How to Find a Bridal Shower Venue That Slays

If you're been tasked with planning a bridal shower, you're probably wondering what to do first. Well, setting a budget, creating a guest list and choosing a date are all important first steps, but next on the list? Booking a bridal shower venue where the event will take place. The venue you choose will set the tone for the shower, so you'll want to choose wisely. And fortunately, we've created roundups of the best shower venues in dozens of cities coast to coast, and of course, there's The Knot Marketplace where you can read reviews, check out photos and features, and compare bridal shower venues near you.

Ready to start your bridal shower venue search? We're spitting facts about how to find a winning space for a shower.

In this article:

• Where to Have a Bridal Shower
• Who Selects the Bridal Shower Venue
• Who Pays for the Bridal Shower Venue
• When to Book a Bridal Shower Venue
• How to Decide on a Bridal Shower Venue
• How to Coordinate With Your Bridal Shower Venue After Booking

Where to Have a Bridal Shower

When it comes to figuring out where to host a bridal shower, you may have more options than you'd think. Because bridal showers tend to be smaller and less formal than weddings and usually don't include dancing, you can think well beyond traditional event spaces in your search.

Potential Bridal Shower Venues

Here are some of the most popular types of bridal shower venues, all available to check out on The Knot Marketplace. Note that these are just suggestions, and you're welcome to look beyond these to find the best space for your celebration.

• Private Home: Some bridal showers will take place at the host's home, either indoors or in the backyard. Planning a backyard bridal shower may seem super-easy and budget-friendly, but between obtaining enough tables and chairs, purchasing decorations, setting up and cleaning up, it can be quite time and labor intensive—and the cost can quickly add up!
• Restaurant: There are quite a few advantages to hosting a bridal shower at a favorite restaurant—namely, they probably require the least amount of additional work on the host's part. Restaurants tend to be all-inclusive venues, so you won't have to worry about food and decor.
• Country Club: If one of the guest of honor's loved ones is a member of a country club , you might consider holding the bridal shower there. Similar to a restaurant, country clubs usually have in-house catering and other amenities.
• Historic Home: Historic homes and gardens tend to be smaller venues, ideal for more intimate weddings and showers with a cottagecore theme. These venues are aesthetically lovely, but you'll likely have to bring in outside catering and may be limited in terms of approved decorations to maintain the home's historic character.
• Banquet Hall: Hosting a big bridal shower with lots of guests? A banquet hall or event space may be an ideal venue. These venues may have in-house catering and other amenities, though some "blank slate" spaces may require additional decorations, which can be costly.
• Hotel: Hotels tend to have private event spaces of varying sizes, as well as in-house catering. Added bonus—if your guest list includes more than a few out-of-towners, they can stay on site for added convenience!
• Park: For a more casual picnic-style event, a local park makes a great bridal shower venue. Worth noting: You'll have to bring your own food, decorations and supplies, and potentially get a permit to use the space.

Who Selects the Bridal Shower Venue

Traditionally, the bridal shower is hosted by the maid of honor with support from the bridesmaids, but the bride's mom, future mother-in-law or other close relatives may host the event. The host or hosts take the lead in choosing the bridal shower venue. The guest of honor may provide input about the venue selection, but the host will make the final decision.

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Who Pays for the Bridal Shower Venue

The bridal shower host or hosts are typically responsible for paying for the event—and that includes the venue's rental fee and other associated costs. A bridal shower can cost anywhere from $40 to over $150 per guest, depending on the location and type of event, and the venue and food are usually the biggest expenses. It's essential for the host or hosts to decide on a budget before starting to plan so that costs don't get out of control.

When to Book a Bridal Shower Venue

We recommend starting to plan the bridal shower and booking a venue about three months ahead of time, and choosing a shower date a month or two before the wedding. The bridal shower venue should be the first vendor booked—the date of the shower isn't officially set until you've nailed down the venue. Then, you can book any additional vendors, send invitations, etc.

How to Decide on a Bridal Shower Venue

The process of choosing a bridal shower venue is strikingly similar to picking a wedding venue, just on a smaller scale. While it can be tempting to jump right into the process and book the first venue you see, we recommend spending a little extra time making sure you've selected the right space.

Figure out who's hosting.

Depending on the guest of honor's relationships, there may be several loved ones who are willing to host the bridal shower. Figure out who's hosting (or if there will be more than one shower!) and who will be the final decision maker when it comes to choosing the venue.

Set a budget.

Whether a host is paying for the event solo or a bunch of loved ones are chipping in, you'll want to set a budget before starting to look at venues. You'll also want to designate a financial point person, or "keeper of the budget" who will make sure that you're not overspending. Keep in mind that venue and food costs will take up about half of your budget.

Create the guest list.

Bridal showers come in all sizes—from 10 guests to over 100! Work with the guest of honor to figure out exactly who she'd like to invite. (Important note: Anyone who's invited to the shower should also be invited to the wedding!) This will help you narrow down venues, as you'll only want to look at venues that can accommodate your entire crew.

Narrow down dates.

Obviously, you'll want to make sure that your guest of honor and her VIPs can actually attend the shower! Work with the bride to come up with a few dates that would work for her and her closest loved ones. This is another important part of selecting a bridal shower venue—you'll only consider spaces that have availability on one of your chosen dates.

Start searching for options.

Once you have the big three—budget, guest list and date—decided, you can actually start browsing venues. The Knot Marketplace is the best place to start, as you can read reviews, check out photos and compare event spaces.

Schedule visits.

We recommend narrowing down the options to two or three potential venues, and reaching out to those to schedule tours. If at all possible, it's a good idea to visit venues in person to make sure you're happy with the space.

Ask questions.

As you're visiting venues, come prepared with a list of questions to make sure you're making an informed decision. Here are a few biggies:

• Is the venue available on my chosen date?
• What do your event packages look like?
• How many guests can the venue comfortably host?
• How many hours does the venue rental cover?
• What kind of services do you offer (in-house catering, etc.)?
• What's your cancellation policy?
• Are there other fees we should know about?
• How much time will we have to set up before the event?
• Can we bring in outside vendors?
• Can we bring in our own alcohol?
• Can we decorate the space?
• If we're planning an outdoor shower, is there a Plan B in case of inclement weather?
• Do you have ADA-compliant facilities for disabled or elderly guests?
• Is there convenient parking?
• Will there be other events going on at the same time as ours?
• Are there any other restrictions or rules we should know about?

Pick your favorite venue and confirm your choice.

Hopefully, it will become abundantly clear which bridal shower venue is right for your event. You'll want to confirm your choice with any stakeholders and the guest of honor before requesting a contract.

Review the contract.

You'll want to pay close attention to the venue contract, and make sure you're comfortable with the fees and policies before signing.

How to Coordinate With Your Bridal Shower Venue After Booking

Once you've officially booked your bridal shower venue, you can breathe a sigh of relief—this is a huge step in putting together this celebration! If your shower venue is providing catering services, you'll want to choose a menu well in advance of the shower. You'll also need to confirm what will and won't be provided by the venue, so that you can rent or purchase any decorations, paper goods or other additional items. A week or two before the event, you'll need to circle back with the venue to share the final guest count and confirm any last-minute details—including when you can arrive on the day of to set up.