40 Guests Will Be at Sunday's Bridal Shower

[Suzy Englert]

I'm so excited about the Bridal shower this coming Sunday-40 guests will be there! Apparantely this is the only shower for the bride. It's from 1-4pm on Sunday.

In an effort to "keep things moving" which is sometimes hard with a big crowd, I probably won't do the Prize Drawing slip/customer care slip, where I get everyone's information and put it into a drawing for a prize-or should I? I always pass these out at the very end of the show, and go over the questions before passing them out. But I see this taking extra time and the focus away from the bride-who this show is really all about.

Should I put the prize drawing slips in the guest folder, along with the catalog, where each guest can fill it out during the show? Or do my usual end of show closing with the prize drawing slip? Or any other ideas? I expect to get several bookings from this show, but always like having the guests' info on the prize drawing slips for future reference.

Thanks!
Suzy in Texas

 

[lesliec]

You could give out door prizes for longest married, newest bride, most children.....etc. Then it would more focused on the bridal shower aspect. I would say forgo the drawing slip thing b/c it is a shower. You will/can get people's info on their receipts or during checkout, and then it is more personal and not so much of "consultant doing show" type feel to it.

 

[Nanisu]

I never even ask for bookings at a shower--I highlight what the bride will get at the beginning with the bookings slide, if someone wants to book a show they will. I always make it all about the bride. Also, don't be surprised if people bring gifts anyway. It seems one or two always do anyway because they either didn't "get it" about buying the gift there or they were just stubborn (aunts and grandparents seem to be this way). Just go with it and tell her she can open those after your demo. Have fun with this!

 

[Suzy Englert]

Thanks so much for the advice-it's been a while since I've done a bridal shower. But I'm sure that you still sprinkle booking and recruiting lines throughout the show? And do you do the booking/recruiting slide as well?

Thanks,
Suzy in Texas

 

[flemings99]

I mention bookings at the show b/c the bride benefits from those future bookings just like any other host.

If you want to incorporate the drawing slips, play a game on the back side of them. There are several bridal games in the file section. I like that the gal @ spring launch called them her customer information cards, not her drawing slips. I'd see how things are during the shower and then decide weather to use them or not. You won't get everyone's contact info. as many will combine orders. I'm always amazed at what people will mark on the slips but never tell you face to face.

 

[jasmar139]

What recipes did you use for that size of crowd? I have a shower coming up in March with about as many guests. We live in a small town, so most recipes have to have basic ingredients.

 

[beckyjsmith]

I had a show with 63 people in attendance last year. Since I knew ahead of time, I prepared mini cheeseburgers and ooey gooey chocolate chip cheesecake bars. I might not recommend cheeseburgers, but you could do some appetizer recipes ahead of time from the appetizer cookbook. I would also utilize those sauces over cream cheese.
For the demo I simply did the 30 minute chicken- really there was no way to hold an attention span longer than that.
Good luck and I hope it is FABULOUS!!

 

[sandilou]

I did the Trifle from last spring at a bride shower with that many people. Believe it or not, it was plenty. They had extra food available, too. People just took sample size helpings. The thing about bride showers -- its all about the bride! Don't get me wrong -- it was an $800 plus show, but the guests weren't so much into the tools as usual.

Sandi

 

[scottcooks]

Host coach, host coach, host coach. Yes you want folks to have fun, but you want it to be a viable show as well. One thing I've done is make a "boquet" of the items on a host's wish list and put them on skewers in foam in a basket. Then guests can 'pick a gift or two' and they can decorate a white paper bag, 'wrap' the gifts and give them to bride. This way bride gets excited and folks get recognized for their item then and there. Pictures of items with prices are on another string - I have mounted mine on 3x5 cards in the past.

 

[Suzy Englert]

The Bridal Shower was a great success-$925 in sales so far! And the bride and hosts were happy. No bookings, but I think that everyone appreciated me keeping the focus on the bride-she also signed up for the online Wedding Registry through my website, so I am getting a lot of sales through this show/registry.

We made the Tiramisu Brownie Trifle, and the 3 hosts had lots of other food. The mother of the bride appreciated the "short" show, as the bride was in town only for the weekend and had to go for a fitting immediately after the shower. So it went well, and I'm relied and happy!

Suzy in Texas