Average amount of bridal shower guests?

[Shannon72781]

Ok, so the showers I''m used to going to were always around the 30-35 guest mark...however, for the 2 showers I''ve helped plan this year (1 already happened, 1 is upcoming) the number of invited guests is around 60 people! Now both of these people are having ~200 people at their wedding, if that makes a difference?

Anyway, the cost of the showers are quite ridiculous (I spend $325 on the last one and there were 5 BMs), and this upcoming one if adding up. I KNOW the brides don''t know all of the invited, so why did the mothers of the bride and groom invite so many? I thought it was CLOSE female friends and family of the bride, or am I wrong?

These 2 brides are also my BMs, so I hope they return the favor and put in the time and effort as I did for them! I''m just concerned that showers are turning into "mini-weddings" before the real one happens!

**Just a little confused...**

 

[Courtneylub]

I agree with you. For bridal showers, especially since it''s usually a friend/family member hosting it, should be close girlfriends and family.

Some friends of ours are throwing us a couples shower, and I want to invite as few people as possible. Parents and close friends only.

 

[areagirlsbestfriend]

This is just me, but I know that my mother will want to invite all of the female guests that are also invited to the wedding (with the exception of coworkers, b/c they''ll prob throw me a separate, small-ish office type shower).

We''re having about 150 people at the wedding, so I''ll have about 75 people invited .. not saying they''ll all come (prob won''t), but I think there will be at least 45 or 50 people at my shower ..

I have A LOT of family on my mom''s side though, so the majority of these people will be aunts, first cousins, etc. Add in girlfriends and the bridesmaids ( .. it will get up there pretty quick.

That being said, I don''t expect a huge blow-out where everyone has to shell out a huge chunk of money each. It will most likely be at the clubhouse at my grandmother''s community, which is FREE to use for functions like this .. Some refreshments, a cake, and home-made food with maybe one or two catered items - sandwiches or something like that.

So, yeah, to answer your question, that doesn''t sound all that out-of-the-ordinary to me, at least in terms of the guest list.

What on earth did you do for a shower that you had to shell out $325??

 

[musey]

Wow, I was planning mine for about 12!

I''d probably have 20, but people are so spread out around the country that it makes it impossible for them all to gather in one place for that AND the wedding.

Anyway, I think I would be uncomfortable if the shower were more than just close friends and family. Sheesh, I''m uncomfortable even having one in the first place because it makes me feel like a gift monger

That is a whole other story, however...

 

[Shannon72781]

Well....The last one was held at a yacht club (not as fancy as it sounds, cost $150 to host there) and we had it entirely catered, paid 400$ for an open bad (The MOB stated their HAD to be alcohol), 150$ for her cousin/BM to custom make invites (she''s a graphic designer), cost of decorations (the club was all nautical-ish and needed the help), cost of favors/prizes, cake, group gift, helium tank for balloons, paper goods for eating, centerpieces...phew, it was ALOT. The MOH planned it and I think went overboard. The MOB was not initially going to help, but wound up paying for about $1k. We covered the rest. However, the MOB inisted on the catered food and alcohol, so I thought that was only fair.

Yes, it was a $2500 bridal shower. Unfortunately, when it was planned, I was away on vacation and even though the MOH is my best friend as well, we all got served the $325 shower bill. If I was more involved in the planning, it would have been lower, for sure.

For the upcoming one, I am planning it mostly (MOH is bride''s 16 y/o sis) and only 1 other BM. The MOB offered to have it at her house and she will pay for food, cake and invites. Me and the other BM are responsible for favors, paper goods, games, prizes and decor. I''m budgeting 200$ between the two of us, and hope I can pull it off for 60 people!

 

[SarahLovesJS]

Wow expensive showers!

 

[Shannon72781]

I know.

I''m simultaneously paying for my own wedding...

 

[areagirlsbestfriend]

I wanted to add that for my sister in law, between the 4 bridesmaids, we spent about $75 each for 25ish guests at a relatives house. That money covered food, cake, decorations, drinks. It adds up quickly, and we didn''t go overboard either (IMO). We bought her a few "fun" things to wear, like a bride hat and sash from a party store .. warning: do not go to a store like that before a shower or bach. party - you WILL spend at least $50 on fun stuff that you think the bride can''t live without

or at least I did!

 

[areagirlsbestfriend]

Shannon, I feel your pain ... two of my BMs are getting engaged soon, and are planning weddings a few months after my own (although neither are set in stone). I anticipate that things like dress shopping/buying, showers, etc. for their weddings will most likely fall before my own wedding which I am now pinching every penny to save for! We all joke that we''re going to have to take out loans to pay for all of our nuptials (we''re not, of course).

 

[zoebartlett]

That''s quite a large guest list! Most of the showers I''ve attended have had approximately 10-20 guests.

 

[KimberlyH]

I have a large family (I have 10 aunts and uncles and 45 cousins total) and showers, including friends for babies, weddings, whatever usually end up with a guest list of about 35. I would say more than that is really, really big.

 

[Haven]

As a cohost for these showers you have the right to say that a particular plan is out of your budget. If the rest of the hosts choose to continue with their plans then you contribute what you can, and they can cover the difference.

I''m inviting 25 ladies to one shower (plus five hosts) and 35 to another (plus six hosts). The ladies throwing the showers asked me for guest lists, and gave me a maximum amount of ladies to be invited. I have no idea what is average, I''ve been to showers with ten ladies, and showers with 60 ladies, it all depends on the specific situation.

 

[Class n Sass]

There were 75 women invited to my shower and about 52 actually came. Some of the people invited were from out of time.