Bridal showers are one of many pre-wedding parties and are great fun.  They also are known as parties with a goal.

The goal of a shower is to assist the couple in equipping their new home or for the bride to assemble a trousseau. But not only that, they are a good excuse for the bride to get together with her friends and family to play hilarious games and to enjoy the food and wine.
 
Did you hear that a trend has started for 'couples showers'? It is sometimes termed as the 'Jack' and 'Jill' shower where you shower both the bride and groom with gifts and good wishes. 

In either event, if you are having a traditional shower party for just the bride, or decide to have a couples shower, then the planning and the checklist will invariably be the same.
 
Check here an outline of a wedding shower checklist to get you on your way to organizing a great shower party.
 
Who should host the shower?

Traditionally the maid of honor tends to plan the shower party.  But nowadays, anything goes and it is perfectly acceptable for both family and friends to work together to organize, host and share the cost of the wedding shower.

This doesn't really matter who actually hosts the party as long as it is planned well in advance and normally in consultation with the bride.

And if the shower is planned to be in someone's home, then it's always a good idea to choose the person with the largest home or garden.
 
When you should have your party

Because of the busy schedule the bride and her family will have in the lead up to her wedding, it is best to hold the shower about four to six weeks before the wedding. 

A rising trend is that more wedding showers are no longer a surprise and statistics show that 4 out of 5 brides are employed, therefore it is necessary to include the bride in the planning when it comes to setting a date and time. 

The traditional 'girl-only' party could be a Sunday brunch, a midweek lunch or an afternoon tea garden party.