Emily Henderson's Tips for an Easy and Stress-Free Bridal Shower

As a bridesmaid, it is practically one of your duties to help plan at least one of the showers or parties for the soon-to-be bride. But party planning can be very stressful and time-consuming. Enter Emily Henderson, designer and HGTV host. Here are a few of her go to-tips to help you plan just the right celebration for the special bride-to-be.

Gone are the days of the formal invitation with the RSVP card. If you are planning a get-together with her closest friends, most likely they are already going to know you or have some form of communication with you, so there is no need to impress with a fancy, expensive invite. Keep it simple by grabbing something inexpensive from the stationery store, then make it personal by handwriting in the details. Or if you are feeling extra lazy (or as we prefer to call it, technologically savvy), forgo the snail mail invite and send out a simple e-vite to the guests.

Keep the food simple and minimal. No need to go fancy with a catered meal or anything too heavy. A couple of easy salads with fresh veggies or a charcuterie board will keep guests happy.

There is nothing worse than playing bartender all night for a group of ladies. Stock up on some wine, like Black Box Wines, and champagne so guests can top themselves off when they need to. For those looking for a non-alcoholic option, pre-make a punch or infused water in a large beverage dispenser so that your only job will be to refill it half way through the night as it gets low.

Keep it organic and natural. Rather than trying to make a bunch of beautiful arrangements, buy a few different types of in-season flowers in bulk and throw them into a few vessels on the tables to give the party some life and to make things feel special and personal.

Pull together a simple playlist with fun songs to set the tone of the party. Are you looking for a casual and elegant evening, a fun party atmosphere, or a night to reminisce on past memories with the bride? Fill the playlist with songs to evoke the party you want to have and the guests will follow suit as each new song comes on.

A little takeaway will make guests feel special and wanted and have the bride feeling like you planned the ultimate party. Set out a polaroid camera and allow people to pass it around and candidly take pics through the night, then ask them to paste them into a simple notebook with a note to the bride wishing her well. All the extras that didn't make it into the book can be taken home by the guests as a little memento of the night.