I am hosting a "pot luck" style Bridal SHower. I am not sure how to word it on the invitation.?

Question

Anyone ever held this type of shower and if so, know a good way to suggest for ppl to bring a dish without sounding tacky?

Any help would be great!

Moonmaid---

I like your answer and Idea.. How did you exactly word that invitation? She is my best friend and to make it humorous would be the best.

And to respond to the other womans comment about tackiness. I wish I could share the cost, but the other (2) bridesmaids are not able to contribute much. PLUS the bride is doing a destination wedding, so we are already out 2000 for that.

Answer 1

Maybe put on the invitation:

You are invited to a Bridal Shower** for Sue Smith.

August 12, 2007 12:00 noon

1234 Main Street
Anywhere USA 98765

RSVP: 123-456-7890

** Please bring a special dish to help celebrate Sue's special date!


~~~~~

Alternately, you could just send standard invitations and when people RSVP, let them know then that it's a pot luck. Make a list of what you want (main dish, hors d'ouevres, salad, etc) and ask what a particular person can bring, then check that off your list.

Answer 2

I would just call it a Potluck Bridal Shower in the invitation.
Potlucks tend to be informal affairs and in my opinion it's ok for your invitation to reflect that.

Most polucks have more food that everyone can eat, and sometimes due to work or whatever schedules someone can't bring something and might feel unable to attend. You could avoid this by wording your invitation:

You're invited to a Potluck Bridal Shower for *****.
Time
Date
Address

RSVP to ****** at ***** and advise if you'd like to bring a special dish to share.

You can spice up the above as necessary. I'd do discussion of type of food to bring at the time of the rsvp - as the other answerer suggested, I'd have a list of things and check that off against what people wish to bring so you don't end up with a table full of desserts or something. I would be perfectly comfortable saying "Gee, we've already got four desserts coming, would it be possible to ask you to bring a salad or a vegetable dish?" Especially for those late RSVPers. If they say they can't bring something I would graciously say "Oh that's ok, I'm sure there will be plenty of food."

ps - I really like moon-maids suggestion about bringing the recipe, it adds a whole different flavor to the purpose of the potluck and I think you'd get some really outstanding food based on that approach. Everyone has a favorite recipe they like to show off!

Answer 3

It is not uncommon in some circles to have a pot luck style shower. I would suggest you combine your pot luck style theme with a recipe theme. Instead of bringing gifts, guests would be asked to bring their favorite dish and recipe to share with the bride-to-be. Then after the shower you can present the bride-to-with all the recipes in a nicely decorated recipe box. Or you can even take pictures of each dish to go along side of the recipe and put them in a recipe book or scrapbook to give to her after it has been assembled.

For the invitations include recipe cards for guests to fill out and bring to the shower with their dish. You could make custom invitations using the recipe cards you picked out instead of a traditional invite. On the card you can say something like:

Jane has found the recipe of happiness!
But does she know how to keep it cooking?
So write down your favorite recipe
and bring along the dish
as we shower the bride with food
instead of bringing gifts.

You are cordially invited to attend a recipe shower
honoring Jane Doe
Date
Time
Location
Host

Answer 4

Yes, I listed on the invitation that it was a gourmet event to support the bride. I asked everyone to make their best dish so that she could see what it looked like and so she could try it. I also asked them to bring the recipe for it. Word it honestly as an invitation to help out the bride to be and to support her in her endevour to be a good wife. Or just make a joke about how she can't cook and you desperately need their help. That's what I did. Everyone got a laugh and we had so much food! I put all of their recipes into a little photo album/cookbook and gave it to her after the shower as an added gift from all of us.

Answer 5

In your invite, ask guests to bring a dish made from home along with the recipe. Design your invite to reflect cooking and mealtime. Guests will more than likely serve their "dish" in a dish that is a gift to you. It wouldn't look bad to list it as it is in your question above... "Pot Luck" Bridal Shower.

You can also have guests explain how they prepared their dish and why they believe that would be a good dish to serve your future husband.

Hope this helps!

Answer 6

Where I come from its called a recipe shower, people bring the dishes and the recipes along with them and the recipe cards are put into a box for the bride. To make it uniform send out the recipe cards with the invitation.

Answer 7

You are invited to a Potluck Bridal Shower for Jane on

June 07. 07
2 pm
999 9th ave
City State, zip

Please RXVP by May 31, 2007
[phone] Cindy
Please come and celebrate this wonderful occasion with us!

Answer 8

I agree with the people who said that it was tacky to ask guests to bring both a gift and a dish of food. I think you can do one or the other. If you ask people to bring food, I agree that you can ask them to bring the recipe, and it would be great to put them in a binder for her. But to also ask them to also bring a gift is too much.

Answer 9

People may disagree with me, but I think the whole notion of potluck is tacky. It's one thing if people ask to bring something, but making them do so, is not right.

If you are hosting a party, then you are responsible for all the food and drink your guest will consume. If you can't afford all of that, perhaps you should co-host the event with 1 or more people.

Answer 10

How about something like this or a variation of...(note: obviously your friend's name would be put in place of "Jenny", lol).

Jenny is getting married,
We hope it’s for life,
Help us to teach her,
How to be a good wife!

We’re having a shower,
And here’s the thing,
One of your best dishes,
We want you to bring.

Along with the recipe,
On a nice piece of paper,
We’ll put in a book,
For her to reference later.

With culinary prowess,
A good wife she’ll be.
Hope you can join in the fun,
Please R.S.V.P.

Then put your RSVP details like name, phone#, etc. Oh and of course, the address, time, and so on.

Good Luck, I hope the shower is a huge success!