Where to dig up bridal shower guests?

You could make it a couples shower instead of a bridal shower that's females only. That way you can invite male attendees also.

I would say this could be it but she has always dreamt of a bridal shower and the whole shebang... She's not into unconventional and very much into traditional.

Also, I still couldn't dig up enough attendees...

How many women are on the guest list? If you really want to stretch it, you could invite them all. I personally would prefer something small and intimate with those that I’m actually close with, even if it’s just a few people. Quality not quantity.

I agree with Caytlyn, take a look at the wedding guest list and pull females from there. You shouldn't invite anyone to the bridal shower that's not invited to the wedding anyway. But there's also a lot of ways to make it special. Look for a local tea house and see if they have a room to rent where you can get tea service and confectioneries. This way, you can make it smaller but it can be special and intimate without seeming too small. Also, maybe invite some of her FH friend's girlfriends and wives, they might appreciate the time to get to know her as well.

Does the groom have any female friends that the bride is also friends with? What about aunts or cousins?

Those are the females from the wedding list. The wedding isn't very big, but that's just because of circumstances not because they preferred it that way.

The only female the groom can offer up is his mother. No colleagues or a gf from his friend. No sisters.

However, I'll do what I can to make it seem larger than it is. A tea house might be the way to go! Thank you all so much!

Ask her who she’s wants to invite. I’m not inviting every female guest attending my wedding. I gave my mom and maid of honor and list. I’m sure she has certain people she wants there too. I wouldn’t want an inflated guest list with people I wasn’t super close with just to make it bigger. Your best bet is to ask her

It doesn't sound like there is going to be an option of digging up more guests if you've invited every female from the guest list...maybe instead it would be worth thinking over what amazing things you could include for her shower since the guest list would be small and budget for a handful of people would allow more extravagance than one for 50+? Dazzle her with the party so she doesn't even notice that there are only 5 people there?

I agree with asking the bride who she wants to invite, especially if it is her dream to have this bridal shower. Maybe she is cool with it being 5 people?

Sometimes you have to just deal with reality. There is no shower if she does not have friends or family. For this reason, not everyone has showers. Bachelorette parties used to be uncommon, but traditional bridal teas and luncheons were very common. So caring friends often did a spectacular bachelorette, or had a fancy dinner party , maybe at a place with a show , whether a comedy club, dinner theatre, or a river or harbor cruise , in place of a bridal tea. What matters is that you celebrate. Something to keep in mind: there is a general prohibition against asking people to get gifts for a shower, if not going to the wedding. But through the years, Groom's bachelor parties have been anyone from work buddies to neighbors to casual friends. Not asked to contribute anything, and held in the last month so it is clear that people know they are invited or not, if she has neighbors, or anyone from clubs or activities, you can expand beyond the wedding list, as long it is a social, or party, no gifts. Rules are a little different for an extremely small group. No mean girls comparing notes, no one to complain that this person was asked, but not this other one. She doesn't live in an isolation booth. And etiquette rules that apply to large groups, or formal occasions, do not apply. What matters is that she knows someone cares.

I would ask her who she wants to invite. Typically it's the women on the guest list in the local area? If it ends up being a small group, I'd do something like a luncheon at a nice restaurant or a bridal tea or spa day or something.