When a friend gets married, it can be a very exciting time, and you might not be able to wait to celebrate with them on their big day. While the wedding itself is the main event, there are other smaller parties in the run-up to look forward to as well, such as a bridal shower. Unlike a bachelorette party, where things might get a little wild, a bridal shower is a slightly more sophisticated affair that you wouldn’t mind inviting your grandmother to attend! Although some brides might choose to hire caterers for this event, if they are on a tighter budget, they might prepare the food themselves or ask a friend to do it. If you are a friend who has been asked by the bride to help out, here are some tips to help you plan the catering perfectly.
1. Is There a Theme?
A good place to start is by asking the bride if she has a theme she would like to use for her bridal shower. This can be useful as you can then plan the cuisine served around this idea and it can save you a lot of time trying to pick dishes for the menu. For example, if she wanted to have a French-themed bridal party, then pate, cheeses, fine wines, crepes, etc., would all be suitable.
2. How Many Guests?
You will also need to determine how many guests will be in attendance, so you know how much food to prepare. It’s always better to do a little extra food to make sure that no one goes hungry, but equally, you don’t want to be left with mountains of food to eat, either. Most guests should RSVP in advance, so do ask the bride about this as she should have the guestlist and will be able to give you a rough figure at the very least.
3. Sweet Treats
It’s always nice to have some sweet treats to finish off the meal, whether you’re planning a sit-down style dinner party or a buffet spread. Small cupcakes, brownies, and cookies might work well for the latter, with perhaps individual lemon tarts or something similar for a sit-down meal. You could even invest in some monogram stencils for cookies so that you can put the bride and groom’s initials on them, perhaps giving each guest some to take home with them as a gift.
4. Beverages
You’ll also need to make sure that any drinks served will go well with the food on the day. Sparkling wine is a staple at bridal showers, and this will be expected. However, having some wines that pair well with the dishes you’re serving and some spirits for cocktails if people would prefer this is also necessary. You should also make sure that there is a range of refreshing soft drinks for those who do not want to drink alcohol, including teas and coffee.
If you have been asked by the bride to help cater her bridal shower, use the tips above to help you prepare the meals and refreshments and make it a special day that she won’t forget.
