A garden party is a sweetly old-fashioned kind of gathering, that fits well with all the traditions associated with preparing for a wedding, and makes a standout idea for a memorable wedding shower.
Do you have a relative or close friend about to be married? Have you considered stepping up to give her a bridal shower? Consider this: because of the busy lives we lead today, wedding showers have too often become predictable and–let’s face it–pretty dull events. If you have a pretty yard or lovingly tended garden, consider enlisting another friend to co-host, and give the bride a shower that’s an event unto itself: an elegant, old-fashioned garden party.
You will need a co-host for two reasons: first, you already have to have both your house AND your garden in order, plus contributing to the foods to be served; and second, you need someone who’s willing to pitch in with both some significant effort toward setting up, preparing and serving the food AND sharing the costs. Elevating a bridal shower from mundane to marvelous isn’t free. It’s also pretty preparation-intensive–which is what will make it special: the whole point of hospitality is to make your guests feel that you’ve gone to some trouble to create this special event for them.
Because the whole idea of a garden party is charmingly retro, this is a great time for you and your co-host(ess) to pool pretty items that probably don’t see much use in your everyday lives: any kind of serving dish that has multiple tiers, or pedestal cake plates that can sit atop a cut-glass platter to create two tiers; polish up neglected silver serving trays and dishes; bring out the Quaker Lace tablecloths that have gone out of fashion, and iron them up.
Hit the dollar store and/or party store for decor: a pair of oversized, paper-honeycomb wedding bells might seem outdated and corny somewhere else, but will be right at home in your garden space–perhaps several pairs in two or three places. Have fun with old-fashioned floral-printed napkins and matching paper drink cups, with paper plates to match or in a coordinating color. For the plan being laid out here, where the food will be finger-foods, smaller plates are best, but get a larger number, as people may toss them and then go back for more. If you have a gazebo or canopy where you can place your food-serving table, some inexpensive paper lanterns in prints or pastels would be festive suspended above the table–for this daytime function there’s no need to worry about lighting them up. A few inexpensive silk floral “bushes” such as roses, daisies–anything pretty (and for this purpose it doesn’t matter if they can be detected as “artificial”) can be popped into an old-fashioned vase or dish (you know you have a couple, and that you kept them for a reason) to set on the serving table, beverage table, etc. If you don’t have an appropriate garden party tablecloth on hand, pick up a couple of plastic “cloths” in a pretty, gardenesque print. Get two of the largest size–one for the serving table, another to be cut for smaller tables, such as for a punch bowl or pitchers of cool drinks. If you have smaller outdoor tables that you will be using among your seating, you might pick up a third to be cut to cover these smaller tables, the better to spread the continuity of your garden party theme.
Pick up some invitations with a garden-y look, and take the time when filling them out to state your event specifically as a “Garden Party Bridal Shower.” You can up the “fun” ante by requesting (but not requiring) that the guests wear garden-party hats. Be sure to limit your guest list to a number of people who can be comfortably accommodated indoors if the weather doesn’t cooperate, turning your Garden Party into an Afternoon Tea.
Other than the gift-opening formality that makes it a shower, you can choose to include or omit things like party favors to take home–or arrange inexpensive, floral floating candles of various colors in a large, pretty bowl (in the shade or indoors!) to pass out as guests leave (this arrangement could serve as the center piece for your table); and make a decision as to the playing of games, which some guests enjoy but many guests dread. But if you DO have games, be prepared with small prizes for the winners; and if planning one or more game, you need to give some thought to the “flow” of the party: in what order will you eat, play the game(s), open gifts, etc? One suggestion that guests don’t mind because it doesn’t even require getting out of one’s chair is Bridal Shower Bingo . (Be sure that you, your co-hostess, and the bride-to-be are all on the same page as to this “flow.”) And be prepared with a pen and a writing tablet for a volunteer to record which gifts were received from whom–not either of the hostesses, as you may miss something if called upon to re-fill the punch bowl, etc., at the wrong moment. You will likely find that being treated to a lovely lunch in the unique beauty of your garden setting will cause guests to walk around, ooh and ahh over your garden, and to actually talk more, making games unnecessary. If you’ve asked them to wear hats, you might have a prize for the “best hat.” (People should be rewarded for being good sports!)
Bring the indoors out. If you have a pretty carpet to spread under the serving table on a deck or patio, bring it out. Touches like this of luxury you already own, will make the party that much more memorable. If you have no other large table for food service, bring out a dining table or a pair of card tables (surely you know two people who each have one), center it on the carpet, and dress it with your tablecovering–be sure to secure it with masking tape underneath if using plastic, so it stays put if a breeze comes up.
Arrange your outdoor furniture in indoor-style conversational groupings around a perimeter area so that everyone is close enough to remain comfortably seated but still within earshot when it’s time for the bride to open her gifts. A mixture of furniture makes it interesting, so bring together your plastics, wickers, and benches–including the bench swing. If you need additional seating, perhaps your co-hostess will have some chairs to contribute. Be sure to hose everything down or sweep it off the day before your party so it’s guest-ready.
If you have certain guests known to be smokers, set a small table with an ashtray at a slightly-distanced point, so that you will have accommodated them, but also have sent the message that everyone may not be comfortable with their smoke–and you don’t want to pick cigarette butts out of your lawn later.
Food: how do you manage to serve up an elegant ‘afternoon tea’ type feast and still halfway enjoy the festivity? A combination of pre-preparation and pre-made finger-foods. A selection such as below could be all be done the day before, except for heating the mini-quiches and actually putting the chicken filling in the phyllo shells, and still make an impressive spread on the table. Unless it’s so hot that the dessert items might spoil, set platters of the assorted desserts randomly among platters of the “luncheon” finger foods–but of course, don’t mix them on the platters. A centerpiece on a lacy or floral tablecloth is lovely; then fill the table with your goodies, saving one corner for napkins, salt and pepper. You want to give your table a somewhat “fussy” and abundant look. (Get some photos of your table before it’s picked over.) Ham Rollups–boiled ham lunchmeat slices, patted dry with paper towel and spread with whipped cream cheese. Roll up, then cut into pretty pink bite-sized pinwheels. Chicken Salad in Phyllo Pastry Shells–for the tastiest chicken salad, pick up a grocery-store rotisserie chicken–cut the meat very finely, add some very finely chopped celery and just enough mayonnaise to hold the mixture; spoon into (baked) bite-sized phyllo-dough shells from the freezer aisle at the grocery store Devilled Eggs OR Egg Salad Finger Sandwiches Mini-Quiches from the freezer aisle Green or Black Olives Baby Dills or tiny Sweet Pickles
Mini Cream Puffs and/or Eclairs from the freezer aisle Bite-Sized Tarts, usually available at Safeway in lemon and pecan Cheesecake Bites from the freezer aisle
Beverages: this is a classically-themed party, so keep your summer-day drinks simple and classic as well. Pitchers of Iced Tea and pitchers or a spigotted dispenser of Lemonade could share a table, with a generous ice bucket or tub, and sugar and artificial sweetener nearby. Punch bowls are getting to be rarely used items, but nothing says “wedding shower” more than a punch bowl–plus it will add its own share of old-fashioned charm. Because of the openness of punch bowls, you may want to keep it just inside the house or on its own table but covered with a net tent to keep out flying party-crashers. If you happen to have (or know someone who has) a punch fountain, don’t miss this opportunity to use it–but probably keep it just inside the door unless you have a screened gazebo or gnats and bees are not an issue. Use any punch recipe you like–it’s a good idea to freeze some of the punch ingredients in a jello mold in advance to make ice rings that are substantial enough to melt slowly, without diluting the flavor of the punch (I usually make 2 rings). If you wish to serve alcohol, Champagne Punch is a light choice.
Music: if possible, bring a speaker near to your doorway and another further out into the yard, and play some light music that’s easy to talk over and won’t disturb the neighbors.
Cleanup: make it convenient to help the guests help you, by setting a clean-looking garbage can lined with a garbage bag, in a visible and convenient spot at a small distance from the serving table.
The extra effort to make the occasion special by providing the guests–and especially the bride– with a lovely afternoon of treats and socializing (and perhaps whimsy, if you “push” the hats) in the tranquil beauty of your garden, will be repaid by knowing that this shower will be remembered for its unique hospitality.
Don’t forget to have your camera at hand, and use it liberally.
05.25.09
