A Wedding Shower

by Sue Mui
 

Among all the things that can cause the pre-wedding jitters, wedding showers seem to top the list. Just the thought of managing all those boxes, making the food and handling the organization is enough to send even the seasoned entertainer running for the hills.

But it doesn’t have to be that way. With the choice of the right wine and some showy-but-easy recipes, having a shower at home is a lot easier than you might think.

The most important thing to remember about wedding showers is that most people there want light, feminine food. The main challenge is pacing and organizing the event.

Here are some timesaving strategies:

#1 -- Involve the bride in the invitation list, and choose the guests carefully.

Think hard about the number of guests you can comfortably seat together in one main area of your house, either on the floor, in extra chairs or around tables. If you are hosting the event outside, do you have enough space to accommodate guests in the event of rain? Is the bride having any other showers, and are there people who might be invited to two different events? Asking these hard questions will help you “right size” your guest list.

#2 -- Make sure there’s enough wine to go around.

Today’s shower goers expect something more sophisticated, and a nice bottle of win really fits the bill. Find a wine that pairs well and has a fresh taste that is very accessible, even for people who are not regular wine drinkers.


#3 -- Make what you love and buy the rest.

You can still give the impression of having a homemade buffet if you just make one or two showy items, like a cupcake tree or tea sandwiches, then buy the rest of the items at the grocery deli. Buy relish trays of pre-cut vegetables and fruits; deli-case sides like deviled eggs, pasta or rice salads; and finishing the buffet with colorful candies like candied almonds or pastel colored M&Ms. Set up a bar to the side where the wine can be poured, or allow guests to serve themselves from a fancy pitcher filled with your pre-mixed wine cocktail.

#4 -- Decorations need not be expensive.

Put down short boxes and thick hardbound books on the table to create staggered display heights, then covering them up with a tablecloth that’s draped to create little valleys in between. A few carefully placed flowers and petals around and between the displays completes the look. Bring out the real china plates and nice silverware, even if you have to borrow or rent them, to add an element of grace to the event. Many rental services will even let you return the dishes and wine glasses unwashed.

#5 -- Plan ample space and time for displaying, opening and cataloging the gifts.

Make sure you have a gift table that is centrally located; with enough space so all your guests can watch the gifts being opened if they so choose. Depending on the size of the shower, the gift opening could take as much as an hour, so plan to have your guests go through the buffet line first, and nibble on food while the gifts are opened.

To help the bride, print out all the guest’s addresses on labels, and buy thank you notes. As each gift is being opened, have a designated “gift recorder” peel off each gift giver’s address label, put it on an envelope, and slip a piece of paper inside noting the gift that was given.

After the gifts are open, allow guests around an hour for socializing. You might even want to put out a guest book that each guest can sign with wedding wishes and messages for the bride and groom to-be. Instead of silly shower games, let the guests peruse photo albums of the bride and groom when they were children, or offer up their fondest memories of the couple on videotape.

 

Wedding Bellini

Fill the pitcher of your choice 3/4 full with Relax brand Riesling. Top the remaining fourth off with peach-flavored schnapps, and stir. Serve chilled.

Serve in a tall tumbler, and your guests will have a silky sweet cocktail that will be truly memorable. If your guests would like a little fizz, have them fill their glasses 1/3 full with club soda, then fill the glass to the top with the Riesling/schnapps mixture. Garnish with a Maraschino cherry.