A Guide on Creating and Planning Bridal Shower Devotions
Four women pray in a prayer circle together. Image by Rosie Sun.
Weddings are all about the celebration of love and devotion. But that doesn’t mean these factors are limited to the ceremony.
While a bridal shower or bachelorette party is sometimes seen as the last “hoorah” for the bride, it’s also a time for women to come together and give advice to the soon-to-be newlywed.
Sometimes guests are asked to provide a devotional, or faith-based speech, to uplift the bride and provide spiritual fellowship for guests.
Below, you’ll learn all about the ins and outs of bridal shower devotions and how you can write one that will make a huge impact.
The Concept of Bridal Shower Devotions
Wedding showers are meant to show the bride how much her community cares for the union.
Secular bridal showers have a variety of themes, and many include devotionals. The devotional provides advice based on the speaker's experience or research. They may ask ladies who have been married for a long time what they credit their success to or how they made it so far.
Religious bridal showers usually have more traditional themes and include religious speeches or Bible studies centered on the wedding. Devotionals offer spiritual support and guidance on love, marriage, and faith. Many use Bible passages to inspire and uplift their main message or create bridal shower prayers.
Both approaches focus on helping the bride prepare for her married life and her growth as a wife. Devotions are given by a special person who has a strong connection with the happy couple, so they are extremely meaningful whether they are religious or secular.
Creating & Planning a Bridal Shower Devotion
A woman sitting at a table writing in a notebook. Image by Kenny Elisason.
If you’ve been asked to give a bridal shower devotion, congratulations! This means you are highly respected and the bride values your opinion and advice.
However, writing a devotional can be a challenge. There’s so much pressure to get the message just right and find the best passage to support your advice. Here are some steps you can take to ensure you craft a memorable, meaningful devotional.
Find Out the Expectations: Talk to the hostess and learn what is expected from your devotional. How long should it be? Is there a topic the bride wants to focus on? Should it be humorous or completely serious? You’ll also want to know who your audience is.
Start by Reflecting: Spend some time in prayer or quiet meditation. Think about the couple and what their values are. You may also want to ask for advice from older ladies on married life.
Look for Quotes or Scripture: Good devotionals start with text that acts as a focal point for what you have to say. If you are giving a religious devotion, turn to scripture for inspiration. Going the secular route? Google some famous poems or quotes that drive home your main point.
Connect the Text to Life: Next, begin connecting the scripture, quote, or verse to real life. Use experiences to prove your chosen words have weight and drive home your advice for the bride. Make sure you have enough to last for the amount of time the hostess has allotted for you.
Wrap Up With a Prayer or Call to Action: Conclude your devotional by calling or a prayer or giving the bride her next steps to ensure your advice helps. This is a great way to bring attention to your message and make a powerful closing statement.
Once you’ve written your devotional, step away for a few hours and revisit it later. Consider your audience and whether or not your words are engaging and powerful.
Depending on your audience, add a humorous anecdote or two that will engage listeners. Make sure all of your references are appropriate and connected to your message. Off-topic stories may cause your advice to get lost in the noise. You can even reinforce the overall messaging with a custom bridal shower cake saying.
Spiritual Connections
Spirituality and marriage go hand in hand to create stronger, deeper, more meaningful relationships. It’s important for couples to discuss their spiritual beliefs and understand each other’s views.
As time goes on, this connection creates stronger bonds between the couple and will help them navigate challenging times.
Love, sincerity, and fidelity are all taught through scripture. These qualities go a long way to foster unbreakable bonds in both human and spiritual connections. So it’s important to include them in important milestones like a bridal shower!
Scriptural Elements for Your Devotion
A bible on a desk with floral decor. Image by Priscilla Du Preez.
Choosing a scripture selection for your bridal shower devotions is a great way to anchor your speech and really drive home your point. It also allows listeners to reflect on what you’ve said and apply it to their own unique situation.
Here are some popular pieces and how you can connect them to marriage, life, and love.
“And the Lord God said, It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him an help meet for him.”
This verse states that God created a partner for each person and helps them find each other. It can be used to show that there are no accidents when it comes to love!
“A virtuous woman is a crown to her husband…”
If you are looking to show the bride-to-be her worth, this verse is a great starting point. The bride is an important part of her husband’s life, so she should also strive to be the best version of herself.
“Delight yourself in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart.”
This is a great passage to use if you want to communicate that the bride’s spiritual journey will help benefit her life and marriage.
“Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It is not rude, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails. . . .And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love. But the greatest of these is love.”
It wouldn’t be a wedding without a quote from Corinthians! This passage is very straightforward and offers timeless advice for how to ensure love lasts long after the wedding.
Your Devotional Preparation
To prepare for bridal shower devotions, you’ll need to have your speech prepared and lots of confidence. So say a prayer or meditate to get yourself in the right headspace.
You’ll also need some prompts for audience reflection and to personalize the devotion to the bride-to-be. Here are some questions you can pose during your devotions to help engage the audience and make important connections.
What are the ingredients for the perfect partner?
How can we handle conflict with grace?
What are the most important aspects of a marriage?
What do you wish you knew before getting married?
Consider an audience participation component where you invite guests to give their own advice within these prompts. This will help personalize the devotion and offer essential knowledge that will prepare the bride for her future.
Remind her that, while this advice is helpful, she should always follow her heart and pray or meditate when she needs more guidance.
Bridal Shower Devotional Activities
A bride and five women posing at a bridal shower. Image by Zacke Feller.
Bridal showers are all about honoring the bride and spending time with the special people in her life. So, of course, you’ll want it to be fun! Here are some devotional activities you can incorporate in any bridal shower to mix fun and faith.
Lead a whole group prayer
Provide additional scripture readings
Ask experienced ladies to offer advice
Use the “Partner Pie” analogy to show the bride that all marriages need a strong foundation (the pie plate), a commitment to God (the bottom crust), love (the filling), spice (seasonings), and a promise to hold everything together (top crust).
Conclusion
A bridal shower is a great time to offer guidance, advice, and support to a special lady whose life is about to change for the better.
Offering bridal shower devotions will not only show the bride-to-be that you care but will incorporate her faith as well. So start planning the devotion today and you’ll be ready to offer advice, love, and spiritual guidance at the big event!