Ideas for shower menu?

[Spring Sun]

It is actually for a bridal shower I am throwing for my friend on Sunday, but I thought I would ask here We have no money right now, so I am trying to find good, creative ways to cut back.

Think very flow-ey, rite of passage type of Boulder bridal shower. We'll henna her hands. Any other suggestions for things to do? Or where I can even find henna?

I already know I need to buy a ton of wine, are there any other drinks you would make?

As for the menu, it is at 7pm, so after dinner, but I still want to have a lot of good, yummy things. The bride won't eat refined sugar. I am hoping to buy a lot at Costco, since my baby shower is the day before and I said I would buy for for that.

All suggestions welcomed and appreciated!

[tankgirl136]

For henna look to local middle eastern stores. Do not use henna for hair that you find at the beauty supply store. I suggest using the tubes instead of mixing your own since it has to sit and can be a pain. There are lots of good henna sites out there to help with the after care mix (traditionally lemon and sugar) and good hints for removing henna to make it last longer.

My favorite drinks are simple one alcohol one mixer or something you can premix. I LOVE margaritas!!! I use really lemon juice (you can buy this at Whole Foods or juice them your self), lime juice (can be optional), agava nectar, pomagranite juice, a good/decent white or silver tequilla, and if you like Grand Marnier. For margaritas you can use 1.5 oz tequilla, 1 oz lemon/lime juice, 2oz pom juice, and a touch of agave nectar over ice. I do this in pitchers also just using parts instead of ozs.

For my friend's Bridal Shower this past weekend, they did deli meats, cheese, bread, veggie platters, cucumber sandwhichs, and dips (gucamole and artichoke spinach). For my shower this weekend they are buying Costco Lasangna and making bread and salad to match up, nice and simple and pretty tasty. You really have lots of options, but simple is always the best idea!!!

Sounds like so much fun, it's funny that I am not the only one dealing with a wedding and a pregnancy!

[sunshynbaby]

Find a local Indian food market for the henna. They can show you which ones to use (sometimes the packages are all in Indian).

Costco is great for parties. I would get a veggie tray, a fruit tray, and chips and dips and/or a cheese tray and crackers.

[Talula Fairie]

If you click the link to my food blog in my signature (click the link that says food) there is a good and very cheap bean salad recipe. Goddess Pasta Salad is another good choice.

[wombatclay]

Totally agree with the "small shop" approach for henna if you can find one... my best friend married into a huge Indian family and those stores are amazing (especially if you have someone to interpret the packaging for you)! Every time I visit her I demand a shopping trip.

Food- cheese platter, veggie platter, sliced breads, maybe a meat platter of some sort if that fits dietary preferences. If you stay very conservative with the veggies and breads you could maybe be more exotic with the dips and cheeses (a variety of hummus, bean spreads, salsas, honey-butters, babaganoush, yogert cheese... which is insanely easy to make and can be sweet or savory, herb spreads, etc).

drinks- wine is good, perhaps a non-alcoholic spritzer (our local store sells cases of lightly flavored or plain seltzer water for cheap... there's no sugar... and with a few different juices people could make a spritzer) or a plain mixing style beverage (like rum or tequila or vodka) to make an alcoholic spritzer? I've been drinking mojitos for a lot longer than they have been popular but that's a pretty easy drink to make, or maybe a spiked lemonade?

Activities- a bead blessing? a pretty notebook in which everyone writes a wish or little note? A few lengths of spiffy ribbon that people could tie wishes into (make a wish, write it on the ribbon using a sharpie, tie a knot to "seal" the wish)? Find a box of plain white candles at a craft store (10 dollars for 25 votives at our local Michael's) and a box or two of candle decorations (beads, colored wax shapes, stickers, ribbons, dried or fake flowers, essential oils, even dried herbs wih nifty shapes) and have people decorate candles for the bride to use during "candle light baths" on her honeymoon.