Bridal Shower Invitation Wording: Examples for Every Kind of Shower

A bridal shower invitation should say who the shower honors and who is hosting it, then the date, time, place, how to RSVP and by when, and where the couple is registered. The registry belongs on the shower invitation even though it stays off the wedding invitation. Below are 30+ examples for classic, co-ed, tea party, surprise and long-distance showers.

Planning a brunch shower or a small morning with the bridesmaids? Our bridal shower brunch invitations and bridal brunch invitations guides cover those formats. This page is about the wording for every kind of shower.

Featured TwistInvite DesignsBridal Shower InvitationsBrowse TwistInvite tea party and garden video invitation designs in the app, add the shower details and share one link guests RSVP to in their browser.

What to Include on a Bridal Shower Invitation

• Who the shower honors: the bride's full name, or both names for a couples shower.
• Who is hosting: the maid of honor, the bridesmaids, a mother, an aunt or friends. Guests like to know who to ask questions.
• Date and time, with an end time. Showers usually run two to three hours.
• Place and address, plus parking notes for a home shower.
• RSVP-by date and who to reply to. Hosts need the number for food, seating and favors.
• Registry information. A line like "The couple is registered at [store] and [website]" is standard for a shower.
• The theme or format, if there is one: tea party, garden party, recipe shower, "stock the bar."
• Optional extras: dress code, "it's a surprise" (in bold), "please bring a recipe card," or whether children are welcome.

Quick Picks by Shower Type

Classic Bridal Shower Invitation Wording

The traditional shower: hosted by friends or family, gifts opened during the party, an afternoon with lunch or tea.

Traditional

Modern

Sweet and sentimental

She's found her person.
Now let's celebrate her with ours.
A bridal shower for Emily Carter
Saturday, April 17 · 1 p.m. · The Linden Hotel
With love from her bridesmaids · Please reply by April 3

Pair it with: Rose Tea Garden Brunch. Close shots of pink roses, a floral teacup filling with tea and small raspberry pastries on a linen tablecloth. It suits a classic afternoon shower with tea and sweets, and has no built-in text competing with your details.

Co-ed and Couples Shower Wording

A couples shower (sometimes called a "Jack and Jill" shower) invites both partners and their friends. Name both people and make clear everyone is welcome.

Casual

Polished

Please join us for a couples shower
in honor of Maya Lee and Christopher Hayes
Saturday, the fifteenth of May, at four o'clock
The Conservatory at Bellwood Gardens
Hosted by the bridal party · Kindly reply by May 1
The couple is registered at Williams Sonoma and The Knot

For two grooms or two brides

"Bridal shower" doesn't fit every couple. "Wedding shower" or "couples shower" works for anyone:

Wedding shower for Marcus and Theo
Sunday, April 25, 2 p.m., at Ben's apartment
Brunch, mimosas and a toast to the grooms.
Please reply by April 11.

Pair it with: Watercolor Garden Brunch. A soft watercolor tour through a sunlit conservatory with linen-set tables, lavender and roses, a figure in a white suit, and an arched garden path at the end. It fits a couples shower or a daytime party in a garden room.

Tea Party and Garden Shower Wording

Please join us for afternoon tea
in honor of Hannah Brooks
Saturday, the fifth of June, at two o'clock
Hosted by Linda Brooks and Carol Hughes
Kindly reply by May 22
Hannah and Owen are registered at Zola

For more ideas on menus and timing for an afternoon event, see our afternoon tea party invitations guide.

Pair it with: Garden Tea Social. An illustrated garden party with colorful bunting, a long table set for tea and a mixed group of friends being served. "Garden Tea Social" and "Pour. Pause. Connect." are part of the artwork and can't be changed, so it suits a relaxed garden tea, including co-ed showers.

Surprise Shower Wording

Put "surprise" in the first line, then say how you'll get the bride there and when guests should arrive.

Long-Distance and Hybrid Showers

When guests are spread out, many hosts run the shower in person and let faraway friends join a video call for the gift opening. Give both options:

Bridal shower for Jess
Saturday, April 24, 1 p.m. Eastern, at Mom's house in Albany
Can't make the trip? Join the video call at 2 p.m. for gifts and toasts. We'll send the link to everyone who RSVPs.
Registry: Amazon and Target

Office Shower Wording

Coworkers often throw a small shower at work for a colleague who is getting married. Keep it short, optional and inclusive.

Registry, Gift and Theme Lines

• Registry: "Emily and James are registered at Crate & Barrel and Zola."
• Gifts optional: "Your company is the best gift. If you'd like to bring something, the couple is registered at Zola."
• Recipe shower: "Please bring your favorite recipe written on a card, plus one of the tools you use to make it."
• Book shower: "Instead of a card, bring a book you love with a note to the couple inside."
• Stock the kitchen or bar: "Help us stock their first kitchen. Something you can't cook without."
• Experience fund: "The couple would love contributions to their honeymoon fund; details are on their wedding website."
• Second wedding: "No gifts, please. Just come raise a glass with us."

Short Versions for a Text Message

• "You're invited to Emily's bridal shower, Saturday April 17 at 1. Details, registry and RSVP in the link."
• "Couples shower for Maya and Chris on May 15! Backyard BBQ, partners welcome. Please RSVP on the invite by May 1."
• "Garden tea for Hannah on June 5. Sun hats encouraged. Can you make it?"
• "SURPRISE shower for Rachel, May 22 at 12:45. Please keep it quiet! Details in the link."
• "Olivia's shower is Sunday May 2 at noon at Margaret's. Please reply by April 18."

Say It in a 15-Second Video Message

In the TwistInvite App you can hold to record a short voice message that guests see with the invitation. A few spoken lines from the hosts make it feel personal:

You can also upload a photo or short clip of the couple and import a song that means something to them.

Tricky Lines, Said Politely

• Not invited to the wedding: Etiquette says shower guests should also be invited to the wedding. The common exception is an office shower, where you can say "Join the team in celebrating Priya's upcoming wedding."
• Adults only: "We love your little ones, but this will be an adults-only afternoon."
• Plus-ones at a traditional shower: address it only to the guest. For a co-ed shower, say "Partners welcome."
• Bride is helping plan: leave "surprise" out and let her approve the guest list.
• Several hosts: list them all, with one name for RSVPs: "Please reply to Sarah."

When to Have the Shower and Send Invitations

Spring and early summer showers often fall on the same weekends as other weddings, so the earlier your invitation goes out, the better your turnout.

How to Send It as a Video Invitation

1. Pick a template in the TwistInvite App. Invitations are created and edited in the App on your phone.
2. Add the shower details and, if you like, your own photos of the couple, a video or a song. Hold to record a 15-second voice message from the hosts.
3. Share the link by text message (SMS) or in the bridal party's group chat, with your chosen wording (and the registry line) as the message.
4. Guests open it in their browser and RSVP with no app download and no account. They answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe, and you follow replies in the App.

The free plan covers 3 events a month and includes free templates, RSVP tracking and 15-second video messages. Premium is $2.99 a week, $8.99 a month or $39.99 a year (USD; the App Store sets local prices). For the rest of the wedding, see our wedding invitation wording examples and bachelorette party invitations (and, for Spanish-speaking friends, our guide in Spanish to the invitación de despedida de soltera). Open the TwistInvite App to browse shower designs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it OK to put registry information on a bridal shower invitation?

Yes. Gifts are the point of a shower, so a short line naming the stores or websites where the couple is registered is standard. It's the wedding invitation where registry details are traditionally left off.

Who is named as the host on a bridal shower invitation?

The people throwing the shower: often the maid of honor and bridesmaids, a mother or aunt, or close friends. List each host, and name one person for RSVPs if replies go to a single contact.

How far in advance should bridal shower invitations go out?

Four to six weeks before the shower, or six to eight weeks if many guests need to travel. Ask for replies about two weeks before so the hosts can confirm food and seating.

Should everyone invited to the shower be invited to the wedding?

Traditionally, yes, because a shower invitation implies a wedding invitation. The usual exception is a shower thrown by coworkers at the office.

What is the difference between a bridal shower and a bachelorette party?

A bridal shower is usually a daytime party with family and friends where the bride or couple opens gifts. A bachelorette party is a night out or weekend with close friends and normally involves no gifts.

Do guests need an app to RSVP to a TwistInvite invitation?

No. The host creates the invitation in the TwistInvite App. Guests open the link in any browser and answer Going, Can't make it or Maybe without downloading anything or creating an account.