Entertaining Ideas for the Smart Hostess | 11

Bridge showers are popular—the larger items like a table or two, a joint
gift from several friends; card decks, table covers, score pads, tall iced-
drink glasses, small dishes for sweets, ash trays—and any number of prizes
to be given at future bridge parties when the bride herself is entertaining!

A kitchen shower, with all the pieces worked into a model for a motor
car, a house, or other ingenious outline.

A shower of powders, bath salts, fancy soaps, and other toilet luxuries,
stacked upon a decorated tea wagon and drawn before the bride. A loose-
leaf cook book with a favourite recipe from every guest. A shower of
preserves or relishes, especially welcome out of season—presented in a smart
market basket. Pieces of the silver flatware the bride is collecting—each
fork and spoon with its donor’s card tied to a dangling ribbon-end, showering
from a lovely bouquet.

THE WEDDING RECEPTION

Beauty of table—deliciousness in food for those prosaic enough to
recognize it—menu and service easily within the scope of the house, its
people and facilities—

A perfect party for the bride, of course.

If the wedding is in the morning, a repast served up to high noon is called
a wedding breakfast. A light hot dish, such as a fish or chicken paté or
croquette, (see No. 19 for a good suggestion) ices of the fruit sherbet or
water ice type, rather than the rich creams, coffee more admirable than
usual, if possible—the little hot savoury canapés if they are practical (in
case of small numbers or plentiful toasting facilities and cooks free to handle
the appetizing morsels)—these are most suitable to early hours. If noon
approaches a complete luncheon menu may be rounded out—with a chilled
appetizer (Nos. 7 to 10) a hot or cold main dish (Nos. 11 to 34) appropriate
accessories in the way of sandwiches, tiny biscuits, finger rolls, and so forth;
salads and sweets are the usual order. A fruit punch to toast the bride.
(No. 55 or 56).

And at all times—the wedding cake, of course.

The big afternoon wedding follows the lines of the big reception for any
occasion—with the added bridal touches. The evening wedding may have
the same kind of buffet service, similar foods—or like the breakfast, the
guests may be seated at large or small tables, and three or four courses
served with formality.

The usual afternoon or evening menu: sandwiches, small cakes, wedding
cake, tea or coffee—if just a small intimate group has returned to the house
or witnessed the ceremony; the addition of a hot dish such as a patty or a
_ ramekin holding an a la king or similar mixture (No. 14 or 15)—your best
chicken salad (you would like the one in the luncheon section) or a jellied
chicken or lobster or shrimp mould (Nos. 24 to 27)—or both the hot and
cold dishes as alternatives. Ice-cream and fancy ices, if you like. All the
little luxuries of nutments, sweets. | F

And the bride’s table—the wedding cake centering it, and set back a
little if the table is close to a wall; tall candles in candelabra or two or three
tapers guarding the cake at each side; slender vases of delicate flowers
placed around it—larger baskets of blooms placed nearer the ends of a
big buffet table. A froth of tulle, (with maiden hair fern, small flowers,
delicate confetti in its folds), swathed around the raised base of the cake.