Have you ever been invited to someone’s bachelorette party or bridal shower? If you have, then that means you’re so important to them! and they want you to be there on their special day. This also means you should start picking up a great dress for the bridal party.

Even if you’re not involved in planning the event, you’ll still be invited to both parties. This means you’ll have to contribute financially and shower gifts for the bride. But don’t worry, as the bachelorette party and bridal shower are usually two separate events and are lots of fun. This article will go through the differences, including the host, gifts, and the venue.

We celebrate both events to commemorate the bride and welcome her next stage in life. As the wedding days are usually busy, both the bachelorette party and bridal shower let the bride spend quality time with close family and friends without the wedding distractions.

Similarities aside, now let’s get into the differences of both events.

The Host

Bachelorette Party

The one who plans and pays for the event is one of the biggest differences between a bachelorette party and a bridal shower. The maid of honor usually plans the bachelorette party and gets help from the whole bridal party. The bride can also be involved if she wants to. some brides may only watch the planning process while others want to pick a particular theme and let her besties do the rest. Whether the bride wants to be involved or not, she still needs to work with the maid of honor on the details. This means that the bride only communicates with the maid of honor instead of planning the party with others.

As bachelorette parties require thorough planning and even include travel, every guest usually pays for their food and drink. The group splits their bills for accommodation, but the bride shouldn’t need to pay much for the night.

Bridal Shower

For a bridal shower, it’s the bride’s family that does all the planning. More specifically, all the women in the family. The maid of honor can help in the planning, but she does not play a big role in the bridal shower. She simply decides how involved she wants to be.

Bridal showers are much shorter than bachelorette parties and aren’t usually that elaborate. It only takes a few hours on the weekend during brunch or lunch times. A big difference is that the host pays for the whole shower while guests don’t need to contribute a single dime, apart from a present or two.

Guestlist

Bachelorette Party

The big difference between a bachelorette party and a bridal shower is the length of the guest list. Usually, only the bridal party attends the bachelorette party. The maids are the bride’s best friends and are the ones she’ll want to celebrate with. The bachelorette party is also the perfect time for the maids to bond as they might not know each other. And getting them to meet each other on the wedding day can be a little awkward.  

Bridal Shower

The bridal shower guest list is usually a lot longer than the bachelorette party. The shower is traditionally a party for women-only. Indeed, these women are also on the wedding guest list. Keep in mind that not every woman gets an invitation, especially to big weddings. But these showers usually invite family members, including aunts, nieces and grandmothers, along with other great women in their life like their mentor or some of their mom’s friends who watched them grow up. 

The Gifts

Bachelorette Party

Because the bride’s best girls pay for the whole bachelorette party, the gifts aren’t usually included. And if they do have gifts, they are usually less elaborate and more personal. It’s unusual for a maid of honor to give something out of the wedding registry. Instead, the gift is more personal and reflects their friendship, such as marital advice and even lingerie. Keep in mind that if you’re looking to gift lingerie, you need to know the bride’s size and style. These gifts are then opened at the end of the party or before a night out.

Bridal Shower

The gift expectations are different in a bachelorette party and bridal shower. Firstly, guests always offer a shower gift even if it doesn’t say so in the invitation and website. Secondly, you should always buy these gifts from the couple’s wedding registry. This doesn’t mean you can’t have your own personalized gifts. If you are close to both the bride and groom, then give them a gift you know they’ll love. You can usually find the wedding registry printed in the invitation or link on the website. Whether you’re purchasing online or in-store, remember to buy directly from the registry.

The Venue

Bachelorette Party

A bachelorette party doesn’t have a standard for its party venue because of its different party themes. You’ll likely visit multiple bars and restaurants in a bachelorette party with no home base. Of course, unless they are planning a slumber party, then you might not leave home at all. The venue for a bachelorette party all comes down to the schedule and length of the event.

Bridal Shower

Bridal showers usually take place in a traditional kind of venue. They are generally held at brunch or lunchtime, which is why they are hosted in restaurants, hotels, or at one’s home. The place should have space for everyone to eat, play around, and then move to another spot for present opening time.

Final Thoughts

If you’re still confused about the differences between the two events, don’t worry, as the invitations usually tell you everything you need to know. The bottom line is celebrating the bride’s new chapter in life, and they want you to be part of it.