Well, my not-a-party-planner self hosted another shower...
Party planning isn't really my forte.
I see people on the interwebs who spend days prepping for elaborate themed parties, and while I am in awe, it's sort of hard for me to fathom.
I think some people do that sort of thing because they just love every minute of it, and I totally respect that.
(I'll be me, and you can be you!)
But that doesn't seem to be where my particular gifting lies.
The good news is that, as it turns out, I can actually put together a functional gathering, so, yay!
My cousin is getting married soon, and so I threw a bridal shower for her last weekend.
However, with both showers I've hosted, I've had decorating help from friends because party decorating is really where I'm not gifted.
This time around, a friend put together some sweet little daisy flower arrangements, which were both beautiful and simple.
And she and my girls made some white tissue paper flowers to hang on my dining room light.
These are not only for decoration...they also serve as a, "HEY. There's a light fixture here! Don't bump your head." warning, because once we scoot our table away from the light, it's really easy to bump your head as you walk by.
I made a lot of the same foods that I did for the baby shower I hosted last year, although I also added a ham/cheese platter and a basket of honey-glazed rolls.
And like last year, most of the food I served came from Aldi.
Because of course.
(My cousin happens to be an Aldi shopper too, actually!)
I considered using disposable plates and cups, but then thought better of it. This was a fairly small shower (less than 20 people), so I knew I had enough dishes to allow me to use non-disposable everything.
Except napkins. I don't have nearly enough cloth napkins for a party!
This was partially driven by my desire to avoid trash production, but honestly, it was more about the fact that disposable tableware just isn't as lovely to use.
(Life with sturdy, non-disposable things is nicer, after all.)
I just used plain white Corelle-ware plates plus a mish-mash of drinking glasses and wine glasses.
Most of what I served was finger food, so I just put out a mason jar with forks. Real flatware is so much more fabulous than the plastic sort, and it's super easy to throw in the dishwasher.
So, even when I've used paper plates in the past, I still have always put out real silverware.
I wondered if all of this might make party cleanup a little laborious, but it was super quick and easy. I just put almost everything in the dishwasher and was finished with all of the party cleanup in about 45 minutes.
(I was surprised!)
You know what always surprises me when I host a gathering?
That it doesn't have to be perfect to bless someone.
(I wrote that post, so, um, I should know that.)
My house is not enormous.
My house isn't designed super well for gatherings.
I'm not an experienced party-thrower.
My carpet is old (Though we're gonna fix that this week!)
I pretty much never prepare a super elaborate menu.
Yet whenever we host gatherings here, everyone seems to feel welcome and happy, they have a good time, and there always is enough space, somehow.
That makes my heart happy.
And really, I should remember that next time I'm having a bout of party inadequacy. 😉
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Just so ya know, this wasn't sponsored by Aldi in any way. I'm just a big ol' fan, and I love that by shopping there, you can make a beautiful, delicious, party-worthy spread without breaking the bank.
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Much of what I made requires no recipe (fruit salad, cheese plate, cracker tray, etc.), but here are links to some of the recipes I used.
Not-From-A-Box Brownies (I cut them into bite-sized pieces)
This really touched my heart:
"You know what always surprises me when I host a gathering?
That it doesn’t have to be perfect to bless someone."
Thank you! This makes hospitality so much more hospitable to me. Have a blessed day!
We unfortunately have to use paper plates for our yearly barbecue we have. I'd love to just buy up a whole bunch of garage sale dinnerware and use that but when you have kids and such outside, I give in and use the compostable paper plates. I am thinking of getting a bunch of the cheap flatware from Ikea and using that for parties instead of the yucky disposable flatware that just ends up in the landfill. Strangely, I ended up acquiring a large box of the disposable type and I'm not quite sure how.
The cheap flatware sounds like a great idea! I have some unbreakable dishes and such that we use specifically for picnics and other outdoor eating. I just bought 'em at Goodwill.
Our northern neighboring town just opened an Aldi a week ago today. My friend told me on the opening day there was a line out the door, lol. I decided to wait until this weekend to try it out in hopes of less crowds. But I'm excited! In addition to your seal of approval, my mom shops for her produce at her Aldi and says she can't believe the deals she gets and how good and fresh it is.
Yay! So happy for you! Shopping there is a little strange at first, but once you get past the no-frills thing (no music playing! So weird!), it's just great.
It looks lovely. Don't sell yourself short. People feel more welcome in an environment like yours than one where they are scared to touch anything. Believe me, I know. We've been to someone's home, who had lovely spreads but all they talked about was how tired they were from everything. It made us feel bad like we had put them out, ya know!
Hmm, that's interesting. That person must not have been the sort that just does this for fun...those types of people seem to be actually energized by putting together a party.
I am NOT the hostess type for parties, but I love having my family come for holidays and special occasions, and I use the real plates and real silverware, even if it means mixing sets to accommodate all of them. I also got a bunch of white cloth napkins -- look for them on sale and buy a pack of 8 or 4 as you find them on sale, and if they aren't perfect matches, I promise you no one will know if they are all rolled or folded the same. Or, if you sew, make your own, because they aren't hard. Your table looks very pretty, and I agree -- perfection can be intimidating to guests sometimes -- you know how guests are afraid to use those pretty guest towels hanging perfectly in the bathroom....!
Two parties now I brought a bowl of fruits just like yours.People love them and easy to prepare.
Thanks for the idea!
I had a large but casual dinner at my house a couple months ago and one of the guests commented that she was surprised I set out real plates for everyone to use. It's so easy to just load them in the dishwasher that it never even occurred to me to use paper plates.
Yes. It would be one thing if I had no dishwasher, but plates in a dishwasher are super easy!
I'm not sure why, but I absolutely HATE paper plates. Growing up, I remember my family using them quite a bit, but I never ventured there. We have them, but I think we've had these for years on years. Mostly because my Mom insists on using them. I'd rather wash! Same with flatware. Same with napkins, really, but we DO end up using paper. Until recently due to some changes in our lives, we used dish towels that matched our house as napkins. We would use them for a bit and then wash. I just kept them in the drawer with the other towels and it was no issue. And believe it or not, they always were pretty clean. Anyways, long paragraph to say, I think it's fab you used the real stuff. I think that is what makes a party feel more special. 🙂
I inherited, from my mother-in-law, an entire china cabinet of Fostoria "American" pattern, which is clear. Goes with any color scheme! I use these plates and glasses for smaller showers and for desserts, etc. also a bunch of the serving pieces. I'm lucky I know! Plus I also have all of her milk glass, which I use less often ( mainly platters, cake stands
and punch bowl) I love planning and hosting showers, my problem is reining myself in and not going too over the top. I set a budget at the outset and do my best to stick to it. Aldi helps immensely.
I experience party inadequacy every time I throw a party! I'm glad I know what it's called now. 🙂
It all looks lovely! I'm not a big party planner, either, but have enjoyed the few parties I've thrown. Personally, I think people are just thrilled that you thought of them (i.e., if it's a shower, birthday party, personal celebration of some kind), and they just want to spend time with you and other friends and/or family. My house is far from perfect, and I try and make it as welcoming as I can when we have company - but I suspect no one really cares about the imperfections as much as I do.;-)
I have had trouble finding good quality and long lasting flatware. What kind of flatware do you use? I love your blog by the way; your advice is always so practical. Thanks!
I'm so glad you enjoy my blog...yay!
I have Oneida flatware that I registered for when I was getting married. That was back in 1997, so its held up quite well. Mine isn't crazy top of the line...probably a middle grade.