportunity to show the bride how much her friends and family love her. While saying yes to the dress and hosting a bachelorette party are two entry-level steps in the wedding preparation process, a bridal shower is a beautiful and momentous step that sets the stage for the big day. 

A reflection of the bride’s style and personality, finding a bridal shower theme that pleases both the bride and her multi-generational guest list is no small task. However, it can be done with elegance and style. We’ve curated a list of our favorite bridal shower themes (including various bridal shower games and bridal shower decorations) of 2021 to get you inspired:

Black-Tie Old Hollywood

After a year of staying home, take this opportunity to dress to the nines for an evening of glitz and glam. If your bride is the type who loves going all out with sparkle and glamor, she’ll love seeing all of her friends looking their best to celebrate her. 

You’ll need a venue that exudes elegance and class like our Sunset Heights space. With floor-to-ceiling windows that look over our gorgeous fountains and all of Escondido California, you’re already well on your way to creating an over-the-top night of classic and vintage-inspired glamor. 

Accessorize with art-deco-inspired customized cocktail napkins, and find an old-school photo booth so that guests will always have something to remember the night with. Put a twist on charades as one of the bridal shower games. Make the theme old-time movies or wedding movies to personalize it specifically for an old Hollywood bridal shower theme. 

Afternoon Tea Party

There is something so timeless and quaint about an afternoon tea party. Think flowers and pastry desserts and little bite-sized sandwiches along with refreshing teas and artisanal spritzers. 

This is a versatile theme that can be both indoors or outdoors. Triple-tiered dessert stands make for adorable and delectable centerpieces and vintage teapots and books create a sophisticated and elegant feel. (When in doubt, add more flowers.)

Speaking of flowers, a great bridal shower game to play at a tea party is musical bouquet. Similar to musical chairs, pass around a bouquet of flowers as music plays. When the music stops, whoever has the bouquet is out of the next round. The last person without the bouquet wins.

Midnight in Paris

For the bride who loves romance and roses, make her bridal shower a journey to the city of love. From French crepes to wine to chocolate and cheese, this is a fun and easy theme to execute. 

Depending on the size of your bridal shower, our four outdoor venue areas are great spaces to light up with love, laughter, and all things French. Hang string lights and weeping lights overhead and light candles on the tables to create an intimate and warm energy, and decorate with Eiffel Tower accents throughout. 

Boozy Brunch

Need we say more? Between a pancake bar and bottomless mimosas, there’s nothing more fun on a Saturday morning than throwing on a cute jumpsuit and spending time eating and drinking with the gals. 

Use a pastel or light-toned color palette that looks bright and fun with some added glitter and sparkle. Dress the space up with fancy champagne flutes and throw in a succulent or two as the centerpiece. 

Panorama Point, our outdoor patio, offers some of our most incredible mountain and fountain vistas in San Diego County and an intimate ambiance. The perfect brunch venue, your bride will feel so special and loved as she sits at a table surrounded by her closest friends and family. 

Color Theme

This one is pretty self-explanatory. Invite all your guests to wear the bride’s favorite colors and go all in. A monochromatic party is always a good time, and makes decorating very straightforward. Pull together the same-colored plates and party favors and even food and drinks.

Let the venue be your blank canvas unless, of course, that space is also the same color as the bridal shower. Neutral backgrounds allow for the main color to pop and really take center stage. 

Newlywed trivia is straight from the bridal shower games archives yet it never gets old. Ahead of the bridal shower, ask guests for all kinds of unique information about the couple and create fun questions with these facts. Then at the party, go around the room and ask guests if they know the answer to the questions. See who can say the answer first. 

Virtual Bridal Shower

Throughout this past year and a half, seeing the creative ways that bridal parties have made virtual bridal showers and hybrid events a success has been inspiring to say the least. A virtual bridal shower can look like a lot of different things, but the main gist is that all guests digitally meet up. This is an ideal low-budget bridal shower alternative that is inclusive and accommodating for people across the country from one another. And they can be really fun.

For a bride who loves to cook, host a virtual cooking challenge. For a cocktail-loving bride, hire someone to virtually teach a mixology class. If games are the bride’s jam, organize a bunch of games that can be played virtually and gather for a few hours to play them. Our partners at Vintana Wine + Dine are fantastic resources for creative ways to host memorable digital events.

If you do want to host an in-person bridal shower but some guests are unable to travel, put on a hybrid event. Hybrid events are partially in-person, partially virtual events where guests have the option to stay home and still partake in festivities. Playing digital games is fun in person and virtually, so incorporating the people who cannot physically make it by playing digital games together is still a great option. Send out packages to those attending from home that include similar party favors to make everyone feel welcome and a part of the event.

What It Comes Down To: Showing the Bride You Care

No matter which theme you chose, your bride will love any bridal shower theme so long as you show up and do your best to make her feel special. It’s the little things that make a big difference, so finding small ways to weave her personality and quirks into the details will have a big impact. 

And remember—you’re not alone in this planning process. Lean on the support of her friends and family for inspiration, and reach out to us to help you smooth out the process and make it the best it can be. We are wedding experts and our venues offer a stunning backdrop for any bridal shower. Contact us today to see how we can help you plan the perfect bridal shower for your bride.