Bridal shower expectations

[jackie011]

Say you're invited to a bridal shower held at a restaurant at noon on a Saturday. What do you expect? Obviously lunch, a drink, etc.

Do you expect a favor? Alcohol? Games? An "activity" such as advice/scrapbook page for the bride?

FWIW, there will be about 40+ guests, ranging in age from 25-80.

I'm one of the hostesses, and two of the other hostesses disagree on some of the above mentioned topics. I'm pretty neutral, but a bit concerned about the bottom line, which is already several hundred dollars.

[my4girls]

Alcohol and food. The rest I can do without gladly

[Deleted]

I am not a fan of games or favors, so I'd be pleased as punch with food and alcohol.

[Deleted]

I wouldn't expect alcohol at noon but I'd be damn happy if it were there. Favors are pretty standard at showers, as are games. Food is expected but heavy apps would be fine if you don't want to spring for lunch for everyone.

[Deleted]

Alcohol not necessary. Favors, a game or activity for sure. Otherwise you have a bunch of people who do not know each other silently eating. Do a simple game and the haters can suck it.

[LoveTrains]

Alcohol and lunch. I can do without games and a favor. If I have to play games, I would rather do advice for the bride or some sort of quiz about the couple.

[Roc A Bee]

Lunch and possibly booze. Games or an activity is pretty standard as well.

[peachdragon]

Expect is different than prefer. I would expect lunch and games and a favor, but the only thing I would really prefer is lunch and gift opening. Alcohol would be a bonus.

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[futurepivko]

Some cheesy game, food and presents. Also favors, and making the 'bouquet' out of the paper plate and the bows from the gifts.

[6fsn]

I would expect lunch, not necessarily booze. Favors or activities are hit or miss. The advice activity is a pretty simple (cheap) one though.

[h]

Lunch and a glass of wine or champagne. I wouldn't care either way on the favor. I have never been to a bridal shower with games, and I would be annoyed to have to play them. But not quite as annoyed as I would be if forced to scrapbook.

[vanillacourage]

Lunch, choice of nonalcoholic drink, and activity. I would love to get champagne or wine, but wouldn't expect it. I personally don't care about favors.

[luvmagoldn]

Food is necessary at that hour. Alcohol is not but would be nice. I do think a game is in order much as I don't love them. Favors - I think you can skip it.

I think a low key game would be good for that number of people. Maybe a matching game - like match the celebrity with the name of their spouse. That way people can participate or not. The person with the most right answers wins some sort of small gift. Call it done!

[mbcdefg]

I don't care about favors.

Alcohol would be nice, but free soda is fine.

I wouldn't be upset at all if there were no games. Lunch, gift opening and get me out of there. If you really want to do a game, do the ones you can do while the gifts are being opened (bingo, or set a timer and when it goes off the person whose gift the bride is holding gets a prize).

[klaus]

For a restaurant shower, I think you can forgo games and/or activities. Alcohol is nice to have as are favors. Favors are cheap so you might want to do those as long as they are edible.

[chicken]

Lunch, and I can do without alcohol. You can skip the favors, but you do need an activity or game or something to do. If you do stupid games, make sure the prizes are really awesome to make up for it. I'll totally take a quiz on facts about the bride if I know I can win an itunes gift card or box of cookies.

[niki]

I think it depends on the area of the country for the alcohol. It would not be expected in my part of the Midwest, well, at least a cash bar option. Definitely lunch and games. For games, at least the minimum, like looking under your chair for an envelope for a certificate or something. Favors...yeah, but I am not a fan of them. I didn't give out any at my wedding.

I would leave if anyone pulled out scrapbook stuff at a restaurant.

[heygrey]

my expectation of alcohol depends on the group, but at noon i'm leaning towards no.

i'd expect food and gift opening, and maybe an optional activity during the gift opening like 'gift bingo'. the markers (m&ms or the like) can be the favor so guests can play or just sit back and eat their candy.

[jackie011]

I think two of the lunch packages come with an alcohol option. I'm pretty sure there will be some alcohol, whether it's champagne, wine, or the bride's favorite drink is TBD.

The only favor I would be on board with is an edible favor. I think anything else is just a waste of money. We're thinking of using the favor to decorate and add color to the tables.

All of the guests will know at least 5 other people- whether it's family, college friends, family friends, etc. No one will be walking in to a situation where they're the odd person out.

I do like the timer idea- I've never seen that at a shower before. I don't really want to do the gift bingo b/c I think a lot of the women will be oohing and ahhing over the gifts and not really paying attention to a game. Maybe we'll do a "quiz" about the couple or something like that, after lunch, but before opening presents.

[grover]

I would expect lunch. Typically showers in my area also include punch- both alcoholic and non. I can do without the games.

[hbomdiggity]

I would expect brunch, which in my mind includes some form of champagne.

[Deleted]

I would expect lunch and something other than iced tea to drink. It makes me really cranky when there isn't water set out.

I've sadly never been to a bridal shower with alcohol present which makes me sad but I obviously don't expect it.

A lack of games and favors would make me happy.

[fashionx]

May 20, 2012 21:11:28 GMT -5 hbomdiggity said:

I would expect brunch, which in my mind includes some form of champagne.

This. Everyone likes mimosas, right?

Game only if it's simple, but I don't think it's necessary. One of my showers (I had 2, for each side of the family) was at lunch time, we did brunch and had punch with or without champagne, and had a drawing for prizes for the guests, but no games. I think people had to write their names on envelopes that I would later use for thank you notes.

[chessie]

At very least enough food to fill me for lunch, after that I am good. Normally booze is not served at some of the showers due to the family request.

[ddi741]

I would expect lunch and alcohol. I would also expect favors and atleast one game as every shower I've ever gone to had both.

[nonsenseabound]

I would do a meal. Booze optional, but I would be okay with champagne only. I would have one activity, like a how well do you know the bride or some other silly game. We also wrote down all the things the bride said during the gift opening and read them back as wedding night conversation. Also. Did the stupid clothespin game.

Do an edible favor. Cheap and serves two purposes.

[mrssavy42112]

I'd expect food, but no alcohol at lunch. I would also expect a game or activity, but not necessarily a favor. That's because that's what I'm used to. I certainly would survive without a game.

[5kcandlesinthewind]

I'd definitely expect food, with optional alcohol. You could do a pre-set menu, with one or two options for people to choose from (which is what we had at my shower, also held at noon in a restaurant).

I would hate games. I don't think I've ever been to a shower where there were games, thank god. I insisted we not have them at mine, (even though my MIL was baffled as to why I wouldn't want them), because I hate them, and I know my friends do, too.

[angnshaun]

I would EXPECT all of that. But not be mad if there were no games. I said no games at mine... there was tons of food, alcohol and favors though

[Deleted]

I don't need favors or games at a bridal shower, but I wouldn't mind playing a game. I definitely need lunch, and alcohol would be nice.