Wedding Shower Printables: Complete Guide

Okay so wedding shower printables are basically your best friend when you’re planning

Honestly I used to think printables were kinda unnecessary until spring 2023 when I had three bridal showers in one month and my stationery budget was getting absolutely ridiculous. That’s when I really dove into the whole printable world and realized you can basically create an entire shower aesthetic for like $20 if you know what you’re doing.

The main categories you’re gonna want to think about are invitations, games, decorations, and food labels. Some people also do thank you cards as printables but I’m personally not a huge fan of that because handwritten notes just feel more genuine, you know? But for everything else, printables are honestly perfect.

Invitations and the whole digital vs print thing

So invitations are where most people start. You can find templates on Etsy for anywhere from $5 to $25, and they usually come as editable PDFs or Canva templates. The Canva ones are easier if you’re not super tech-savvy because you just click and type. PDF templates sometimes require Adobe Acrobat which can be annoying if you don’t already have it.

Here’s what drives me crazy though – when people buy a printable invitation template and then don’t check the dimensions before printing. I’ve seen so many brides waste money printing 5×7 invites on 8.5×11 paper because they didn’t read the specs. Always check what size the template is designed for before you buy it.

You’ll want to order your invitation printables at least 6-8 weeks before the shower if you’re mailing physical copies. That gives you time to edit, print, trim, and mail with enough notice for guests. If you’re doing digital invites (which honestly more people should consider), you can cut that timeline way down.

The printing situation and where to actually do it

Alright so once you’ve got your files, you need to figure out where to print. Your home printer is fine for some things but not invitations unless you have a really good one. The colors never look quite right and the paper quality is usually meh.

I usually send clients to Staples or FedEx Office for invitations because they’re reliable and the quality is decent. You can upload files online and pick them up same day usually. For bigger decorations like banners or signs, I actually prefer Vistaprint or Printful because they have more size options. Costco is also surprisingly good if you have a membership – their printing services are cheap and the quality is solid.

Paper weight matters more than you think. For invitations, you want at least 80lb cardstock, preferably 100lb. For things like game cards or menu cards, 65lb or 80lb is fine. For big signs and banners, you can go lighter because they’re usually mounted or hung up anyway.

Games and activities are where printables really shine

Wedding shower games are either loved or hated but if you’re gonna do them, printables make it so much easier. The classics are things like bridal bingo, wedding mad libs, how well do you know the bride, and that toilet paper wedding dress game (though that one doesn’t really need printables obviously).

I had this client in summer 2021 who wanted to do like 8 different games and she insisted on buying pre-made game sets from a party store. She spent over $60 on games alone when she could’ve gotten printable versions of all of them for maybe $15 total. It was frustrating to watch but some people just don’t realize printables are an option.

When you’re choosing game printables, make sure they’re editable if you need to customize names or details. Some templates are just blank and you fill them in by hand, which is fine for smaller showers but gets tedious if you’ve got 40 guests.

The specific games I actually recommend

Bridal bingo is foolproof because people can play it while the bride opens gifts and it keeps everyone engaged. You’ll want to print enough cards that each guest gets a unique one – most printable sets come with like 30-50 different cards.

Wedding mad libs are good for the cocktail hour or while people are eating because guests can do them independently. Pro tip: print these on colored cardstock so they stand out and people actually notice them.

The “what’s in your purse” game is stupid easy with printables and people always get weirdly competitive about it. You just need one card per person and a way to keep score.

I’m not gonna lie, some shower games are just awkward and bad. That one where you guess the bride’s age in photos? It can go south real fast if… anyway, just be careful with games that might accidentally embarrass someone.

Decorations and signage that actually look good

This is where printables can really transform a space without costing a fortune. You can do welcome signs, table numbers, food labels, drink menus, photo booth props, banner letters, and those circular party decorations that I can never remember the name of – rosettes? Anyway, those.

Welcome signs are having a moment right now. Everyone wants one of those big acrylic or wooden signs but you can get the same look by printing an 18×24 poster and putting it in a cheap frame from Target. I’ve done this probably 30 times and it always looks expensive even though the whole thing costs like $25.

For food labels, you definitely want to print on cardstock and use those little stands or holders you can get on Amazon. The tent-fold labels work too but they’re less stable. Nothing worse than a food label falling into the spinach dip because someone bumped the table.

Banner letters are great if you’re crafty but they take forever to cut out and string together. My cat actually destroyed an entire “BRIDE TO BE” banner I was working on for a client once by deciding the letters were toys. Had to reprint the whole thing. But yeah, if you’ve got the time, banners look really cute and personalized.

Matching everything without looking too matchy-matchy

One thing about printables is that you can usually find sets that include multiple items in the same design. Like you’ll get invitations, games, signs, and labels all with the same colors and fonts. This is great for creating a cohesive look but you gotta be careful not to go overboard.

I usually tell people to pick 2-3 main printable items in a matching set and then keep everything else more neutral. So like maybe your invitations and welcome sign match, but your game cards are just simple black and white. Otherwise it starts feeling like everything is screaming the same design at you.

Color scheme matters too. If the shower venue has strong colors already – like if you’re in someone’s house with bright blue walls or something – you might want to adjust your printable colors so they don’t clash. Most Canva templates let you change colors pretty easily.

File formats and technical stuff you should probably know

Okay this is boring but important. Printables usually come as PDF files, JPG files, or Canva links. PDFs are best for printing because they maintain quality at any size. JPGs can get pixelated if you try to print them too large, so check the resolution – you want at least 300 DPI for anything you’re printing.

If you get a Canva template, you’ll need a Canva account (the free version is usually fine). You can edit everything in your browser and then download as a PDF to print. Super straightforward. The annoying thing is when sellers give you a Canva link but the template uses Canva Pro elements, so you can’t actually download it without paying for Canva Pro. Always check the listing to see if Pro is required.

Some printables come as editable PDFs which you open in Adobe Acrobat Reader. You can type directly into the fields and then save or print. These are convenient but less flexible than Canva templates for design changes.

Where to find good printable templates

Etsy is honestly the best place for wedding shower printables. There are thousands of sellers with every style you can imagine – rustic, modern, floral, minimalist, tropical, whatever. Prices range from like $3 to $30 depending on what’s included. I always check reviews before buying because some sellers are slow to respond if you need help with the files.

Creative Market is another good option, especially if you want more modern or trendy designs. The quality is usually higher but so are the prices. Minted also has printable templates now but they’re on the expensive side.

You can also make your own in Canva if you’re feeling ambitious. They have tons of free templates you can customize. It takes more time but you get exactly what you want.

Printing quantities and not wasting paper

Figure out your guest count before you print anything. Seems obvious but you’d be surprised how many people print 50 game cards for a 30-person shower. For invitations, I usually say print 5-10 extra just in case you address one wrong or need last-minute additions.

For games, print exactly the number of confirmed guests if possible, or wait until closer to the event when you have a better headcount. Game cards are the easiest thing to print last-minute if needed.

For decorations and signs, you obviously just need one of each unless you’re doing table numbers or something where you need multiples.

Assembly and actually putting everything together

Some printables require assembly which can be time-consuming. Banner letters need to be cut out and strung together. Cupcake toppers need to be cut and attached to toothpicks. Favor tags need to be hole-punched and tied with ribbon. Factor in this time when you’re planning.

I usually set aside a full afternoon for printable assembly if I’m doing a lot of decorations. Put on a show in the background (I’ve watched every episode of The Office approximately 47 times while assembling printables) and just work through it. It’s kinda meditative once you get into a rhythm.

Get a good paper cutter if you’re doing this regularly. Those little sliding blade ones from the craft store are worth every penny. Cutting things with scissors takes forever and the edges never look as clean.

Digital shower printables are a whole separate thing

Virtual showers became huge during 2020-2021 and digital printables are still popular even now. These are basically the same as regular printables but designed to be shared digitally – like you’d email them or share them in a Zoom chat.

Digital game cards work well for this. You send everyone the file before the shower and they can fill it out on their computer or phone. Or you share your screen and everyone plays along together. It’s different but it works.

Digital invitations are obviously just sent via email or text. You can still use pretty designs, they’re just viewed on screens instead of printed. Honestly this is the way things are going anyway. I know older relatives sometimes prefer physical invitations but most people are fine with digital.

Customization and making things feel personal

The best thing about printables is you can customize them to fit the bride’s personality or the shower theme. If she’s obsessed with sunflowers, find sunflower templates. If the shower is garden party themed, look for botanical designs.

Most templates let you edit text so you can add names, dates, locations, inside jokes, whatever. This makes printables feel way more special than generic store-bought stuff. I always encourage adding at least a few personal touches even if it’s just the bride’s name and wedding date.

Some sellers offer custom design services where they’ll adjust colors or add specific elements for you. This usually costs extra but might be worth it if you have a very specific vision.

Stuff that’s not worth printing at home

Okay so while I love printables, there are some things that just don’t work well as DIY prints. Anything that needs to be really large – like bigger than 18×24 – is tough to print affordably. Photo booth props can be done at home but the quality is usually pretty flimsy unless you mount them on foam board or something.

Really detailed designs with lots of fine lines or small text don’t always print well on home printers or even at basic print shops. If the design looks super intricate, you might need professional printing which kinda defeats the cost-saving purpose of printables.

And honestly? Sometimes it’s just easier to buy the pre-made version. If you’re already stressed and short on time, spending $40 on ready-made decorations might be smarter than spending hours printing and assembling printables to save $20. Your time has value too.

Last-minute printable options

If you’re in a time crunch, printables are actually perfect because you can buy and print them immediately. I’ve literally purchased and printed shower games the morning of an event because the host forgot about them. As long as you have access to a printer or a print shop that’s open, you can pull it off.

Same-day printing at office supply stores is your friend here. Upload files online in the morning, pick them up that afternoon. For really last-minute stuff, some stores even have self-service printing where you can do it yourself right there.

Digital options are even faster obviously. Buy a template, customize it, and email it to guests within like an hour if you need to.

Storage and reusing printables maybe

If you’re planning multiple showers (like if you’re a bridesmaid for multiple friends), you might be able to reuse some printable designs. Generic game templates that don’t have names on them can work for different events. Decorations with neutral designs could be used again.

Store printed items flat in a folder or envelope so they don’t get bent. If you laminate things like game cards, they last longer and can definitely be reused. Though honestly by the time another shower rolls around, you’ll probably want a different style anyway.

The digital files themselves can be saved and reused if you need to print more later. Always save your customized versions, not just the blank templates, so you don’t have to redo all the text entry if you need reprints.