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Bridal Shower Menu Help
Hi Ladies,
I know you all are extremely knowledgeable when it comes to making good parties great. Anyhoo, I'm hosting a shower soon for my friend who is getting married in April. My mom is acting as co-host and helping me (because I'm always frazzled and last minute, and it's good to have a whole brain instead of the goldfish brain I normally do). It's a "Can't Live Without It" shower where people bring their favorite things for entertaining, cooking, gardening, reading, any kind of hobby or thing that they love to use everyday or once in a while and couldn't imagine their married life without. It's a casual afternoon (2-4) shower with about 20 people.
So far for my menu, I've prepped everything for the frozen yogurt bar (think Orange Leaf, that's the couples' favorite) with matching bowls ready for 15 different toppings and 3 flavors of frozen yogurt. I think I'll serve a NA punch and a sangria option. I'm trying to decide what kind of extras I should serve, as the frozen yogurt will be the main thing that I'll set out about 20 minutes before we start opening gifts. Should I do the normal cheese platter/veggie tray/fruit platter/crackers/pinwheels?
I'm trying to think of things I can have set out while people show up, chat, and munch on while they hang out (it's a group of buddies and mothers), and then clear it all away and set out the frozen yogurt bar, have everyone go through, and then do the gifts a little while after?
Re: Bridal Shower Menu Help
I'd put out 2-3-4 of the usual finger foods you listed. Otherwise, I'd be a little confused to go to an adult party (as opposed to a child's bday) that only served ice cream, even if it is in the middle of the afternoon.
As for set-up, are there separate areas in your house? The ice cream bar will undoubtedly make a mess, so I'd put that somewhere like the kitchen or other casual place with floor you can easily sweep and surface you can easily wipe down. (Back patio?) Put the finger foods around in your living or dining rooms on the coffee table, sideboard, etc. There's no need for cheese & crackers, fruit, etc to be picked up, so save yourself the work and leave them out until after.
Because sitting for 30-45-60 minutes watching the guest of honor open presents one at a time can be a total snooze, some hostesses here have started handing everyone a present at the same time and having everyone rip them open on the count of 3. Really encourage everyone to tear into them like they're little kids on Christmas morning and stand on a chair to get a great photo of it. The boring present part is over in a snap and there's more time for chatting and visiting.
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Honestly, I'd be miffed if someone else opened the present I brought for the shower. Especially if I'd put some effort into wrapping it and making it nice? How do you know who gave what for thank you's? One of the few things I've disagreed with tar about, but I don't like this idea. At all.
I do agree to have s few nibbles scattered around, maybe even in the room where the guest would be opening presents. You could do the standard fair and maybe one new one or one special one. Then set the yogurt bar up in a different area.
One suggestion for the present-opening portion of the shower: I have gone to showers where the guests play Bridal Bingo...you guess what the bride will open by writing down items on a blank Bingo card, and then as the bride opens her gifts, you mark off anything you guessed correctly. First one to get a "bingo" wins a door prize. It's a cute and easy way to have people feel more involved...and who doesn't love a door prize?
As for set up, I agree with the froyo bar being separate due to the mess factor. I think a veggie platter and a couple of more substantial apps, like finger sandwiches or pinwheels, would be perfect.
Aw, it sounds really cute/nice! I like the theme - I so would have appreciated a shower like this. It's still practical items but more personal and thoughtful. This is one case where I don't mind that the theme of gifts is dictated. Great idea!
I would provide a couple of finger foods and maybe put them out in the room where gift opening will happen and encourage people to help themselves and move around a little during gifts to keep it casual. I think it takes some pressure off the bride too. Am I the only one that finds the scenario of sitting with everyone watching you open gifts for at least a solid 30mins extremely awkward?!
Thanks girls, for all the suggestions! Any suggestions for finger foods rather than the normal fare that might pair with fro yo? All I can think of are the standards: cheese tray, veggie tray, crackers, etc. I'd love to do something interesting and more classy than just going to Sam's Club and picking up a bunch of premades.
We'll be in two main rooms at the front of the house (my house is colonial and all of the rooms are separate rather than an open floor plan). The hors d'oeuvres will be laid out on the dining table, and I'll set out the actual 'fro yo' bar on the buffet (we'll be going between the formal living room and the dining room).
I won't bring out the fro yo until a little later. Would you rather have finger foods up front, then open presents, then do fro yo? Or finger foods, then fro yo, then open presents?
The shower is a "Can't Live Without It" shower, so as the bride opens each gift, she gets to guess at the 'giver' and then the giver explains why that something is important to them or why they can't live without it. At the last shower I went to like this, someone gave an ice cream maker (they love ice cream). Another person gave an entire beach bag present themed with beachy items (flip flops, towel, sunglasses, good book). I'm buying a bottle of wine and a set of wine glasses from her registry (two birds, one stone), since, well, I love wine
I may also throw in an eye cover (for sleeping) as everyone knows I'm notorious for falling asleep at parties. It's mainly a group of our sorority sisters and close buddies, so it should be a hoot to listen to all the stories 
Aw, 6, you can't see it being the least bit fun and different? I'm just saying what they've started doing around here - not saying it's a dictate
And come on, unless you're Carolyne Roehm, how much effort are you really putting into wrapping a present?
Most times, the store wrapped it or you dropped it in a gift bag. TYs are a non-issue since gifts come with cards and everyone understands the bride needs the name - you still have the secretary record everything. Then you put all the gifts on display on a table with their cards showing and guests can walk by if they feel like it without doing that awkward "pass the gift around the circle" thing. It really helps the event feel more like a party and less like an obligation.
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Different, sure. Not fun though. I do put time and effort into wrapping. I buy nice paper, make pretty bows or use flowers, and I use other decorative things.
Yeah, I could just see the scandalized faces of ladies around here if someone else opened their gift for the bride. I can't say I've ever been to a shower expecting it to just be incredibly fun. I always go with the thought to socialize and allow the bride to feel as special as possible. If everyone else opens her gifts, it takes away from her joy... Can't see the fad taking off in my neck of the woods