New Foods for the Bridal Shower
by Michael Kabel
It's no secret that bridal showers take long hours of preparation. There are decorations to arrange, you have to invite the guests, book a restaurant or other suitable venue, and keep the Guest of Honor happy while you do it. Whatever your relation to the bride, be it best friend, mother, sister, or something else, the bridal shower can remain a daunting task.
A huge part of the bridal shower, of course, is the food. Good dining and beverages have always been a part of the bridal shower, and the custom grows ever more popular each year. But here's a reassuring fact: in reality, the food only has to match the theme and tone of the shower you plan.
One current approach to bridal shower food centers around not preparing and serving a meal but giving finger foods and appetizers to your guests. Keeping the food light and simple allows the party's momentum to keep going, so you don't have a lot of sleepy guests just as the party's really starting.
Snacks Don't Have to Be Elaborate
This varies as to what kind of event you have, but finger foods can range from simple small sandwiches to elegant fusion hors d'oeuvres. You can also dress up the servings with any number of exotic olives, dates, or anything else that catches your creative inspiration.
For more sophisticated events, you can serve seared salmon, seafood dumplings, or bite-sized turkey sandwiches. These delicious delicacies can take a fanciful place when served with the right sauce or dip. Light tortilla chips can go with a seasoned spinach and artichoke dip to create a nice side for the sandwiches.
Foods Can Match the Shower's Theme
The food served at a bridal shower always goes a long way towards evoking its given theme. European-themed showers might include light snacks of croissants or delicate pate. Weddings with a beach theme could see their motif reflected in the bridal shower's use of barbecued pork bits or broiled seafood appetizers.
As we mentioned before, the food gains nuance and texture not just from its accompaniments but also from its presentation. Serving you finger food and appetizers in ways conducive to the theme (for example, on a platter with chopsticks for an Asian theme) completes and unifies the theme and presentation.
Serving the Food
It's up to you and your budget how you choose to deliver the food to your guests. Many restaurants and cafes will happily cater the shower to your specifications once you book them as the venue. Of course, any number of catering companies will conform to your specifications, too.
Depending on the size of the bridal shower, you might also wish to prepare the food yourself. This certainly saves money, though it will probably require a huge time commitment on your part. So, make sure you won't get crunched as the shower date approaches. You might even invite some of the guests to help you prepare the food in advance, creating a spontaneous pre-shower cooking party that’s also its own great time together.
by Michael Kabel
It's no secret that bridal showers take long hours of preparation. There are decorations to arrange, you have to invite the guests, book a restaurant or other suitable venue, and keep the Guest of Honor happy while you do it. Whatever your relation to the bride, be it best friend, mother, sister, or something else, the bridal shower can remain a daunting task.
A huge part of the bridal shower, of course, is the food. Good dining and beverages have always been a part of the bridal shower, and the custom grows ever more popular each year. But here's a reassuring fact: in reality, the food only has to match the theme and tone of the shower you plan.
One current approach to bridal shower food centers around not preparing and serving a meal but giving finger foods and appetizers to your guests. Keeping the food light and simple allows the party's momentum to keep going, so you don't have a lot of sleepy guests just as the party's really starting.
Snacks Don't Have to Be Elaborate
This varies as to what kind of event you have, but finger foods can range from simple small sandwiches to elegant fusion hors d'oeuvres. You can also dress up the servings with any number of exotic olives, dates, or anything else that catches your creative inspiration.
For more sophisticated events, you can serve seared salmon, seafood dumplings, or bite-sized turkey sandwiches. These delicious delicacies can take a fanciful place when served with the right sauce or dip. Light tortilla chips can go with a seasoned spinach and artichoke dip to create a nice side for the sandwiches.
Foods Can Match the Shower's Theme
The food served at a bridal shower always goes a long way towards evoking its given theme. European-themed showers might include light snacks of croissants or delicate pate. Weddings with a beach theme could see their motif reflected in the bridal shower's use of barbecued pork bits or broiled seafood appetizers.
As we mentioned before, the food gains nuance and texture not just from its accompaniments but also from its presentation. Serving you finger food and appetizers in ways conducive to the theme (for example, on a platter with chopsticks for an Asian theme) completes and unifies the theme and presentation.
Serving the Food
It's up to you and your budget how you choose to deliver the food to your guests. Many restaurants and cafes will happily cater the shower to your specifications once you book them as the venue. Of course, any number of catering companies will conform to your specifications, too.
Depending on the size of the bridal shower, you might also wish to prepare the food yourself. This certainly saves money, though it will probably require a huge time commitment on your part. So, make sure you won't get crunched as the shower date approaches. You might even invite some of the guests to help you prepare the food in advance, creating a spontaneous pre-shower cooking party that’s also its own great time together.