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  1. marthastewart.com
  2. Weddings
  3. Wedding Showers & Parties
  4. Bridal Shower
  5. 41 Unexpected Bridal Shower Ideas to Bookmark
Martha Stewart Weddings

41 Unexpected Bridal Shower Ideas to Bookmark

sarah schreiber martha stewart
By Sarah Schreiber Updated August 18, 2020
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Credit: Ava Moore

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outdoor picnic spread
Credit: Ava Moore

Whether you're a maid of honor planning your best friend's shower or a bride-to-be looking for inspiration for your own party, you likely have one thing at the front of your mind: You're looking for details that'll make the bridal shower one-of-a-kind. After all, this particular celebration should be anything but cookie-cutter. It's about the bride, and there's no one quite like her. Mark the special day and her bright future by planning a fête absolutely no one will forget.

Enter the following unexpected bridal shower ideas, which will help you do just that. From surprising activities and next-level place settings to personalized favors and the ultimate shower snacks, these sweet details guarantee that the bride will be toasted in style. While a bridal shower is, at its core, about the beautiful bride-to-be, a hostess should always consider her guests. Colorful accents, a thoughtful menu, and upgraded take-home treats only enhance the moment and are sure to get every attendee excited for the main event: the wedding.

While we were impressed with just about every detail from these real celebrations, we were blown away by their locations. They proved that celebrating the bride is even more fun when the festivities are held in unexpected places, like a park (for a picnic bridal shower!) or garden. However you decide to format this pretty party, you and your bride are guaranteed to find a detail, idea, or moment here bound to inspire something entirely unique. Click through for all of the unexpected bridal shower inspiration you never knew you needed.

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DIY Bouquets

summer bridal shower ideas flower market
Credit: Alissa Noelle Photography

An unexpected activity everyone is sure to love, have guests create their own bouquets in place of a game. Featuring dozens of fresh blooms on full display, this makes for a great interactive experience, ensuring everyone goes home with a keepsake of the soirée.

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Chalkboard Sign

kara bridal shower signage
Credit: Stewart Uy Photography

Make the bride-to-be feel extra special with a chalkboard sign.

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Custom Cocktails

lillie riley wedding bar and sign
Credit: Meg Lucks, Abby Jiu Photography

Who doesn't love a dedicated drink corner? Ensure every guest at your bridal shower will reach for a drink with these festive beverages.

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Bottles of Wine

bottles of wine
Credit: Mi Belle Photography

Send bridal shower guests home with their own bottle of wine. Fishing net and tassels add a touch of flair to the celebration.

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In-Bloom Macaroons

painted macarons
Credit: Mango Studios
Unexpected Wedding Food Ideas Your Guests Will Love

Update a favorite sweet with illustrated buds that match the shower's floral scheme. They're almost too pretty to bite into! The key word here being almost.

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On-Trend Invite

transparent save the dates
Credit: Kelsea Holder
Bridal Shower Invites to Inspire Your Own

Two acrylic slabs make for a trendy bridal shower invitation. Bonus points if you opt for lettering in a just-as-chic metal like rose gold.

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Woven Fixtures

rifle paper co. floral bridal shower tablescape
Credit: Abby Cox

Incorporate oversized woven light fixtures strewn with beautiful blooms for a wow-worthy bridal shower.

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Celestial Theme

tablescape
Credit: Jack Rodriguez

If she's a zodiac enthusiast, throw a shower inspired by the stars. A celestial place setting, an indigo and jet color palette, crystal centerpieces, star-themed place cards, and embroidered constellation favors will result in a look that's completely out of this world.

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Custom Favors

colleen jewel bridal shower favors
Credit: Will Anderson

Creating party favors with an illustration of the bride and her new ring is sure to bring a smile to the bride-to-be's face.

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Flower Wall

flower girl all white photo backdrop bride to be pink balloons
Credit: @feyi_mbello via Instagram

Take a cue from this ecstatic bride and fill a wall with beautiful white roses. It makes for the perfect bridal shower photo-opp.

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Memory Lane

memorial photos
Credit: Kara Miller
Tips for Honoring Deceased Loved Ones at Your Wedding

Bring a personal touch to a quiet corner by setting up a family photo station. This is a great way to include loved ones that are no longer with you. While it doesn't make up for their absence, seeing their faces in photos will help you feel their love at the shower—and help your guests (especially the ones that never met Nana or Pop!) get to know them, too.

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Girls' Picnic

outdoor picnic spread
Credit: Ava Moore

Throwing a bridal shower with a smaller guest list? An intimate picnic is the way to go. Splashy rugs and cozy pillows make sitting on the ground comfortable. A stylish tablescape, with taper candles and lots of blooms, elevates a casual picnic into a lady's brunch.

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Woven Favors

beach welcome bags
Credit: Penelope Photos
Love These? Check Out Welcome Bags from Real Weddings

If you're planning on showering the bride at an oceanfront venue, send attendees home with a thank-you bag filled with beach essentials. Straw hats wrapped in flower crowns, woven totes, and slippers are an elevated, on-theme take-home.

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Floral Pops

floral popsicles
Credit: Alicia Mink Photography
How to Plan the Perfect Summer Bridal Shower

Planning a summer shower? Lemonade ice pops, filled with fruit and edible flowers, are sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

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Sweet Sign

decorative window
Credit: Jay C Winter
Creative Signs That'll Dress Up Your Wedding

A vintage window can be repurposed as the prettiest bridal shower sign. A sweet, succinct sentiment, like "Showered with love," is the perfect add.

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Balloon Arch

Balloon arch
Credit: Ashley Kelemen

Floral installations may be trendy, but we're just as taken by this dusty-peach balloon arch. It makes a major statement, so be sure to keep the rest of your tablescapes décor quiet.

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Personal Aprons

personalized apron
Credit: Lauren Renée
Discover More Creative Favors Ideas

These personalized aprons are a two-for-one. They'll serve as both place cards and bridal shower favors that they'll actually use.

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Bring the Inside Out

dessert table
Credit: Ether and Smith

Forget the rentals. Bring out a beloved desk or vanity when it's time to set the dessert table. Need more room? Simply open the drawers—they act as makeshift trays and look even lovelier filled with fresh blooms.

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Filter IRL

bridal shower ideas polaroid theme frame photobooth
Credit: @vivakayla via Instagram

An interactive photo frame mirrors your Instagram grid, while loads of fun props add something extra and unique to your bridal shower festivities.

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Unusual Centerpieces

bridal shower centerpiece with geometric hurricanes
Credit: Sugar and Cloth

An array of geometric-inspired centerpieces adds intrigue to an already powerful table. Gold-rimmed and transparent, these vases offer something extra to a colorful affair.

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Tequila Shots

mini patron bottle
Credit: Allison Kuhn Photography

If margaritas are the bride's absolute must-have, adorable Patron shooters make for an appropriate favor. How fun would it be to take a shot all together at the beginning of the party using these little guys?

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Letter Board

bridal shower sign
Credit: Sugar and Cloth

A hot pink letter board isn't just the way to express a hilarious bridal shower joke, but it's also about as Instagramable as it gets.

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Sitting Pretty

chair decorated with flowers
Credit: Arte de Vie Photography
See Head Table Ideas from Real Weddings

Make opening presents a whole lot prettier by decking out the woman-of-the-hour's throne with blooms, moss, and lots of leafy greens.

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Subtle Blooms

cristina-jason-wedding-centerpiece-1728-s112017-0715.jpg
Credit: Mademoiselle Fiona
Affordable Centerpieces That Still Look Elevated

While we're all about grand gestures and big statements, a quiet centerpiece makes a different kind of impact. A milk jar filled with pink, cream, and peach peonies is elegant, without feeling over the top. They won't break your budget, either.

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Fringed Light Fixtures

jen tim wedding reception elegant tropical decor on long table
Credit: Anneli Marinovich

Add a little oomph to your summer bridal shower décor with fringed hanging lanterns in your wedding colors. These merge seamlessly with the tablescape for a picture-worthy event.

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Incense Bar

party favor
Credit: Sleepy Fox Photography

Banish all negative energy on the day of the party by burning fragrant herbs. Send guests home with their own bushels, paired with relevant essential oils, so they can do the same in their own homes.

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Regal Confection

blue bridal-shower-cake with crown
Credit: Caroline Tran Photography
Discover Even More Bridal Shower Cakes

If you're planning on serving quite a few guests at the shower, a three-tier might be necessary. Opt for a simple, gold-dusted cake, topped with a crown fit for a queen (like the bride!).

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Look Up

bird cage flowers
Credit: Ether and Smith

On the décor front, the smallest bridal shower details can have the biggest impact. Take this dainty bird cage, for example. When filled with sprigs of eucalyptus, baby's breath, and peachy-pink roses, and hung from a pergola's rafters, it becomes an elegant overhead display.

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Parasols

alyssa macia wedding woven basket of parasols
Credit: Branco Prata Studios

Beat the heat and shelter from the sun with adorable parasols. They're perfect for outdoor bridal showers—plus, they stand pretty at the entryway to the party. 

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Terrarium-Inspired Centerpiece

geometric bridal shower centerpiece
Credit: Chloe Moore Photography

Pixies Petals spiced things up by filling hexagonal glass vases with sand, roses, thistle, and protea.

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Love You Like XO

xo cookies pink
Credit: Liz Banfield

Take notes from this sparkly scene, designed by Whitepeacock Weddings, when planning your bride's shower. A sequined table runner brings the dessert table to life, while Beyoncé-inspired cookies appropriately sum up the occasion.

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Kids-Inspired

wedding favors crayons sunglasses
Credit: Vitae Weddings

Whether the bride is a kid at heart or you're thinking of ideas for a kid's table at the bridal shower, this fun place setting is sure to brighten up anyone's day.

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Incense

Incense Bar
Credit: This Rad Love with The Wedding Coven

Give the gift of calming scents with an incense bar. Guests can choose which smell suits their needs, and while the colors incorporate a fall element to this autumnal bridal shower.

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Fruit Focused

citrus bridal shower centerpiece
Credit: Kandi Daniel Studios

Forego a classic floral centerpiece and opt for sliced fruit. Guests can enjoy these throughout the bridal shower, while citrus like oranges and grapefruit add bright spots of color.

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Salty Favors

pink salt jars
Credit: Emily Wren

Pretty pink Himalayan sea salt makes for the perfect bridal shower gifts. A color-coordinating pink ribbon makes them great to set out on a table near the entryway.

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Restaurant Décor

rustic wooden wedding reception tables with industrial chairs
Credit: Elizabeth LaDuca

Just because you're hosting  a bridal shower in a restaurant, doesn't mean you need to take the restaurant's décor at face value. Add high and low staggered candles and scatter seasonal fruit—like figs and pears—for a fall feel.

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Showstopping Centerpiece

bridal shower ping table setting decor under tent
Credit: Johnny Cirillo

A bright pink faux tree like this is sure to stop guests in their tracks. Each table gets their own pink foliage, that's elevated enough so guests can still see and speak to one another.

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Origami Garlands

bridal shower hanging pink origami decor
Credit: Johnny Cirillo

Birds of a feather take flight in this beautiful pink origami garland. Placed above the dessert table or buffet, it makes for a lovely addition to bridal shower décor.

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Pumpkin and Pampas Grass

fall engagement party ideas billye donya 0718
Credit: Billye Donya Photography

An unexpected duo, painted pumpkins and pampas grass make this bridal shower table simply serene.

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Oversized Lighting

top city bridal shower venues north italia
Credit: Courtesy of Fox Restaurant Concepts

When looking for a venue for a bridal shower, take a restaurant's existing décor into consideration. We love the floating orbs in this Arizona-based restaurant.

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    1 of 41
    2 of 41 DIY Bouquets
    3 of 41 Chalkboard Sign
    4 of 41 Custom Cocktails
    5 of 41 Bottles of Wine
    6 of 41 In-Bloom Macaroons
    7 of 41 On-Trend Invite
    8 of 41 Woven Fixtures
    9 of 41 Celestial Theme
    10 of 41 Custom Favors
    11 of 41 Flower Wall
    12 of 41 Memory Lane
    13 of 41 Girls' Picnic
    14 of 41 Woven Favors
    15 of 41 Floral Pops
    16 of 41 Sweet Sign
    17 of 41 Balloon Arch
    18 of 41 Personal Aprons
    19 of 41 Bring the Inside Out
    20 of 41 Filter IRL
    21 of 41 Unusual Centerpieces
    22 of 41 Tequila Shots
    23 of 41 Letter Board
    24 of 41 Sitting Pretty
    25 of 41 Subtle Blooms
    26 of 41 Fringed Light Fixtures
    27 of 41 Incense Bar
    28 of 41 Regal Confection
    29 of 41 Look Up
    30 of 41 Parasols
    31 of 41 Terrarium-Inspired Centerpiece
    32 of 41 Love You Like XO
    33 of 41 Kids-Inspired
    34 of 41 Incense
    35 of 41 Fruit Focused
    36 of 41 Salty Favors
    37 of 41 Restaurant Décor
    38 of 41 Showstopping Centerpiece
    39 of 41 Origami Garlands
    40 of 41 Pumpkin and Pampas Grass
    41 of 41 Oversized Lighting

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