6 Things to Keep in Mind When Planning an Office Bridal Shower

When your office bestie gets engaged, talks of weddings can take over all the water cooler conversations as she begins to plan the big day. And spending so much time together on the job means you'll definitely want to celebrate. But when you start thinking about throwing a shower in the conference room, there's more to it than what kind of dessert you should make—including how to navigate office politics.

Ahead, we share a few tips for planning an office shower that won't ruffle any feathers.

Figure Out the Guest List

While any other shower invitation would typically only go out to guests who are invited to the wedding when you're throwing a shower in the office, you have two options: Invite all the women in the office, or make it a coed shower and invite everyone. In a larger business, you could narrow the guest list down to your immediate team.

Put Together a Planning Committee

When it comes to planning, loop in a few other coworkers to help with the logistics. It's up to you how involved or simple the planning is: You could have a full-blown shower with games, snacks, and drinks, or if you don't have an afternoon to spare, streamline it with just a few treats. Pick up some decorations to dress up your drab meeting room, and don't forget to send out an office-wide meeting invite.

Come Up With a Game

Great games for office showers, should you be planning a longer event, include wedding-themed Mad Libs or the clothespin game (pick a word guests aren't allowed to say and grab their clothespin if you catch them slipping—whoever has the most clothespins at the end wins). Skip games that focus on knowing the couple, since there's a good chance many coworkers haven't met their partner.

Consider the Cost

Cost is also an important factor to keep in mind. If your workplace has room in the budget, ask your supervisor if the party could be expensed. Otherwise, the organizers should split the cost among themselves.

Figure Out the Gift Beforehand

Gifting at an office shower can also be tricky, especially if some employees are invited to the wedding while others aren't. You could purchase gifts on your own, or opt to all chip in on a bigger ticket item. That $200 food processor is much more affordable split 12 ways. And, of course, pass around a card for everyone to sign.

Keep the Showers Going

And remember: If the office has hosted a shower in the past, make sure a celebration is planned for all future soon-to-be newlyweds too.