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Shower Hostess Virgin!! HELP!
I am hosting a shower for my best HS girlfriend in June and am pretty clueless! I have been to a number of showers but have never hosted one and honestly have not paid much attentionm to the details!
I have the list of invitees and my friend says she expects between 20-24 to show. 2 of her friends have offered to 'help' but as ones lives 4 hours a way, I will be doing most of it, at least most of the prep. My thought is to have it at my house, around noon as a luncheon and have the main food catered. Here are my questions.
Food: I am thinking small sandwiches, wraps, quiche, pasta salad, fruit salad and maybe a veggie platter. Anything else?
Is a cake enough for dessert or should I also offer cookes or somethinmg else?
Drinks: Punch bowl, water bottles, wine. Should I also offer soda? I will have coffee for dessert.
Eating: I don't have enough room to have everyone sit at tables. Is this okay? Are people okay with eating on laps? Should I have maybe 2 small tables where people can sit and then the rest can do lap-plates? I plan to get very nice paper plates and heavy duty utensils - is this okay or tacky? I would ratehr not rent dishware if I can avoid it but don't have enough for 25 people. This may sound very stupid but I assume I need to allocate a seat for every person attending right - for eating and then gift opening?
Length: How long will this last typically last:) ??
I have a few basic games but what types of prizes do I need to get? how much on each prize? how many prizes? Do people really like/participate/expect in these or am I just wasting money?
Theme: This is one place I am totally stuck! They are not finding out the sex so it needs to be neurtal. I want something very simple and classic since that is my friend. I was thinking of perhaps doing everytihng in light green/brown or maybe just bright colors and have a circle theme? What else can I do that is basic yet special?
I am thinking this will run $500-$700- does that sound reasonable for everything?
Thanks!
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Re: Shower Hostess Virgin!! HELP!
Food/Eating - The food sounds fine, but if you don't have enough seating at tables, I would actually recommend having the shower later (at 2) and have more snacky stuff. To eat a full lunch, people may be annoyed at having to eat off their laps.
And by doing it later w/ less food, it will cost less money!
Cake is plenty for dessert.
And you're right, you do need to have a SEAT, though, for every person. No one wants to go to a shower and STAND!
Drinks - sounds fine
Length - 3 hours tops. Rough outline:
2 - 2:30 - guests arrive, mingle, eat, etc.
Around 2:30/2:45 - bring everyone together. If you do games (i'll cover that in a minute), do them at this time. Then, start the gift opening.
The gift opening really shouldn't take TOO long, especially w/ only 20 - 25 people. I would think that should be done by 3:30/ 3:45 at the latest.
3:45/4:00 - cake (however, you could do cake right before the gift opening so people can eat it while watching)
Then 4 or so, shower ends.
Games - You dont' have to do games. But if you do, keep them simple and only do like one or two. I acutally like doing a round of introductions in place of a game. I like knowing who everyone is.
Prize - a gift around $5 or $10 is fine. The guests aren't coming to the shower to walk away w/ loot!
~Benjamin Franklin
DS dx with celiac disease 5/28/10
I agree with the previous poster.
Are you responsible for the cost of the food/drink? Will the other 2 who offered to help also chip in? If they are, be sure to get their agreement beforehand and have them send you a check too.
you'll need a theme as well - as little as a color or two or as elaborate as you want it. It will help to keep things cohesive and everyone on the same page.
Since it will be at your home, you are taking on the bulk of the work. I would farm out these tasks to the other hostesses: make the favors (if you are doing them), make the invitations and collect the RSVP's, write down the presents during opening, collect the wrapping trash/hand presents to guest of honor, run the game (if you decide to have one), cut the cake.
You'll be busy making sure your guests are greeted, they have chairs/spots on the rug, the serving stuff it out and ready for use, etc.
I am sure your friend will appreciate all of your efforts!
First of all, I'd like to say that I think you're off the a GREAT start!
Enlist the help of those other two people. The one that lives out of town (4 hours) can purchase the prizes (usually $3-5)...just determine how many you need (two games should be plenty). If there is a possibility of a tie then maybe a couple of extra prizes and you can use them for something later...or have an extra game handy (something easy...like guessing the amount of M&M's in a bottle which can be passed around during gift opening). Also, this person can bring the favors (if you plan on those). Edible favors are the best...cookies, chocolate covered pretzels, etc.
The 2nd person can help decorate and make food. Both can help with clean up.
You don't really have to have a "theme" although I find it easier to put together a shower/party if I do. You could always do nursery rhymes, etc.
The shower usually is between 2-3 hours. I'm thinking 24 people...2 hours.
Drinks you are serving is fine...plenty of options.
Food is good too...although I'd probably not serve the quiche...only because everything else is cold and I'd stick with that.
The cake is plenty for dessert. You do not need more than that. A lot of people won't even eat dessert.
You do need a place for everyone to sit. Lap eating is fine as long as there is someplace for them to set their drinks. As long as you keep the food light...strong paper plates are fine (as well as plastic utensils) since they will be used for sandwiches and a couple of salads. It is nice to have tables but certainly not necessary.
Unless you live in a very HCOL area you should be able to do it all under $300. Especially if you enlist the help of others.
Thanks so much for the feedback! A few follow up questions...
About the 2 other girls helping. I do not know them at all. My girlfriend M (the one who is expecting) and I are in toatlly different social circles and do not have really any common friends - I know a few of them casually but not these 2. When I offered to host the shower M said that she wanted me to do it but that 2 of her friends wanted to help. One of them has offered to organize, do and pay for the invitations which is great
but when I asked M if they wee going to be 'hostesses' also or just 'help me' so I would know how to address mey emails etc... she said, no they are not hosting just you. But if one is buying and doing the invitations wuoldn't she be considered a host and have her name on the invitation also? UGH!
They have both offered to chip in $$ but how the heck to I ask how much? If I am the hostess wouldn't I just pay for everything? I am fine to cover the whole cost myself but woudl happily accept help also! How do you handel that - just ask what they are comfortable offering? Then shoudln't their names be on the invite also?
I love the idea of light freen and yellow - I was thinking a 'lemmon and lime' theme ... lemon and lime drinks, color, centerpeices with lemmon and lime - what else could I do?
Thanks again for the great insight. M just got pregnant, engaged and married in the lst few months and didn't get to do all the special bridal stuff so I want to make this day as special as possible for her!
One thing from your orignal post: you had mentioned that the mom-to-be "thinks that there will be 20-24". I would caution that you should plan on having enough seats/room for all of the guests that are going to be invited. While there is a high probability that not all will be able to make it, some people will surprise and show up.
As far as the theme goes, I'd check in with the mom-to-be to see if she is ok with it. Many times the theme of the shower is the theme of the nursery. If the mom-to-be really hates the theme, chances are she will recieve things w/ the theme - you wouldn't want her to get items that she doesn't care for.
As far as the others, deal directly with them and leave the mom-to-be out of it. I would call them and say "mom-to-be said that you would like to help with the shower, but she wasn't clear and you are just calling to make sure everyone is one the same page. What would you be interested in doing?" Even if it feels akward, be very clear when it comes to money. And remember, the one who pays is the one who says.
As far as the hosting/invites thing, I would leave off hosted by: XXX. This gets you by who is actually hosting and who is helping.
GL!