21 Tips for Throwing the Ultimate Winter Bridal Shower

If the bride-to-be envisions a shower that conjures up feelings of warmth and coziness, there's perhaps no better time to plan her pre-nuptial celebration than during winter. Although it's an often-overlooked season for wedding festivities, the homey color palettes and snowy backdrop associated with this festive time of year will inspire a party that's anything but cookie-cutter. From metallic details and frosted greenery to cheerful place cards and themed favors, there are plenty of unique ways to showcase the season while giving your guest of honor the shower of her dreams.

Getting inspired by the cold-weather season—with its comforting foods, warm beverages, festive décor, and holiday traditions—is key to pulling off a soirée that celebrates both the bride-to-be and the most wonderful time of year. This doesn't mean you need to go all out on Christmas-themed elements or use a red-and-green color palette to drive the idea home. Instead, consider subtle touches that pay homage to winter by taking the best aspects of the season and infusing them into the event's décor. A thoughtful way to do so is by incorporating winter's stunning blooms and greens throughout the venue. Centerpieces made of white roses, pine or magnolia leaves hung on banisters or around fireplaces, and a spread of desserts with wintry textures (powdered sugar, for example, connotes snow!) guarantee that the bride will be celebrated in style. 

Of course, seasonal foliage isn't the only defining motif of a winter bridal shower. Use the fact that the season is all about coziness, too, by serving up a menu with comfort foods to warm up your guests. Once everyone is toasty—from their meal and a trip to the Champagne cart—the rest of the evening's festivities, including bridal shower games and activities, will flow nicely. No matter the venue's locale, your winter-centric stationery, menu offerings, and décor (we love the textural mantel display, here, complete with a faux-fur stool, black tapers, and a festive garland—it's the ultimate photo backdrop!) will translate across any space and leave attendees ready to celebrate the woman of the hour. Click through for some more of our favorite winter bridal shower ideas.

Give the bride-to-be and her partner something fun to do as a couple by asking shower guests to fill out cards with their advice, memories, and recommendations for date nights and trips. Use notes in a blue-and-white color palette, like this custom stationery set Wouldn't It Be Lovely, to stay on theme.

Create garlands with winter greens, like pine or magnolia leaves, to wrap around the banister of the bridal shower venue. We love this greenery installation, created by Belovely and Laurel & Elm, which brought dimension to this staircase switchback.

The weather outside may be frightful, but the bites at your celebratory event will be anything but. Help guests warm up by offering shots of creamy tomato soup and mini grilled cheese sandwiches, like Constellation Catering did here at this cold-weather event.

Use cool hues to hint at winter when deciding on a color palette for this fête. We love the combination of shades House of Hannah Weddings and Events put together on this tabletop; the slate dinnerware and lace-patterned chargers, gray taper candles, and off-white napkins feel seasonal, while gold silverware and matching candlesticks add a festive, gleaming touch. 

A bridal shower seating chart is always a good idea, but if her event takes place just before Christmas, why not create an escort display that feels holiday forward? Make like Back Up Backdrops, who built this festive wall with the words, "No Time Like the Present" and added colorful wrapped gifts around the text, and dream up something that nods to the season.

Give the bride-to-be's signature cocktail a seasonal touch by garnishing the beverage with a wintry sprig of rosemary.

When it comes to a winter bridal shower, there can never be too much white—after all, it's the color of snow. At this event, Alexis Grace Florals placed lush green-and-white flower arrangements in compote vessels; they were eye-catching when displayed alongside creamy taper candles on an all-white table.

If you're hosting a brunch affair, donuts are a must. The crowd-pleasing, pillowy delights will lure people in when they're displayed like the gourmet ones featured here. A vintage jewelry case and winter ice-blue taper candle effortlessly marries aesthetics with practicality.

Instead of simply relying on a cool color palette to bring your theme to life, try using other seasonal motifs, as well. We recommend taking cues from nature, like wedding planner Amorology did here, by adding woodland creatures to each station.

Draw inspiration from all aspects of winter—even the clothes you wear during the season—when planning a cozy shower. This white cake from Le Dolci, which Blush & Bowties helped style, had a sweater weather-inspired design that nodded to the shower's theme in a simple, elegant way.  

Timely fruits and flowers can add depth to your escort card display, as evidenced by this setup by Kelly Lenard of Intertwine. She designed these cloche floral details with hellebores, a popular winter bloom, at the center. They were placed near small bowls of seasonal citrus.

Even if you don't plan on serving a winter-inspired cocktail, it's still possible to keep your bar cart on theme. Copy this bride, who added Santa and snowflake stirrers to glasses filled with sparkling wine and sugared cranberries. Throwing a post-holiday event? Skip St. Nick and stick to the snow motifs.

Does the bride-to-be have a favorite winter pastime? If so, don't be afraid to incorporate that hobby into her shower. Adding a pair of calligraphed antique skis—these are from Ski Country Antiques and Home—near the gift station or seating chart works perfectly if she regularly hits the slopes.

Hint at Christmastime by serving croquembouche, a French dessert composed of choux pastry puffs filled with cream and piled onto a tree-shaped cone wrapped with threads of caramel. Buttercream Bakeshop was responsible for putting together this elegant confection, which was made extra seasonal thanks to gold leaf and snow-white sugar blossoms.

It's not a party until someone pops a bottle of Champagne. The bubbly beverage is a favorite, especially before the holidays when celebrations abound. Keep the sparkling wine coming by placing a handful of bottles on a bar cart jazzed up for the season; Wimberly Fair Designs wrapped winter blooms and greens around this vintage display, which held chilled bottles and glasses.

An easy way to bring a bit of holiday cheer to your tablescape? Mark the bride's seat at the table with a mini-Christmas-tree covered by a calligraphed glass cloche. Kick the festivity up a notch by arranging the display atop a red-and-green plaid linen.

Signal where your guests will be seated with more than just the traditional paper note. On these place cards, Laura Hooper calligraphed each attendee's name onto wood, which resembled fireplace kindling; The Every Hostess arranged miniature bottlebrush trees around the pieces for an added dose of winter flair.

Use this wintry palette, which Blanc Floral Design created using snow white roses, metallic copper details, greenery, and a faux fur tablecloth, to guide your bridal shower décor choices and create an ultra-luxe feel.  

Play up the holiday aspect of a winter pre-nuptial party by handing out ornament favors, like these wedding getaway car inspired iterations from Bombki.

Don't be afraid to make a statement with your winter bridal shower decorations. Make like Blanc Floral Design and use a eucalyptus garland and copper vessels to add a festive pop of color to a snow-white backdrop.

Looking for another creative way to incorporate Christmas into this winter event? Set up a "Letters to Santa" box for any cards addressed to the bride-to-be.