cake/cupcake/favor dilemma?

starfish717 · July 2012

My mom offered to host a shower for me and has asked for my help with the cake and favors. The shower will be brunch at a local restaurant and we are contractually limited to 3 hours on the dot (including time for people to get there and settled, order, eat, socialize, gifts, and anything else that goes on). My mom thinks that we might not have enough time for cake and we could send home a nicely wrapped gourmet cupcake from a local bakery with each guest in place of cake or dessert at the restaurant.

Is this weird to have a cupcake as a favor and no dessert after brunch? Should she do a small cake at the restaurant and also send cupcakes as favors? Cake and a non-food favor?

I looked back for similar questions like this but couldn't find anything... any advice is appreciated!! )

cwm11985 · July 2012

A friend of mine did this and it was awesome (sent cupcakes as favor) because we were so full from lunch that they were more enjoyable at home once my stomach was settled.

sycheh · July 2012

I think 3 hours is probably plenty of time to arrive, socialize, eat brunch and dessert, etc. Especially if you double up (opening presents while people are eating, etc).

I don't know if anyone would miss it, necessarily, if you didn't have cake after brunch, but I think there's plenty of time for that if you want it.

For favors...I am 100% behind food favors. I'd rather enjoy a cupcake later that day (or in the car, whatever!), than have a trinket that I might not be able to use. I have gotten some weird favors from people's showers...

persephonerose · July 2012

I think cupcakes as favors is a great idea and it might save some money depending on the restaurant. Some restaurants charge a fee if you bring in a cake from an outside source. It can be a flat fee or a per plate fee depending on the establishment. I would opt for the cupcake favors and no cake. It would be easier and people will not end up with some trinket they don't need.

cutebride73 · July 2012

I think it is fine to do cupcakes as a favor, but I also think you could serve them as dessert while you are opening your gifts. That is what most showers I have been to do. At my shower, I had cupcakes and while I was getting settled to start opening gifts the guests were told they could help themselves to a cupcake. It seemed to work out well. Favor wise, cake pops were given out at my shower. Some people ate them there, some people took theirs with them.

amb5353 · July 2012

Favors you can eat are always the best because they never go to waste! Maybe look into getting a cookie tray(or two if your shower is larger), those could function as your dessert.

klondikebar · July 2012

the timeline for the showers I've attended have been Eat while socializing, then have dessert during the gift opening. I think you'll have plenty of time. I think cupcakes are a nice favor, but I'd have another dessert available like a variety cheesecake bites or something.

rhubarb123 · July 2012

KlondikeBar:

the timeline for the showers I've attended have been Eat while socializing, then have dessert during the gift opening. I think you'll have plenty of time. I think cupcakes are a nice favor, but I'd have another dessert available like a variety cheesecake bites or something.

At the showers I've attended the timeline has been similar. I don't think it is necessary to have another dessert available. Cupcakes or cake...but you definitely have time during a 3 hour window for guest to eat it there. I would probably go ahead with the cake (can be cut and eaten during the gift opening) and do some other food item for guests to take home as a favor (cookie, chocolate covered pretzels, truffles, etc).

starfish717 · July 2012

Thanks ladies! We'll stick with a cupcake favor and I think we'll do some sort of dessert at the restaurant, too. Undecided on cake vs platter of goodies. Thanks for your help!

klondikebar · July 2012

rhubarb123:
KlondikeBar:

the timeline for the showers I've attended have been Eat while socializing, then have dessert during the gift opening. I think you'll have plenty of time. I think cupcakes are a nice favor, but I'd have another dessert available like a variety cheesecake bites or something.

At the showers I've attended the timeline has been similar. I don't think it is necessary to have another dessert available. Cupcakes or cake...but you definitely have time during a 3 hour window for guest to eat it there. I would probably go ahead with the cake (can be cut and eaten during the gift opening) and do some other food item for guests to take home as a favor (cookie, chocolate covered pretzels, truffles, etc).

I just meant have a dessert availble even if there are edible favors to take home:)

lynn3yb00 · July 2012

Sounds like a great idea, but you will definately want to check with the restauraunt about if that is allowed (bringing food from another business or even from home). If they say no, ask if they can make some and have them ready for the guests to take home.

ally2011 · July 2012

Three hours is PLENTY of time for all of that, cake included. They can always eat cake while you open gifts, that is pretty common so people have something to do.

ally2011 · July 2012

Most people are not going to want to spend more than 3 hours at a baby shower anyways....I prefer 2 max if possible but that is just me.

As for cheap favors, for my sister's I got jar candles ($2 each max I think) and wrapped them in tulle w/ a ribbon. They looked nice and people liked and it was something they could use.

Definitely have dessert for people to eat there though.

starfish717 · July 2012

ally2011:
Three hours is PLENTY of time for all of that, cake included. They can always eat cake while you open gifts, that is pretty common so people have something to do.

Thank you ) This will be the first time I've been to a shower outside of someone's home and usually our family showers turn into a small-scale reunion where people hang around into the night catching up, so I never really pay attention to how long these things should take.

I'm not too concerned about all of this but my mom is a very concrete/linear thinker where each "event" (brunch, gifts, cake...) must have its own allotted time frame in a certain order. Thinking of these things overlapping makes her mind spin lol (hence why she "hates planning these things"). If they eat cake, great. If not, great. It's cake. Thanks!

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