Party Help - Cute BBQ?? (plus other details)

[wawa]

So...remember the cow dress for the rehearsal dinner? I'm throwing the bridal shower for this girl and we've decided to go with....a cow theme. Surprise!

But as classy as I can make it.

Invitations look roughly like this: www.zazzle.com/cow_print_pink_baby_shower_or_birthday_invitation-161248997600590283

Decorations: I'm thinking wheat grass "meadow" centerpieces (in galvanized buckets maybe?), a little burlap table runner, and....then I'm not sure what. Some sort of cute cow print flag bunting or...something? I'm not great at this part. Balloons probably because they're easy. What else?

Food: It's a lunchtime shower. I'm thinking BBQ, but cuteified. Main dish: pulled pork sammiches - nothing fancy there, just crockpot 'o meat+buns.
Maybe some chicken salad for the pork haters (of which we have at least one. No veggies that i know of. I've asked though)
Sides: mini-cornbread muffins.
mac n' cheese bites - dinnersforayear.blogspot.com/2008/08/double-mac-and-cheese-bites.html
coleslaw cups - www.rachaelraymag.com/recipes/rachael-ray-magazine-recipe-search/salad-recipes/coleslaw-cups
Watermelon on skewers or otherwise made cute.

And...what else? We need at least one more veggie. Could just do veggie/dip platter i guess. Or go whole hog on the cute and do this: www.simplebites.net/vegetable-crudite-buttermilk-dip-finger-food-baby-shower/

Probably also have potato chips and/or pretzles. Anything else I'm forgetting? Suggestions for something other than what I have above?

Drinks:
Strawberry Lemonade
a bucket of soda, etc on ice
probably no booze? I dunno. We're having the bachelorette party that night so probably don't want to start too early.

MOB runs a cheesecake business, so I'm suggesting she handle the dessert. (I'm thinking marble cheesecake, but it's her call)

Games - I like to do the "don't say [weddingrelatedword] game" Maybe with something cute and cowish as the tokens you have to give up?

And favor - thinking something easy and edible. Like black and white cookies in a little bag with a pink ribbon. Suggestions welcome.

Inviting 25 people (including me, fellow hosts and bride), but several of those are at least a 2 hour drive from the location, so expecting more like 15-20 for turnout. So not huge, and don't have to worry about making 80 of anything.

[EloiseWeenie]

For table decorations, I've also seen Ball canning jars with flowers or candles in them.

For other veg, I love these recipes
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/salad-recipes/broccoli-salad
www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/pan-roasted-corn-salad-with-tomatoes-and-feta.html

Booze is always appropriate.

[wawa]

Jun 28, 2012 9:54:08 GMT -5 EloiseWeenie said:

For table decorations, I've also seen Ball canning jars with flowers or candles in them.

For other veg, I love these recipes
www.jamieoliver.com/recipes/salad-recipes/broccoli-salad
www.williams-sonoma.com/recipe/pan-roasted-corn-salad-with-tomatoes-and-feta.html

Booze is always appropriate.

Oh, ball jars! good call. and those recipes both look delish.

I agree on the booze normally, but I won't be partaking, so I'll leave that decision (and purchasing) up to my fellow hosts I think.

[wawa]

I really should have asked this on a day that wasn't when the SC released their ruling on ACA huh?

[wawa]

Jun 28, 2012 10:20:18 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

Ditto the ball jars. I like to put yellow and white daisy in them. They look country to me for some reason. I LOVE the bucket idea.

What about a pink and cow print congrats banner?

I say do the cutesie veggie tray, but I am a dork like that. Yes to chips and pretzels and maybe mixed nuts if there are no allergies.

I like editable favors, so cow sugar cookies are good.

Maybe you can do a milk and cookies station too? Since milk comes from cows, you know?

Oh cute! I love that idea.

Update to beverages plan - I'm thinking something like this:
ourshareoftheharvest.com/2012/06/01/non-alcoholic-fresh-strawberry-mojitos/ mostly because it's pink. And allow people to add their own booze as they see fit.

We did the same thing for my sister's baby shower with a big 'ole dispenser of grape juice based sangria-esque punch and it worked out really well.

[wawa]

that cookie and milk bar is insane. I'm thinking of tracking down cute milk jugs, but besides that it's just gonna be cups, milk, and cookies on cute platters. I'm not totally insane.

The look with the metal buckets is pretty much exactly what I have in mind. I'm hoping I can track them down relatively cheaply. we'll see. I don't have much time...the shower is in 3 weeks.

[pixy0stix]

I want a picture of the cow dress when it's done.

[wawa]

Jun 28, 2012 10:44:19 GMT -5 pixy0stix said:

I want a picture of the cow dress when it's done.

If it actually happens, I will absolutely post a picture.

I'm not in charge of that, so I'm not sure it's really going to get done. my fellow bridal party members are a bit scattered at times.

[Melissa W.]

Everything looks really really cute!

[wawa]

So, MW, do you think the menu looks good? All bases covered?

[wawa]

Jun 28, 2012 10:57:10 GMT -5 @majorwife said:

I think it looks good. you did a great job with the theme!

thanks! Coming from a fellow party theme overboarder it makes me feel much better.

[EloiseWeenie]

FYI my local CFA is having dress like a cow day on July 13. Not sure if that date is across the board, but it gives you a goal date to finish the dress

[wawa]

Has anybody ever frozen mac n' cheese? I could just test it, but I'm curious if i can make and freeze those mac n' cheese bites. baked pasta in generally does fine in the freezer. cheese freezes fine. But cream sauces generally don't do so well in the freezer. So....2 against, one for. I'm thinking i'll try a test batch and cross my fingers.

[basilosaurus]

My sister had those buckets at her rehearsal dinner which was basically a texas bbq theme. We only had them for drinks b/c they're pretty expensive. We got them at a farm supply store which was worlds cheaper than any other place.

I would think the frozen mac might get too grainy.

[wawa]

Jun 28, 2012 13:46:21 GMT -5 basilosaurus said:

My sister had those buckets at her rehearsal dinner which was basically a texas bbq theme. We only had them for drinks b/c they're pretty expensive. We got them at a farm supply store which was worlds cheaper than any other place.

I would think the frozen mac might get too grainy.

that was my thought, but baked mac is usually a smidge grainy to begin with so maybe it'd not be noticable? Does the Mrs. Stouffers just have an assload of weird ingredients?

thanks for the farm store rec. I wouldn't have thought of that, despite my farm-adjacent childhood.

I'll make a test batch of the mac and report back...

[Deleted]

Sounds really cute to me:). I would probably put out some little toy cows for fun too

Also, I like to make banners--the kind that are triangle pieces with each triangle containing one letter each of "Congratulations" or whatever. I would use cow print scrapbook paper with pink letters. I make the flag 6" wide and 8" or 9" long. You can either attach each flag with a safety pin to a ribbon or just stick each letter in a row to the wall.