Etsy is my go-to for bachelorette invitations. These amazing artists are so much more creative than the invitations I see at most wedding stationery retailers. Oh my goodness, bachelorette invites that aren’t black and pink and covered in cheesy illustrations of heels and lipstick?!? It’s a revelation! Here are just a few of my recent favorite finds.
I love the modern graphic design and the contrast of glittery gold and soft pink in this girls weekend invite from Fine and Dandy Paperie. So chic!
The illustrations on this invite from Cake Print Shop are adorable, but what really won me over is the itinerary. Girl, you know I love an itinerary! OK, and the glitter. I do love glitter.
Speaking of itineraries, hi, this one is adorable. Kreativees has designs for tons of popular bachelorette destinations, including the Charleston one seen here, as well as themed invites perfect for a ski weekend or a beach getaway.
Maybe you’ve noticed I’m obsessed with pineapples recently. Maybe you too are obsessed with pineapples. Maybe you have to have this invitation from Boo Bean Design!
I love the beautiful floral patterns on this invitation from Kate and Jane Designs. The watercolor effect and mixed typography makes for a gorgeous statement invitation.
Finally, an of-the-moment design—this Let’s Flamingle invitation! We love the soft watercolor illustration and calligraphy. Need more flamingle party inspiration? We’ve got you.
OK, just one more. Because there are so many good ones! But I love the concept of this spa party invitation: Mimosas, Manis and Mischief, Oh My!
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Invitations can set the tone for a party, but sifting through all the options out there can be a little overwhelming. Especially when, let’s face it, a lot of the designs we see are pretty underwhelming. Ooooh, another bachelorette invitation that looks like a corset!? How truly revolutionary! We’ve rounded up some of our favorite standout bachelorette and bridal shower invitations. Some are bold and modern, some are feminine and girly and some are just all-around fun.
For a 90s Throwback Bridal Shower:
The perfect invitation for a 90s throwback bridal shower. Put N*SYNC on loop, get those episodes of Boy Meets World and Gilmore Girls streaming and dig out your glitter nail polish, girls!
For a Bridal Shower Brunch:
I’m kind of obsessed with the chic Southern charm of this invite. The contrast of the loopy “Bubbly” with the bold block lettering, plus the sophisticated navy and nectarine color palette, just makes this feel fresh and fun.
For a Bachelorette Beach Weekend:
The bold sunset colors of this invite immediately caught my attention. If a Miami Beach* bachelorette party is in your future, this invite perfectly channels laid-back seaside vibes. *Works for Key West, Palm Springs, the Bahamas, Costa Rica, etc., too.
For a Tea Party Bridal Shower:
I love this one so much, I maybe just bought it for a friend’s tea party shower in August. The unique “Love is Brewing” slogan sets it apart from other tea party invites while the bold brushstrokes of the floral pattern and the metallic gold lettering make this invite feel modern yet feminine.
For a Bachelorette Night Out:
I often complain about the prevelance of black and pink in bachelorette invites. This one is just the perfect shade of not-quite purple/not-quite pink that makes it feel girly, but like, cool-girly. And if there’s one bachelorette trend I can get behind, it’s a Bride Tribe. Partying with your ladies is what it’s all about!
For a Garden Bridal Shower:
This adorable succulent bridal shower invitation is my favorite for a garden party. Because let’s face it, succulents are still so it right now. We’re not growing roses in my apartment, I’ll tell you that.
For a Stock the Bar Couple Shower:
Pro tip: When you’re looking for a cute couple shower invite, don’t look in the bridal shower section. Search under general parties (birthdays, housewarming, backyard BBQs) for more gender-neutral invitations that don’t scream “bride.” I found this one under birthday and just updated the text for a couple shower!
Oh, the tricky web that wedding invitations weave. I can tell you from personal experience that choosing who to invite to your wedding can feel like participating in Hunger-Games-like elimination rounds. And sending out invites to your bridal shower and bachelorette party can be just as filled with hair pulling and grief. Here, we try to simplify things for you a bit with answers to the most common questions we get on guest lists for pre-wedding parties.
Who is invited to the bridal shower? The bride should provide the host with a guest list. Showers are generally attended by a select group of close friends and relatives, so you should not invite every woman who is attending the wedding. The guest list will usually include the bridesmaids, the bride’s close friends, her mother, grandmother and aunts (and even female cousins, if she is close with them) and the mother of the groom. Important to note: Only ladies who are invited to the wedding should be invited to the shower.
But we are having a small wedding and I wanted to celebrate with some of the friends I didn’t invite to the wedding. Can’t I invite them to my bridal shower? No, you really can’t. This is considered very rude. Only guests who are invited to the wedding can be invited to pre-wedding parties like the bridal shower. Though you may be tempted to invite the friends who didn’t make the wedding list cut to your shower, you’d basically be saying “please get me a present, but sorry, you can’t come to the wedding.”
Can someone from the groom’s side of the family throw the bride a shower? Traditionally, the shower is thrown by someone on the bride’s side of the family: her maid of honor, her bridesmaids, an aunt, her godmother, her sister, or even occasionally her mother. That being said, we can do what we want. If the bride is close with her fiancé’s mother or sister and they want to throw her a shower, there’s absolutely no reason they shouldn’t! Just make sure you don’t have competing showers from the bride’s and groom’s side. It’s best to combine into one event if most of the same guests would be invited.
Can men be invited to a bridal shower? While showers have traditionally been female-only affairs, there are several cases in which inviting men is totally cool. If you want to have a co-ed affair, it’s called a couple’s shower. In this case, both the bride and groom attend the party and invite their friends and family. But what if the bride doesn’t want a couple’s shower, she just wants to invite some of her male friends? Just as wedding parties may now have “Men of Honor” or the “Best Maid,” if you have close friends of the opposite sex who your shower would be incomplete without, you should by all means invite them. As long as your fiancé’s feelings won’t be hurt that he isn’t invited, press on!
Who should be invited to my bachelorette party?
The bachelorette party usually consists of the bride’s closest girlfriends. This includes all her bridesmaids, plus other close friends. Sisters are usually invited, but other relatives usually don’t make the cut. The bachelorette is usually for women in the same generation as the bride—aka aunts and grandmas skip this one.
Should my mother be invited to my bachelorette party? I have a follow-up question for you: Do you want to invite her or is she pressuring you to invite her? If you and your mom like to party together and you want her to be there, then yes, go ahead and invite her. But usually mothers and other older female relatives are not invited to bachelorette parties. Generally the parties are confined to the bride’s close friends. If your bachelorette party is going to be more laid-back—say, a wine and painting class or a nice dinner out—it may make sense to invite your mom. I’ve also seen brides go on trips with their mother and sister as their bachelorette getaway. Your bachelorette should be what you want it to be. If you want a weekend away with just your close girlfriends, do that! If you want your mom to be there, invite her! But if your mom is just pressuring you to include her, feel free to say “sorry, mom, this one’s just for my girlfriends—Ultimate Bridesmaid says so.”
Before I set the date of a bridal shower or bachelorette party, who do I have to clear it with? This is so tricky. I feel your pain. It can be nearly impossible to pick a date that works for all guests and feelings can sometimes get hurt. But honestly, one of the roles of host is not to find a date that works for every single person. For the bridal shower, make sure the date works for the bride (duh) and the mother of the bride. Ask the bride to pick a few other priority guests—this may include her bridesmaids, her mother-in-law-to-be, or an aunt or cousin she is close with. For the bachelorette, try to pick a date that works for all her bridesmaids. Setting the date well in advance will help make this easier. The earlier you can pick a date, the less likely your guests are to have a conflict. At the end of the day, don’t beat yourself up if every single person can’t attend. You did your best.
Ugly bachelorette invitations are one of my biggest bridesmaid pet peeves. Try to find a bachelorette invite that is not black and pink and does not include one of the following: shoes, lipstick and/or assorted lingerie. It’s just insulting! So these digital invites (which you can have printed as well) from Paperless Post are like a breath of fresh air, in poppy oranges and pale greens and without a “last fling before the ring” in sight. Don’t these feel so much more like women you actually know?
