Melissas Shower

One of the benefits of hosting a party during the day is that you don't have to worry about lighting. You do, however, need to think about shade. For Melissa's bridal shower, everything will take place outdoors, so we're renting a couple of umbrellas. Under each umbrella, I'll set up a different station.

One will hold the food, plates, and napkins. Another will house the mocktail in a pretty drink dispenser, ice buckets, sparkling wine, and Champagne flutes. A third table is where I'll set up the dessert and candy bar. Finally, a fourth table is where I'll ask guests to place gifts.

All of the tables will be covered in simple, but elegant white cloths. An assortment of flowers in purple tones will look great on the cloths. I'll hang pretty tissue paper garlands from the trees. I hope it will be beautiful and that the bride will love it! Have you hosted a bridal shower? Please share your tips with me below.

Normally, for a special occasion party like a bridal shower, I like to serve a specialty cocktail. But for my friend Melissa's upcoming shower, I'm making a specialty mocktail instead. Several of the guests are pregnant, and to include them in the fun I'll offer these berry-lemon sparklers. They consist of muddled berries with fresh lemon juice and a splash of seltzer for effervescence. For those who prefer to sip something potent, I'll pour sparkling wine. I plan on picking up a case of my favorite girlie bottle, Sofia Blanc de Blancs by Francis Ford Coppola.

I'll also have white wine on ice in case anyone wants to imbibe that. To look at the mocktail recipe I'm going to use, keep reading.

For a friend's bridal shower, I'm not just offering a dessert, but I've also decided to set up a color-coded candy bar. Instead of giving everyone a favor that they will never use, I'll have them fill a bag with edible treats to take it home. Since purple is the theme color (it matches the invitations), I plan on getting purple sweets and baked goods like M&Ms and macaroons. As for the delectable finish to the shower, I'll serve cupcakes. They look pretty on display and are always enjoyed. This recipe is for vanilla cupcakes with chocolate frosting. They are simple, but scrumptious.

Learn how they are made after the break.

I'm hosting a bridal shower in a little over a week! Now that the invitations are out of the way, it's time to think about the menu. The party is at 1 p.m. on a Saturday, so I'm thinking a light spread of lunchy appetizers. I'll put together a cheese plate with fresh figs and apricots, crackers, honey, nuts, and tapenade. From there, I'll throw in some homemade dishes that can be eaten out of hand. Shrimp with spicy mayonnaise is delicious and can be made in advance. Mini frittatas packed with veggies are bite-sized and addictive. A simple tomato and goat cheese tart rounds out the female-friendly menu. Want to see the recipes? Please read more.