Newbie With a Bridal Shower in 3 Weeks, Has Some Questions

[Jennifer E]

I am getting together with the shower host in a few days and really want to be prepared.
I have already given the host a catalog so the bride can choose the items she wants, I am going to do a black tri-fold board and use Velcro dots (so I can re-use the board).
After looking at some of the threads, I am wondering if I need to make an order form just for showers. I noticed alot of them in the forms section. I had thought about just using the standard forms and noting next to the item which is for the bride...thoughts?
I have ordered an apron for the guests to sign, will Sharpies work or do I need to get special fabric pens?
I was thinking about just making one dish and letting the host supply any other food she wants....thoughts?
Thanks for the help. I am going to get NOTHING done around the house today, as I am looking all over this website.

 

[chefjeanine]

Jennifer,

Congrats on your Wedding Shower Party! Sounds like you have most of this under control.

I like making special order forms for a shower party. There is at least one great example on ChefSuccess. It reminds people that they can order for themselves AND for the bride. Also, it does make record keeping easier for you. It does mean that you'll have to make receipts (I print off the PP ones) for folks who did order stuff for themselves.

I have one fabric pen (it happens to be a Sharpie) that I use for apron signing. Don't know if the regular ones hold as well.

I always just make one recipe and tell the hosts to provide whatever else they want to have. Make it an especially quick recipe and have the bride help with a couple steps. The focus should be on her so you want to get through your stuff (and get on to visiting and placing orders) super quick.

 

[wadesgirl]

Use fabric markers! And make sure to wash and iron the apron first.

Only make one recipe, the host can provide other food.

I use our regular receipts. I tell the guests to write what they want at the top of their receipt and bring the items they pick from (in your case...) the board. I then write these at the bottom of their receipt and put a B by them. After the show I give the bride a list of who bought her what plus a copy of each receipt juts in case.

 

[Chef Bobby]

I get the bride and her bridal party to prepare the recipe. Get them used to using the tools. I've seen and would like to make a white tool turnabout look like a wedding cake with cards with the brides wishlist on little sticks.

 

[sherylscooking]

Chef Bobby,
That sounds like a Great Idea to have the wedding party prepare the recipe, how does it go over?

 

[Careyann]

The tip I was told and worked well for the 2 bridal showers I have had was to make a special order form for the bride, it's basically just a printed out excel spreadsheet with places for the name, product, quantity and then price. This is put in a folder with the brides wishlist and get's passed around to everyone at the show, they cross off the items they buy. I get the list at the end and each person uses a regular show order form to buy for themselves, bring it up to me and then I figure their total and the total of the products they bought for the bride and that is what they pay me. I have done 25 cents shipping on each of the bride orders and that generally will be enough to cover the shipping on that order. I put that order in under the bride's married name, so it's different than the name on the show since the 2 I did put the bride as co-host. This way the bride has a receipt with all her products on it for warranty purposes. When putting it in PP3, I just put in the payments under the person who paid, the brides order only gets the money from people who didn't buy for themselves but it works out. You just get the warning that not everyone paid or overpaid or whatever, but it doesn't stop submission of the show.

 

[flemings99]

Use fabric markers! And make sure to wash and iron the apron first.

Only make one recipe, the host can provide other food.

I use our regular receipts. I tell the guests to write what they want at the top of their receipt and bring the items they pick from (in your case...) the board. I then write these at the bottom of their receipt and put a B by them. After the show I give the bride a list of who bought her what plus a copy of each receipt juts in case.

:thumbup: This is what I do too. I think guest like to have a copy of the receipt when they go home.

I have the bride register on-line and then print out her wish list. I cut it apart and put it on my magnetic board by price. Guest then remove the item they want to purchase.

I'd go with fabric markers also.