Throwing a Bridal Shower – Recipes, Games and More

We have a wedding coming up in the Test Kitchens! Well, not actually in the Test Kitchens, but one of our own is tying the knot. Samantha and her fiancé Zach are marrying in the fall, so we decided to throw them their first wedding shower. Zach also works at Land O’Lakes, so we decided to have the shower over lunchtime. I’ll admit it – I’m not the craftiest person in the world. I’m no Martha. But when I was tasked with throwing my coworker (and good friend!) a bridal shower, I wanted to make sure it was something she’d remember.

Food

First things first – food. Obviously that is the most important part of a bridal shower, right? Or maybe it’s just me who thinks that way? Regardless, I knew I couldn’t feed 30+ people alone, so I enlisted the help of our very talented Test Kitchen staff (who all feel the same way as I do about food) to help provide dishes. We decided on a “small bites” theme, so we could have many different types of food at the shower, from appetizers to dessert. I wanted to make sure we had a balance of hot and cold foods and, since this was held over lunchtime, we needed food that was substantial enough to have the guests feeling satisfied when they left.

And dessert. There’s no denying that dessert makes a meal, right? Okay, maybe that’s just me again. Samantha’s favorite dessert is Crème Brûlée, so that was Number 1 on the list of what to make. We also made fudgy chocolate cookies and adorable diamond ring sugar cookies in keeping with the bridal theme.

We had some great choices for the spread! Here are a few of the recipes we served.

Bruschetta Spread – Beautiful presentation and even better taste!

Fresh Fruit with Lemon Crème – A lighter option that can work as an appetizer or dessert.

Italian Stuffed Mushrooms – Hearty and packed with flavor!

Cheeseburger Bites – These were a hit with the crowd! They make perfect finger food and they taste just like your favorite fast food cheeseburger.

Gingered Crème Brûlée – With just a hint of ginger, this crème brûlée is different than the rest.

Best Ever Butter Cookies ¬  Use a ring cookie cutter to cut out these cookies and decorate as desired.

Games

We kept it simple with games and only played a few of them. When guests walked into the room, they were given a slip of paper and instructed to write a piece of advice for the couple. We then gave all of the responses to Samantha and Zach and they took turns reading them aloud to everyone. We found that our group has quite a bit of knowledge when it comes to being married!

We also played a “celebrity couples” matching game, with couples from every era.

The most fun was had with the “How well does the bride know the groom?” game. We gave Zach a set of questions to answer before the shower, with things such as “What is your favorite place to eat?” and “What’s your favorite football team?” We then asked Samantha the same questions about Zach at the shower to see if she answered correctly. The good news is that she got most of them correct!

Decorations and Gifts

As far as decorations go, I stuck with a gold and navy theme, as those are the colors for the wedding – such a great combo!

The banner we made to hang on the dessert table was simple triangles cut out of paper with decorative stickers pressed on. I also used pretty wrapping paper to make placemats for some of the dishes and wove colored ribbon through cake platters.

As a team, we collected money to buy a more substantial gift for the happy couple. Keeping with the cooking/baking theme of the Test Kitchens, we gave them a set of knives that will more than likely be with Samantha and Zach forever.

All in all, it was a wonderful shower and we wish nothing but the best to Samantha and Zach. We can’t wait to see what their future has in store for them!