PARTY PLAN: LUNCH HOUR BABY SHOWER

Seems like there always a new baby or wedding to celebrate! Everything for a lunch hour shower, from the decorations to the menu, needs to be simple and portable. Delicious make ahead items and a few simple craft projects make this lunch hour shower a breeze from set up to clean up. Change the decorations and this party works for baby, bridal, or birthday!

co worker lunch hour shower ideas

QUICK & EASY DECORATIONS

Since you only have an hour, plan party decorations you can put up quickly. Use a clothesline and clothespins to hang photos, baby bibs, socks, and other necessities the new mom will need; she can take them home after the party is over. Scan and print cherished family pictures to prevent damage to the originals. 

For our tiny office baby shower for Caroline, we went to our favorite restaurant and met friends there. A quick centerpiece from baby bottles, rubber ducks, booties, and navy ribbon was the perfect welcome for our newest team member, baby Navy.

COORDINATE COLORS

Mixing different sizes and shapes of like-colored plates gives your table and buffet a coordinated look without the added expense of buying paper products. Ask your fellow hostesses to bring their dish on a white serving piece, too. Food looks great on white dishes and it creates a cohesive look.

CENTERPIECE MADE SIMPLE WITH CHILDHOOD MEMORIES

coworker baby shower centerpiece ideas

Ask moms around the office to bring in old glass baby bottles to use as vases for your centerpiece. A variety of different sizes and heights work well. If you’re lucky enough to have blooms in your yard, clip some to make a casual flower arrangement or get a bunch from the florist and use a single stem in each bottle.

Party hostesses or the guest of honor’s family can bring a special treasure from childhood--- favorite books, baby booties, rattles to dress up a conference room table and serve as conversation starters. Pretty blue trays, ribbons, or a tablecloth make a plain office table party pretty.  

MAKE AHEAD MENU

Select a “can’t miss” menu that will work well for a “bring a dish” party. Choose items that will travel well, hold well and require very little assembly before the party. Make sure to wrap all items carefully and store properly until serving time. Remember to ask hostesses to bring food in a white serving dish for a completely coordinated look. Shown are some of my make-ahead favorites: Citrus Pickled Shrimp, Cheese Puffs, and a cheese board.

Make drinks ahead and transport in a pitcher you can use for serving. Any drink served in a glass with a stem seems special, even something as simple as Prosecco--- Italian sparkling wine. Use it to make Apricot Bellinis, a fresh twist on a Mimosa. Substitute ginger ale or lemon-lime soda for an office party or as a non-alcoholic beverage choice for the mom-to-be. Get beverage or cocktail recipes...

BUILD YOUR BUFFET

baby shower for a coworker party ideas

If you have the typical ugly office table to use for your buffet, dress it up with a large napkin or a scarf. In addition to the menu, take a little help from the store and build out your buffet with signature antipasto items like tapenade, smoked mozzarella, salami, peppers, marinated artichokes, olives, and breadsticks.  

FINISHING TOUCHES

baby shower with rubber duck theme

Get a cake from the bakery...  yes, I said it. It is perfectly okay to take some help from the store or bakery. Decorate with items the new mom can use like these rubber duckies. Get a little more than you need so there plenty for an afternoon coffee break...:)

WATCH MY LUNCH HOUR BABY SHOWER VIDEO ON MYRECIPES.COM

PLANNING ADVICE: HOW TO BUY WINE FOR A PARTY OR WEDDING

Every savvy host knows that almost half of their overall party budget will be directed to food and beverages and wine can be a significant part of that expense. Wine is not only expensive, it is intimidating. There are thousands of choices and so many new labels; it is easy to make a mistake or worry you are going to make a mistake when selecting wine and champagne for a large crowd. Even experienced party-givers and industry professionals are a little intimidated when it comes to selecting wine. I don’t pretend to be an expert in this area. I know a little, but I prefer to rely on the real experts to guide me. It’s their job to be up on the latest, best, and best priced wines in the market so I go to them for help. Any large wine seller will have an in-house expert. Give them a budget and they should be able to recommend several wines to meet your needs.

how to buy wine for a party or wedding Martie Duncan

Here are the most questions I am most frequently asked about wine:  

How much wine do I need for my party?

The basic rule of thumb for calculating consumption is 5 glasses per standard 750 milliliter bottle of wine. Many glasses are oversized but don’t be tempted to over-pour. Five ounces is considered the correct amount per glass no matter how large the glass.

Dinner Party: Estimate four glasses per guest for a four hour dinner party or about one glass per hour. For example, if you have ten guests for four hours, you’d serve forty glasses of wine which would be about 8 bottles. You’ll have to determine the ratio of white to red based on your menu and guest list. (Add 20% extra like the caterers do, especially if you have some heavy drinkers on your guest list.)

Cocktail Party: Estimate three glasses per guest every two hours. For example, if you have ten guests for 2 hours that would be thirty glasses of wine which would be six bottles of wine. Determine your ratio of white to red wine based on the time of year, the time of your party, your menu, and your guest list. Why? Because women will usually drink more white wine than red and men have a tendency to drink more red wine. In summer, typically more people will drink white wine than red. For a party in the afternoon, more people will drink white than red to keep things light. At an evening affair, red is almost always the more popular choice but that could vary depending on the menu. If your guests list includes more women than men and your party is on a summer afternoon, you’ll need a greater percentage of white wine than red. If your party is in the fall, most of your guests are men, and the guests arrive at seven in the evening, you’ll likely serve more red wine than white. Are you completely confused? 

How much should I spend on wine for my party?

There are so many good wines available in every price range you can find something to serve that is easy to drink and easy on your pocket, too. I have no trouble finding good wines under $15 per bottle. A few good ones are listed below.  

Do I need to rent or buy special glasses?

Anything goes, but if you are having a large party, renting glassware is an easy solution. You can mix and match, too, but that isn’t what wine snobs would tell you. For a large event, you aren’t likely serving high value wines so you don’t have to use the perfect wine glass. Champagne, however, is best served in a flute. Target, Pottery Barn, and Pier 1 all have boxed sets of affordable wine glasses that come in a sturdy box for storage. Buy several of these and you won’t have to worry about renting. I don’t like serving wine in plastic but will occasionally use it for the right occasion—like at the beach where glass is prohibited, for example. 

What wines do you recommend?

Since wines are always changing, it is difficult to recommend one. It seems as if every time I go to my favorite wine store, I don’t recognize half of the brands on the shelves. I do have a few “go-to” favorites for different occasions. What I buy depends on the size of the crowd. For small, intimate gatherings, I tend to spend more per bottle than I do when there is a large crowd. Also, I will spend more on wine if the emphasis of the party is on the food. If we’re having a big party with lots of beverage options, I don’t spend a lot on the wine; I like to keep the price around $12 per bottle.

If I have a party coming up and want to be sure of what I’m buying, I will stop into Whole Foods or a wine shop where they have wine tastings to sample wines that will work for my event. They typically have a price break during these events so I try to stock up.

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WEDDINGS: BLACK AND WHITE REHEARSAL DINNER

When my friends Scott and Cam's son Jeremy got married, I helped Cam implement her party plan for the after rehearsal dinner--- a casual shrimp boil on the lake.  The party was touching tribute complete with speeches and sentimental moments--- a perfect kick-off for a busy wedding weekend. The theme for the party was black and white and all of the guests dressed in black and white attire.

ideas for a rehearsal dinner Martie Duncan

We created a casual yet elegant setting which allowed the perfect opportunity for everyone to relax and catch up. All of the out-of-town family and friends were included in the after rehearsal dinner festivities.  

party at the lake Martie Duncan

We were able to borrow tables and chairs from the family's church to avoid having to rent them. White tablecloths were not actually tablecloths but twin sheets Cam found for a few dollars each. They were topped with a black and white topper or runner. Lanterns with an antique feel were used along with vases of white flowers and photos of the couple throughout their relationship.

We greeted guests at poolside with cold glasses of iced tea and traditional Southern favorites like Black-Eye Pea dip, cheese straws, bacon and cheese muffins, and fresh fruit.

Family and friends all pitched in to help with the food. The Shrimp Boil was cooked on the dock and served in a huge wooden boat. Tables were set with cocktail sauce and melted butter for dipping. Homemade bread with sweet butter rounded out the menu.

black and white rehearsal dinner plan Martie Duncan