Bridal Shower for 18 guests
A buffet-style bridal shower for 18: 6 dishes, about 577 g of food a guest (23 lb in all), 37 lines on the shopping list and around 52 drinks. 20% of the cooking can happen before the day.
- Dishes
- 6
- Food
- 23 lb
- Drinks
- 52
- Shopping lines
- 37
Sized by the planning engine
The menu, amounts and kitchen check
- · We set food for 1 PM — change it if your timing is different.
Menu for 18
To start
- Smoked fish plate, rye & pickles2.5 batches · 20 servingson the day
Mains
- Slab frittata2.5 batches · 20 servingson the day
Sides
- Little gem salad with dates, avocado and champagne vinaigrette2 batches · 12 servingson the day
- Sweet-tea glazed carrots with buttermilk herb dressing1.5 batches · 12 servingson the day
Bread
- Bought sourdough, cultured butter2.5 batches · 20 servingson the day
Dessert
- Set cream tart2 batches · 20 servingsday before
About 577 g of food a guest. 20% of the cooking can be done before the day.
Shopping highlights
- Hot-smoked trout2.8 lb
- Avocado4 ea
- Chives3 tbsp
- Citrus for garnish3 ea
- Fresh dill3 tbsp
- Little gem lettuce9 head
- Medjool dates16 ea
- Mixed soft herbs2.3 cup
- Potato6 lb
- Scallion10 ea
10 of 37 lines. The full list comes with the plan.
Kitchen check
Over capacity
Checked against a starting kitchen of 1 oven and 4 burners — not yours yet. Seats are not counted here: the planner asks for your real number rather than guessing it.
Drinks and cost
- Drinks, all kinds
- 52
- Ice
- 25 lb
- Food, estimated
- $438
About $24 a guest — a planning estimate from typical supermarket costs, not a price.
Countdown
The bridal shower timeline, condensed
8 weeks before
- · Agree the date with the couple, typically one to three months before the wedding.
- · Get the guest list from the couple; only invite people who are invited to the wedding.
4 weeks before
- · Send invitations with registry information and a reply-by date.
- · Choose a theme and order flowers and decorations.
2 weeks before
- · Plan two games and collect any answers you need from the couple.
- · Order the cake or dessert and buy favours.
1 week before
- · Confirm numbers and dietary needs.
- · Finalise the menu and shopping list.
Day before
- · Do the food shop and pick up flowers.
- · Make the tart, cook potato nests and mix dressings.
Day of
- · Bake the frittata and warm the rösti nests before guests arrive.
- · Set up the spritz station with ice, glasses and garnishes.
Day after
- · Give the couple the gift list and photos.
- · Return rentals and borrowed pieces.
Other sizes
Bridal shower for more or fewer
Questions hosts ask
How much food for a bridal shower for 18?
About 23 lb of finished food, or 577 g a guest across 6 dishes, with slab frittata as the main. The amounts are sized by the planning engine and include a small margin.
Should a bridal shower for 18 be a buffet or a sit-down meal?
It usually runs buffet-style: guests help themselves, so not everyone needs a chair at once. Still count the seats you have; the planner never assumes them.
How many drinks for a bridal shower for 18?
About 52 drinks across the party, including alcohol-free ones, and 25 lb of ice.
How far ahead should I start planning?
Start 8 weeks before: agree the date with the couple, typically one to three months before the wedding, and get the guest list from the couple; only invite people who are invited to the wedding.
What does a bridal shower for 18 cost?
The food in this plan comes to roughly $438, about $24 a guest. That is a planning estimate from typical US supermarket costs, not a price for your shop.
Plan my bridal shower for 18
Tell us about your kitchen, your seats and anyone's food needs, and the menu, shopping list and timeline redraw around them.
Start planning