As with many parts of wedding and pre-wedding celebration planning, a lot of people have questions and not a lot of answers. After all, many people involved in the planning don’t have a lot of previous experience to guide their decisions. That’s why we’ve put together a list of the most common questions asked about throwing a bridal shower and answered them.

Who is responsible for hosting a bridal shower?

Generally, bridal showers are the domain of the maid/matron of honor. Of course, she can have help from the rest of the bridal party. Usually the bride’s relatives should not be the ones to throw the party (this is viewed as a greedy grab for gifts by some guests). However, if the maid/matron of honor isn’t available – because she lives out of town, for example – then it’s acceptable for a close friend, bridesmaid, or co-worker to do the honors.

Who should be invited to the bridal shower?

That depends on how many bridal showers are being thrown. In the old days, women would have a single shower and all of her female relatives, female in-laws, and female friends would be invited. Today, she might have multiple showers thrown by different people, such as her co-workers or family members on the groom’s side. In those cases, the guest lists should be restricted so the same people aren’t invited to more than one bridal shower. You can also choose to have a more inclusive bridal shower and invite the groom, as well as male relatives and friends. Remember that the bride, and possibly the groom, should approve the final guest list to make sure no one important is excluded and no one unwanted is included.

When should the bridal shower be held?

Bridal showers should be held at least a month before the wedding. You can have the shower at a closer date but only if you want to include family and friends who are traveling a great distance to attend the wedding. You want to make sure the shower doesn’t conflict with the bachelorette party and that the bride has time to send out thank you cards for the shower before getting started on the ones for her wedding. Plus, scheduling will be increasingly difficult as the wedding date approaches.

Where should the bridal shower be held?

Bridal showers can be held almost anywhere. Private homes are often the best choice because they are free and readily available. However, restaurants, party rooms, clubs, and other common event locations are all great choices. You should first decide how many will be invited and how much you can spend on the shower before you select a location.

What should we do at the bridal shower?

The easy answer is have a good time. Most bridal showers include some type of refreshments: cake, mints, sandwich trays, catered meals, etc. You basically pick a menu that fits your theme and your budget. You’ll also need entertainment, usually games that test your guests’ knowledge about the bride-to-be. You can also throw in other types of games and activities as well depending on the location and theme of your event.