10+ Fun Bridal Shower Pool Party Ideas
A fun, colorful poolside bridal shower is perfect for summer! Photo Credit: Catch My Party
Hosting a bridal shower during the warm months or where it’s summer all year long? You’ll need a theme that will wow your guests and excite your bride. What better bridal shower theme during hot weather than a pool party!
Not only will guests be able to cool off in the pool, you’ll have an abundance of options for theming to make your decor, food, and beverages stand out!
Your favorite bride to be will have fun in the sun and experience an unforgettable bridal shower. Here’s everything you need to know on how to host a pool party bridal shower with a splash!
Pool Party Themes and Decorations
Guests mingle around the pool at a bridal shower. Photo Credit: Inspired By This
While pool parties can absolutely be your theme, have a bit more fun by fine tuning with a more specific decor scheme. This will make it easier to plan your event and tailor the shower to the guest of honor’s taste.
Here are some ideas you can use to start planning your decor and menu items.
Tropical Luau Party
A colorful outdoor table display with pineapples and tropical leaves. Image by Catch My Party.
Tropical decorations, like leis, tiki torches, and pineapples will make the poolside area come to life.
Decorate tables with vibrant floral arrangements and fun themed tumblers for guests to fill with tropical cocktails or customized lemonade. They can double as party favors!
To really hit this theme out of the park, plan a Polyneisan-style menu with items like poke bowls guests can build themselves or roasted meats smothered in sweet and savory sauces.
Choose flavors that will transport guests to the white sandy beaches of a tropical vacation as soon as they take a bite!
Mermaid Pool Party
Did your bride-to-be grow up playing mermaids in the pool? Channel that childish whimsey with a mermaid themed bridal shower pool party! Decorate the space with seashells, strings of pearls, and brightly colored fish decor.
Toss some mermaid tail-shaped inflatables into the pool for guests to float on as they sip their under-the-sea themed drinks. Hang a banner that says “Trading Her Tail for a Veil” to bring a smile to everyone’s faces.
This theme also lends itself well to fun party games and favors. You can have diving contests where guests dive for gems hidden in the pool.
You can also play The Little Mermaid trivia or have a tail painting contest with fun bridal shower game prizes. For favors, send home mermaid tail bags filled with salt water taffy or a seashell candle in a beachy scent. .
Flamingo Pool Party
A pool with flamingo floaties and decorations. Image by Inspired to Invite.
If your bride-to-be loves all things pink, give her a flamingo themed pool party! Choose her favorite shade of pink and accent with shiny gold and matte black.
Hang feathery pink garland accented with fun flamingo imagery. In the pool you’ll need some fun flamingo floats that guests can lounge in.
Bring your theme into your food and dessert tables with flamingo shaped food picks and drink stirrers. Lay pretty pink tablecloths and set out gold cutlery.
You can even choose flamingo colored foods or give your dishes cute, themed names like “Flamingo Fries.”
Minimalist Poolside Chic
Maybe your bride-to-be likes the finer things in life and prefers understated elegance. A minimalist-chic theme would be perfect! Go for minimalist decor with white and a pastel color of her choice.
Look for a space with sleek, modern loungers or cover existing seating with fabric. For decorations, keep it simple with white flowers in sleek vases and beautiful tables with white tablecloths.
Your menu should match your theme, so keep it simple with finger foods and prosecco. Offer a few options, but plate them on plain white platters.
Elevate your presentation by borrowing some table risers or long tapered candles to add visual interest and height.
Activities and Games
Every bridal shower needs fun wedding activities and games to keep the party going. When you’re thinking through bridal shower pool party ideas, activities and games are a big component to entertaining your guests.
Water Games
Since you’re hosting around the pool, you’ll need an arsenal of water games at your disposal. Think classic pool games like Marco Polo with a bridal twist.
Have the blindfolded player yell the groom's name while the other players shout back the bride’s! You can also organize water balloon tosses or synchronized swimming competitions.
Include a few inflatable floats that match your theme or have a bridal feel like an engagement ring float for guests who just want to kick back.
DIY Stations
If your guests don’t want to get wet, set up craft stations for guests to create flower crowns or personalized pool towels. You can also have them decorate sunglasses or sun hats to keep the rays off their face.
Other ‘Keep Dry” Activities
Some more “keep dry” activities include a poolside movie screening with popcorn and a cozy blanket or a fun round of bridal shower bingo! You can offer a pool theme where guests mark tropical icons off their cards instead of numbers.
Food and Drink Ideas
A beautiful, tropical food table is perfect for a bridal shower pool party! Photo Credit: Inspired By This
Keep your guests satisfied with an amazing spread of food and drinks.
Poolside Cocktail Bar
Since they will already be in and around the pool, fashion a poolside “swim-up” cocktail bar.
Guests can enjoy drinks like sangria, mimosas, or margaritas, whether they are in or out of the pool.
Just serve them in cups with tops and straws! Include non-alcoholic options like fruit-infused water, custom ice tea, or sparkling lemonade with fun flavored syrup options.
Snacks & Bites
Finger foods work best when partying outside, so offer things that guests can eat standing up like colorful fruit skewers, mini sandwiches, and grilled seafood cups with colorful fresh salsa. Many of these can be created with a unique charcuterie board design for visual aesthetics!
Dessert Station
Keep dessert just as easy to handle with personalized cupcakes or cookies. You can also offer a donut wall where guests can choose their favorite confection when they are ready for a sweet treat! Macarons are elegant but hold up well in the heat.
Keep guests cool by offering cold options to beat the heat. Stock a cooler full of ice cream sandwiches and popsicles for them to eat throughout the event. A DIY sundae bar is another great choice for a cold dessert.
Guests can choose their favorite flavor and top their scoops with their choice of toppings, like sprinkles, fruit, or syrups.
Favors and Gifts
Photos make great party favors that preserve precious memories. Photo Credit: Top Knots and My Thoughts
Favors are a great way to show your gratitude to guests and send them home with a fun token from the party. Since you’re hosting a pool party bridal shower, you can craft gifts that they can use during the party or on their next pool day.
Customized pool towels or flip-flops can be reused over and over again and are relatively inexpensive.
You can also make each guest a custom pool bag filled with summer essentials like sunscreen, a fan, and a visor. Sun care kits are another great option.
Fill a themed cosmetics bag with small bottles of sunscreen, SPF lip balm and aloe vera gel. Guests can use it during and after the party to stay safe in the sun.
Photo booths pull double duty as an activity and a party favor. Give guests a fun tropical or aquatic-themed photo booth with fun beachy props like inflatable floats, oversized sunglasses, and giant prop beverage cups.
Themed backdrops can make it look like they are on a tropical beach or even under the sea! Craft a unique event hashtag so guests can use it on their social media posts.
This will make it easier to compile all of the pics for the bride without having to be behind your camera the entire time.
Bridal Shower Budgeting Tips
A bride and her squad celebrate her shower by the pool. Photo Credit: Sprinkled With Pink
Planning your pool party bridal shower will be a whirlwind of excitement. But if you’re operating on a budget like most, you’ll need to slow down and make some smart decisions.
This will help you manage expectations while still throwing an amazing event. Here are some tips you can use to ensure your bridal shower stays on budget.
Set a budget first - Once you decide on your theme, immediately decide on your budget. Talk to everyone who is contributing and decide on an amount that won’t break the bank. This will help guide all of your choices and ensure you don’t overspend. Because nothing is more stressful than scrambling for money to cover unforeseen expenses!
DIY decor - Whenever possible, DIY your decor. This will save you big money and add a personal touch to your event. You can craft custom centerpieces, weave your own garlands, and spray paint thrifted pieces. You’ll spend a little more time prepping, but the results (and budget relief) will be worth it!
Choose cost-effective catering - Feeding a crowd can cost a fortune, so make choices that will ensure your catering is affordable. Choose cost-effective dishes, like finger foods and beverages you can make in bulk, like lemonade or infused water. If you’re hiring a caterer, ask them for tips to bring down the budget. If you are DYing your food tables, hit the bulk stores for the most cost-effective but high-quality ingredients. Don’t forget to add small things like utensils and cups to your bridal shower checklist so they aren’t forgotten!
Thrift and reuse often - Borrow or thrift decor items that you probably won’t use more than once. Friends and family members with pools may already have floats, toys, and seating you can borrow for your event.
Ask around - Don’t be afraid to ask for help! Planning a bridal shower is a huge undertaking. And since the bride has a whole crew of loved ones behind her, they will want to help make the day special. So inquire as to who is crafty or a really great baker. They will be excited to show off their talents for their favorite bride-to-be!
How To Stay Safe and Comfortable
Hosting any event outdoors means you need to be vigilant. But a pool party comes with its own set of risks for your guests. Sunburn, dehydration, and heat exhaustion will definitely put a damper on your bridal shower pool party!
Here are some tips you can use to ensure everyone stays safe and comfy during your event.
Check the weather frequently so you know what to expect. Have a backup plan in case of a heat advisory or thunderstorm.
Provide shaded areas so guests can escape the heat.
Set up sunscreen stations complete with different formulas so guests can easily reapply throughout the party.
Have more than one hydration station. Keep coolers stocked with water around the event. Label them clearly so guests are never more than a few steps away from a refreshing beverage.
If possible, set up a cooling station that’s equipped with A/C or fans.
Plan your party for before or after the hottest part of the day, especially if there is a heat advisory in place.
Offer advice on how to keep guests safe and comfortable, such as providing shaded areas, sunscreen stations, and plenty of hydration options.