Month: March 2017

There are so many possibilities when it comes to deciding on a venue for a baby shower. But have you ever considered holding this special event at a restaurant?

Restaurants offer an ambient, appealing and often large space with plenty of tasty menu options. All that’s needed is for you to apply your own personal touch, making it a day to remember.

But how exactly do you plan a baby shower at a restaurant? Budgets to balloons, food to friends, there’s lots to prepare. We’ve put together our top tips to help you plan the perfect baby shower at a restaurant. 

Top tips for planning a baby shower at a restaurant

Planning a baby shower can seem daunting, which is why we’ve outlined our top tips. We’ve hosted plenty of special occasions here at COSMO, so we know just how important it is to focus on the smaller details. 

Set your budget

Before you commence any preparations, it’s always best to set a budget to follow. Whilst it can be hard to pick a figure to stick to, your budget must be realistic. 

When deciding on a budget, make sure to include:

• The chosen restaurant venue
• Food and drinks
• Decorations
• Invitations 
• Games and prizes
• Thank you notes
• Any extras you may require

Choose the right location

There are countless restaurants out there, but which ones would make the ideal baby shower venue?

First things first, you’ll need to check that the restaurant can be used to host events and that they’d be happy to cater for your baby shower. They’ll often ask how many people will be attending, so you’ll need to have your guest list sorted!

Once you’ve found a list of restaurants that would be happy to cater for your big day, you’ll need to decide which one you like the sound of the most. Which cuisine would your guests most enjoy? Will the restaurant cater for the dietary requirements of friends and family? Is it spacious enough for all of your guests? Do you like the location? 

At COSMO, we offer an all-you-can-eat world buffet experience. From the spices of Asia to the comfort of a carvery, we embrace flavours from every corner of the world. With plenty of choice, global buffets offer something for every guest.

Complete your guest list and invitations

The big question. Who to invite? You’ll need to compile a list of all of your guests before you begin writing invites, making sure you don’t miss anyone out! 

Once you’ve decided on your list of attendees, it’s time to put together the invites. These could be created yourself using an online tool such as Canva or Adobe, or you could opt for a company to design and print these for you. 

If you’re following a set theme for your locations, your invitations could match with this theme too.  

Whilst you can design your invites however you like, there are a few key pieces of information to include:

• Name of the host
• Guest of honour 
• Date and time
• Location
• RSVP and contact details
• The dress code
• Food options 
• A space to provide dietary requirements 

Consider dietary restrictions and preferences

Dietary restrictions and personal preferences are an important detail. Whilst the food served at a restaurant may look tasty, will it meet the needs of your guests? 

From vegetarian and vegan dishes to gluten-free options, there are a range of dietary requirements to be aware of. An easy way to ensure all guests are catered for is to include a section on your invite for dietary requirements. This could be in the form of a checkbox layout, including standard requirements and a space for additional comments.

If you’re going to offer set menu options, these could also be listed on your invites for ease.

Ensure a smooth flow of events

Before you can relax and enjoy the big day, make sure you have a plan of how the event will flow. Planning this in advance will help you to avoid any awkward moments on the day. For example, who will greet the guests? Do you know what time the food will be served? Who will be paying the bill? Will there be time for games after the meal? You can never be too prepared!

You’ll also need to consider what time the event will finish. Take a look at what time the restaurant closes and decide whether you’ll continue the celebrations elsewhere after the closing time.

As the special day unfolds, relax and immerse yourself in the festive celebrations. To discover more about COSMO and explore our offerings, feel free to reach out to our team or visit any of our restaurant locations, including Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Norwich.

With beautiful decorations, delicious food and plenty of space for all of your guests, restaurants offer a perfect venue to host a bridal shower. 

However, planning a bridal shower at a restaurant can seem like a daunting task. From table themes to invitations, food choices to payments, there’s lots to prepare. To help make the preparations a little easier, we’ve put together our top tips for throwing the perfect bridal shower at a restaurant. 

Our top tips for throwing a bridal shower at a restaurant

Here at COSMO, we’ve catered for countless special occasions, so we know how important it is to get everything just right. Whilst your first thought might be to decide on the food, that’s not the only thing you’ll need to consider.

Choose table themes and decors

When deciding on decorations, it’s best to start by choosing a theme. You could opt for something elegant, retro, floral, rustic, sophisticated – whatever best represents the bride’s personality and personal taste. 

Once you’ve opted for a theme, it’s time to decide where to position your decorations. Throwing a bridal shower at a restaurant means you’ll already have plenty of tables ready to decorate.

Pretty table runners, place cards, personalised napkins, custom tableware, table confetti, floral arrangements and candles can all be used to create a truly special table design.

And it’s not just the tables that offer a space to decorate. If the restaurant allows, why not add banners, balloons, welcome signs, fairy lights and even wall backdrops around the room? Just ensure that all of your decorations follow a similar theme to create a consistent and memorable look.

Send out invitations and RSVPs 

Invitations and RSVPs are, of course, an important part of any bridal shower preparation. Whether you choose to order them or make them yourself, invitations can be customised to suit your theme. 

A bridal shower invitation usually includes a greeting, a request for the person’s attendance, the location and RSVP contact details. But how you design these invitations is completely up to you. Why not add a custom message or even add a photo?

Manage seating arrangements 

Whilst seating arrangements aren’t always required, it can help to ensure things run smoothly on the day. Having an organised arrangement with personalised place cards will help your guests know exactly where to sit.

Think about which of the guests should sit at the bride’s table and consider placing other friends and mutual friends together, making sure everyone feels comfortable in their chosen place.

Bridal shower seating charts can also be a great decorative way for your guests to find their place at the table. A large seating chart surrounded by decorations and garlands can make a beautiful centrepiece within the restaurant. 

Consider photography options

A bridal shower is an incredibly special event with memories that the bride will want to cherish. Photographs are the perfect way to create lasting keepsakes of the day. 

Whilst you can, of course, take photos yourself, there are plenty of photographers who specialise in wedding and bridal shower photography. Hiring somebody to take photos for you means that your guests can relax and enjoy the event without having to remember to snap some shots. 

From the decorations to the guests, professional photographers will capture the atmosphere of the event from start to finish. Photographs also make a great gift to send to your guests afterwards.

And to make things a little more fun, why not buy some photo booth frames and props for your guests to enjoy?

Have a payment plan

It’s always a good idea to have a payment plan sorted out in advance to avoid awkward situations on the day. Typically, the person or people who host the shower are the ones who will pay, but it’s increasingly common for lots of people to chip in.

Whichever payment arrangements you decide on, make sure that somebody is ready and able to pay the bill at the end of the meal. If you are offering a set menu to your guests, the restaurant will be able to tell you a price before the day arrives. 

Consider dietary restrictions and preferences

When deciding which menus and food to opt for, you’ll need to consider dietary restrictions and personal preferences. Many people choose to include a section on their invitations to ask for dietary requirements. This could be a simple checkbox layout, including standard requirements and a space for comments. If you’re offering set menu options, you could also ask your guests to tick their preferred choice. 

Here at COSMO, we offer an all-you-can-eat buffet experience, with a range of cuisines including Asian, Indian, Teppanyaki, Deli and Continental. So everyone is sure to find something they’ll enjoy. 

Once all the preparations are complete, savor the grand day! To explore the offerings at COSMO, contact our team or check out each of our restaurant locations, including Edinburgh, Bournemouth, and Norwich.