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
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
Feb
18
This post was inspired by a conversation I overheard at a
shower we hosted this weekend. (Email
me about hosting your small social event at our Pink
Door Studio) Everyone involved in the conversation had a
story about a female wedding guest wearing white to a
wedding. Each dress sounded more outrageous than the last.
It seemed to me that our dear female guests could use a
little refresher in dressing for a wedding!
Ladies, please! It is totally inappropriate to wear white
to a wedding. No matter how hot the color is in any
particular season, you should leave the white (ivory, cream,
magnolia, old lace, etc.) dress for the bride. This includes
dresses with a pattern that is heavily white, as well as
dresses that are of an interesting white texture or fabric.
I would err on the safe side and rule out any pale, pale
color as well.
The same goes for dresses that are too sexy or bright. A
reception is not a nightclub! Often, you’ll be going
to a place of worship. If you are wearing something that
would make your grandmother blush, please change. Wear that
type of thing to the bachelorette party!
Traditionally, black garments have been a wedding guest
no-no, as well. However, in the day and age of the LBD (little black dress), I think
it’s perfectly fine. Just be sure to accessorize in a
festive manner!
Shoes are another thing that ladies need to rethink.
Under very, very few circumstances is it ok to wear tall
(knee) boots with a dress at a formal wedding. Shoes with
clear plastic heels are another issue. People often purchase
them thinking they “match” any dress, but they
end up looking cheap (sorry!). Sky-high heels are also
difficult to manage after a few drinks. Walking around
barefoot is common during dancing, but I prefer seeing
guests who can make it the entire event wearing their
shoes.
Happy Dressing!
Meghann