How Long Are Bridal Showers? A Planner's Timing Tips

Are you preparing to plan a wedding shower for a loved one who will soon be stepping into married life? Whether you're planning a shower for the first time or it's been a while, you may have one burning question from the jump: How long are bridal showers?

To help you understand bridal shower timing and execute the perfect event for the spouse-to-be in your life, we've consulted Marian Braccia, founder of Porch & Pearls Event Planning. Continue reading to discover all of Braccia's tips for shower timing etiquette.

In this article:

• How Long Does a Bridal Shower Last?
• How Long Do Guests Typically Stay at the Shower?
• How to Decide How Long the Shower Should Be

How Long Does a Bridal Shower Last?

According to Braccia, wedding showers that are no more than three hours are typically the sweet spot. "I see them between two and three hours," she says, "which is a great amount of time to gather, mingle, get something to eat and drink, celebrate the couple, do something interactive—and get on with the day."

How Long Do Guests Typically Stay at the Shower?

There can be much debate about the appropriate amount of time guests should stay at a bridal shower—do they stay for the entire time? Can they come and go?

According to Braccia, it depends on the type of shower you're hosting (e.g., at a residence, at a venue, casual, formal). As such, your role as the host should entail making sure the invitation clearly articulates what the expectations are for the event. "The more information the guest can be provided with, the more comfortable and happier they'll be to join in on the celebration," she shares.

"If it is intended to be a sit-down event, you want to tell folks it is a formal brunch, lunch or dinner so people are prepared," Braccia continues. "Conversely, if it's an open house deal, with a come-and-go feel, please put that on an invitation—provide as much information upfront as possible."

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How to Decide How Long the Shower Should Be

With the basics covered, now it's time to determine how long the shower you're planning or hosting should be. Below, browse eight tips that can help you set a wedding shower timeline that will satisfy not only your guests but also—most importantly—the person for whom the celebration is being held. The tips cover considerations like the guest of honor's desires, the venue, the guest count, the day of the weekend, games and activities, your budget and more.

Prioritize the guest of honor's interests.

The first and most crucial step in determining your shower timeline is making sure the timeline prioritizes the guest of honor's interests and expectations.

"Find out how comfortable they are with a long or short event," Braccia says. "Do they feel comfortable with an open house, welcoming guests on an open-door rolling basis, or is this a guest of honor who would much rather show up at a restaurant for a luncheon and head home after food service?"

Once you determine what your soonlywed wants, you can select a venue—and, as a result, a timeline—that will make them happy.

Consider your guest count.

Another important aspect to keep in mind when determining how long the bridal shower should last is the size of your guest list. Braccia shares two examples: "If you're having 100 people at a shower, does 90 minutes really give the guest of honor the opportunity to circulate and mingle? If you're just having a luncheon with a close-knit group of friends or the bridal party, will there be enough conversation to carry that event for three hours or more?"

Plan based on day of the week.

Usually, bridal showers are held on a Saturday or a Sunday. However, as the wedding industry continues to modernize, some couples and shower hosts may opt for a Friday evening event. The day of the weekend you select can impact timing.

"If you're scheduling a Friday event, it should be later in the day, and you have more leeway to run later into the night," Braccia says. "If you're scheduling on a Sunday, I would be cognizant of the end time so it doesn't interfere with the workweek."

As for Saturdays from a timing perspective? Braccia shares, "I think showers can comfortably happen on a Saturday because you have the buffer of the workweek being over and Sunday as a recovery day."

Base the timing on the shower's location.

The setting of your shower can also impact the length of time it should last. Braccia notes that showers held at venues may require a three-hour commitment.

On the other hand, if you're hosting a shower at a private home, you have much more flexibility, as guests can come and go as they please. At an in-home shower, having "a welcome window" during the event "is very accommodating for guests to feel like they can still come and mingle but not designate an entire day to it," Braccia notes.

Think about setting and cleaning up.

The location of your bridal shower will help you determine logistics like setup and cleanup, both of which impact timing. If you are hosting at a venue, you'll want to get answers to the following questions:

• Does the venue allow you into the space before the scheduled time for service?
• How much decorating can you get done in that time?
• How many hours are covered for the actual event?
• How many hours are provided for breakdown following the event?

Answering these questions will allow you to figure out if additional hours need to be tacked on to your event to prepare beforehand and clean up afterward.

Work within your budget.

If you have a set budget for your shower, and you're hoping to host it at a venue, "the hours of an event will increase or decrease the amount being spent," Braccia says. Therefore, your shower may need to be shorter to accommodate what you're able to spend.

She also notes that there are typically fees associated with requesting additional time to handle setup and cleanup. You should ask a venue's event manager what these costs look like in advance to figure out if the timeline you desire works within your budget, or if you need to change your location, which may also change your itinerary for the day.

Allow time for games and activities.

Bridal shower games and activities can be a polarizing topic for modern couples. Some marriers may thoroughly enjoy them, looking forward to having games at their own shower, while others could view them as an antiquated or cheesy tradition. "You really have to know the guest of honor," Braccia says. "If they are not into games, please respect and honor that."

If the guest of honor wants games and activities incorporated into their shower theme, you should time them appropriately. "You don't want to do games back to back to back," Braccia says. "I recommend doing a game and taking a break for about 15, 20 or 30 minutes to keep conversations going and let everyone have a break, grab another drink and run to the restroom."

She continues, "Over the course of a three-hour event, having four or five games at the ready is plenty if you're designating about 15 minutes for each game and spacers. If guests aren't feeling it, you can shelf the last one or two."

Similarly, while display showers are now popular and free up a significant portion of time at a shower because the spouse-to-be is not opening gifts, Braccia says you can still host a three-hour event. Doing so provides a greater opportunity for socializing.

You could even use some of that time for bridal party introductions. "Unless it's the maid of honor giving a toast, the guests in attendance at a wedding don't really know who the rest of the wedding party is," she shares." If you're not doing other things, a shower is a great opportunity for a bridal party to introduce themselves."

Be mindful of guests' travel time.

Lastly, when considering how long to make your shower, be mindful of how far guests need to travel to attend. "Are a lot of guests traveling from out of town?" Braccia asks. "Are they driving several hours for a shower that'll only last for one hour? Is it worth it?"

Answering these questions will indicate whether you're putting on an event that, from a timing perspective, is worthy of the commute. You can then adjust your shower schedule accordingly.