Feb
26
I’ve come up with a list of fabulous food for your
Bridal Shower. We’ve done all of these within my group
of friends, and they were each a big hit! (You could also
use these ideas for Baby Showers.)
Food
Options
Waffle or pancake action
station: Borrow waffle makers or electric skillets
and serve with tons of toppings: fruit, chocolate chips,
real maple syrup, whipped cream, nuts, ice cream
Cupcake Buffets: Make
your own or purchase from one of our local cupcake
superstars, Sweet Mandy B’s, Swirlz, Sugar
Bliss, or Molly’s Cupcakes. Arrange on our
cute cupcake holders and serve with a dry champagne.
Mediterranean: Serve your guests a spread
of pitas and falafel with hummus, tabouleh, chicken
schwerma, stuffed grape leaves, baba ghannoug. Yum!
Pasta Party: Make a bunch of types of pasta
and sauces. Let the guests mix and match to create their
favorite combinations. Don’t forget plenty of wine!
Panini Station: Borrow some panini makers
from friends and bring all of your favorite fixins for the
smashed sammies. Include homemade breads from Red Hen or Panera
for extra deliciousness.
Tea Party: Have all of the hostesses bring
their favorite tea pot and tea. Make crustless sandwiches
with cucumber, cream cheese, and other English treats. Get
scones from Tipsy Cake in Humbolt Park.
Wine and Cheese: For a casual shower later
in the day, this is a great option. Talk to Tracy at Provenance for the perfect pairings.
Kid’s Food: Mac and Cheese, Ants on a
Log, Chocolate Chip cookies and milk, PB&J without
crust, and chicken fingers would make adorable food for a
baby shower.
Local Favorites: Hit up the farmer’s
market for the freshest ingredients. This is a great
addition to a “Green Shower.”Her
favorite restaurant: If it is within reason, have
her favorite restaurant cater the shower. She’ll be so
excited!
Yum!
Meghann
Feb
25
Often, the all of the bridesmaids will get together and
throw a Bridal Shower for the Blushing Bride-to-Be. But, if
you’ve ever traveled/lived/gone out with with a group
of girls, you know how difficult it can be to please
everyone. I’ve come up with a few tips and ideas for
managing a large group of hostesses so your favorite engaged
friend feels like a queen.
1) Elect a leader to keep track of communications among
the group. Otherwise everyone will be overwhelmed with
emails and ideas!
2) Set a budget early so there are no surprises in the
end. Get input from everyone in the group about what they
can afford.
3) Give each hostess a task, or ask what she’d like
to contribute to the efforts.
4) There are three ways to divvy up expenses: a) Have
everyone purchase something that is about equal in price or
b) Keep track of receipts. Have someone figure out how much
each contributor spent. Those who paid less, give money to
those who paid more. c) Have one person purchase everything
and let the others pay her back later.
5) Be flexible and open to everyone’s ideas.
Remember that this isn’t a party for you. It’s
for your mutual friend!
Do you have any other ideas about planning a bridal
shower with a group of women? If so, let me know! I’d
love to add a few more tips to the list.
Best wishes,
Meghann
Feb
24
I found a great, all-inclusive Bridal Shower Checklist
on Target’s website to share with you for the
first post in our series about throwing a fabulous Bridal
Shower. If you don’t have the perfect location yet,
call us at (773) 687-8834. We would love you show you our
Pink Door Event Studio!
3+ Months
Before
- Talk to the bride to get a feel for what kind of shower
she’d like.
- See if friends, family or bridesmaids would like to
help.
- Consult with the bride to set the date and create the
guest list.
- Call VIP guests (his mom and hers, the wedding party and
grandparents) to see if there are any scheduling
conflicts.
- Have coffee with co-hosts to brainstorm ideas, choose a
theme and determine a budget.
- Make a to-do list, then divide and conquer.
- Make a list of all possible locations and call to check
on availability.
2 Months Before
- Give guests (especially out-of-towners) a heads-up
“save the date” e-mail or phone call.
- Confirm reservations for your location.
- Firm up your game plan for table linens, decorations,
menu, favors and activities.
- Finalize addresses for the guest list.
- Order invites or purchase materials to make them.
- Have co-hosts over to sip wine and assemble invites
(don’t forget the Club Wedd shower inserts).
- Remind the bride to make sure she has enough items on
her registry.
1 Month Before
- Drop-dead date for mailing out invites.
- If guests have offered to bring something, call to
confirm specifics.
- Order deli trays, cakes and specialty foods, and rent
any necessary catering equipment.
- Go shopping for decorations, paper goods, party favors,
prizes, etc.
- Make a mix CD or MP3 playlist of songs that match your
theme to play during the shower.
2+ Weeks Before
- Order the flowers.
- While you’re picking up last-minute items at Target,
purchase your shower gift for the bride.
- Make a shopping list for all the drinks, eats and treats
you’ll need to get the week of the party. If you’re
planning to use hard-to-find ingredients, get them now.
- Pick up any CDs, cake stands or serving platters that
friends are graciously lending.
1 Week Before
- Confirm everything—who’s coming, who’s not,
reservations, orders, deliveries, etc.
- Wrap your gift and game prizes.
- Assemble shower games and favors.
- Pick up shower groceries.
- Make sure you’ll have enough seats and tables.
1 DAY BEFORE
- Make any dishes you can in advance—or, at the very
least, do the prep work.
- Set up tables and decorate.
- Check in with co-hosts. Confirm what they’re bringing
and see if they can come early to help.
- While you’re out picking up the food and flowers you
ordered, get any other last-minute must-haves.
THE DAY OF
- Cook and prepare all the food and drinks.
- Arrange your flowers and set out the food.
- If the shower is at another location, arrive early to
take care of details and decorate.
- Assign people to take pictures, and make a list of who
gave what gift to the bride.
- Pour yourself a drink and have some fun!
Feb
23
As Wedding Season draws near, another glorious time of
year is upon us…Bridal Shower Season!
This week, we’ll be talking about the most boring
of all of the pre-wedding parties. It doesn’t have to
be that way, though! Bridal Showers have come a long way
from the yawn-fest in Aunt Edna’s plastic covered
sitting room.
Stay tuned for ideas and updates on the Bridal Shower
Tradition. Don’t forget that you can host your
BFF’s shower at our fabulous Pink Door Event
Studio!
Meghann