Hosting a bridal shower @ your house or a restuarant/tea place

Springtimebride06

Where would you host one? I don't want to spend a lot if possible .

laclifto

The only bad thing about restaurants is that it's kind of difficult to have one there if you're not paying for everyone's food (at least where I'm from). If you have it at your house you can just do something like heavy hors d'ouvres or whatever you choose. Plus it's easier to decorate

JessAndTrav

I think doing one at home can be much nicer. You can make it as elegant or as relaxed as you'd like.

2009miss

JessAndTrav:

I think doing one at home can be much nicer. You can make it as elegant or as relaxed as you'd like.

This. You also can not expect people to pay for themselves when invited to a baby shower at a restaurant.

GatorWedsNole

What would I do?  I'd break out my calculator.

If the tea place is a little bit more money than having it at home, I'd go with the tea place: no clean up (before or after). 

HTH!

sarahbear

Tea places usually run around $20 pp. (at least they do here). I'm positive I could feed and entertain everyone cheaper at home. You can't ask people to pay for themselves if you go out for a shower.

TeamRey

I prefer having them at someone's house.  People seem much more relaxed and comfortable and you are able to socialize more and move around.

cwheels82

I would also compare costs.  We did a baby shower for a friend at a local restaurant that is only open for breakfast and lunch.  We had it in the evening so the place was ours.  The cook is fantastic and she did panini's, salad, mac and cheese (their specialty), and amazing cupcakes (spice cake filled with pears with cream cheese frosting and chocolate filled with raspberries with butter cream frosting) for only $10/person.  The place was cute so we didn't decorate much... just did napkins and favors.  Four of us split the cost for hosting it so it was well worth it to me not to have it at my house with all the clean up and such. 

Gracielufreebush

Compare costs, include your time to do all of the prep involved at home: cooking, cleaning, and frayed nerves about having people over.

I prefer doing it at a restaurant because they set up, clean up, do the cooking, tons of parking, more than one bathroom, access to other food in the weird event someone pops up with a new diet, allergy etc. The waitstaff can help you keep things moving so you aren't there all day.  In home showers I have been to take ffooorrreeveeeer to end.  Typically don't need much in the way of decor because you choose someplace cute in the first place.

 

Springtimebride06

Thanks!  Those are great ideas.  I'm going to do some planning and cost analysis of doing it both ways next week.

klreese0213

Ive been to and helped host showers at both resturants and homes. Homes are so much better. Resturants are more elegant.. and to me seem to be more 'up tight'. you have a set schedule and if you go over your time allowed you are fined. Having at your house (or a family member's house) is much more intimate. People tend to feel more comfortable and are friendlier (in my experience). Actually i'm having my sister's bridal shower at my Aunt's house in her back yard. We are doing girly night, having a tent put up for shade with tables and have shepard's hooks with candles hanging on them. I do think though, if you have it at a family member's house (and not your own home) you should give a gift to that person. a nice gift, not a $5 gift. and maybe ask some close family members (maybe a cousin or aunt) to make a dish that might be helpful in planning the party.