26 Delicious Bites to Serve at Your Bridal Shower (2024)

Rather than serving a full-fledged breakfast, lunch, or dinner at your bridal shower, make like many hosts and provide an assortment of appetizers, desserts, and drinks for your guests to enjoy as they celebrate the bride-to-be. Finger foods are a staple at these events because they're easy to eat while mingling and participating in other activities, like games. They're also less expensive than a formal meal—and are usually easier to DIY.

There are tons of small, simple, and creative options for bridal shower fare. You can settle on comfort food, offer refined, tea party-worthy treats, give your cuisine a cultural spin, or whatever else you (and the bride) want. For a truly unique carte du jour, provide a variety of refreshments (this also makes your party friendlier to different palates, diets, and allergies). Here, we've gathered more than two dozen delicious small-plate ideas to whet your appetite for the big day.

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Waffles

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Enhance the fluffy breakfast food with fruit, nuts, syrup, whipped cream, or whatever else your heart desires. A brunch shower with a topping bar sounds like a genius idea to us.

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Macarons

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Bite-size and oh so sweet, macarons stacked on your bridal shower spread ensures guests will be delighted. And it's something a strong baker could easily DIY—the mother of the bride actually made the delicious treats shown here.

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Arancini

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Creatively served, gourmet crispy fennel and leek arancini is a unique option for any bridal shower. Guests will love picking the savory balls of rice from a branch.

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Watermelon and Feta

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Part salty, part sweet, these refreshing appetizers are great for a summertime shower.

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Deviled Eggs

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Deviled eggs are a party (and shower) classic. Give yours extra flavor with fun seasonings like sumac and Aleppo pepper.

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Assorted Sweets

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Salted caramel cheesecake bites, mini puffed pastries, and colorful macarons make for great bridal shower finger food.

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Sautéed Shrimp

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Sautéed shrimp with mint butter in orange sauce offers just the right amount of fresh, summery ingredients ideal for a warm-weather bridal shower.

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Root Vegetables

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Chefs at Beach Plum Farm created this root vegetable mixture as a side dish. Light fare like this is great for a daytime shower.

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Donuts

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Who doesn't love a donut wall? This setup offers a sweet treat guests can grab themselves, and doubles as a photo opp.

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Pizza

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It's hard to find someone who won't indulge in a slice of this comfort food. If ordering from a pizza joint feels too casual, make special pies with unique toppings yourself, or ask your caterer to whip up an array of options for guests.

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Pulled Chicken Nachos

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Guests can snack on pulled chicken and pork nachos before the bridal shower festivities begin.

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Elevated Sliders

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Cru Catering provided a menu of passed appetizers, including mini braised pork biscuits with bourbon-peach jam for this event. Mini bites are ideal if you want guests to try a little bit of everything.

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Mini Pizzas

Modern Art Catering created these tiny, arugula-topped pizzas for an added twist.

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Caprese Bites

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Tomatoes, mozzarella, basil, and balsamic are all you need to make these one-bite snacks.

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Wraps

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Sandwich platters are popular choices, too. Make yours unique by offering less-common options, like chickpea shawarma wraps.

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Caviar Rings

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These fancy treats (made of cracker rings topped with caviar) will be a cute nod to the bride's engagement.

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Soft Pretzels

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Need proof that these carnival classics are easy to DIY? The ones pictured were made by a friend of the bride and groom.

See More of Our Favorite Carnival Food Ideas for Wedding-Related Events

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Crab Cakes

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These hearty crab cakes, provided by Montage Palmetto Bluff, were topped with a tartar sauce aioli for an elegant twist on a classic. Serve them in mini size for an appetizer or alongside a salad for a brunch or lunch entrée.

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Fried Chicken

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Don't be shy about greasy fingers—the best foods leave a mark! Just be sure to provide plenty of napkins so guests don't ruin their party attire.

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Welsh Rarebit

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Never heard of this cheesy treat? It's time to read up. Claire Thomas made this version by combining grated cheddar cheese, eggs, paprika, dried mustard, Worcestershire sauce, salt, pepper, and pale ale, then spreading the mixture over bread. Broil the snack until golden brown to make it look as mouthwatering as it tastes.

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Steak Bites

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A sit-down meal with a main dish of steak would cost a pretty penny. Stay on budget by serving small pieces of quality meat on skewers.

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Mac-and-Cheese Bites

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For a healthier take on fried mac-and-cheese balls, put out small scoops of the noodle dish instead.

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Oysters

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Oysters XO supplied these passed oysters, and servers walked around shucking the shellfish for guests.

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Devils on Horseback

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These hors d'oeuvres were put together by wrapping dates and goat cheese in bacon.

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Pitas and Hummus

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Chips and guac are yummy for sure, but so is this Mediterranean alternative.

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Baby Greek Salads

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When filled with sample-size portions, disposable paper cups suddenly seem cool. Try serving mini salads (we like Greek) in them.

26 Delicious Bites to Serve at Your Bridal Shower (2024)

FAQs

What are the most popular finger foods for parties? ›

Easy Finger Food Recipes to Make Ahead
  1. Fried Pickles. Treat your guests to fried pickles for fun finger food ideas. ...
  2. Fried Mac and Cheese Rolls. ...
  3. Deviled Eggs. ...
  4. Honey Garlic Meatballs. ...
  5. Garlic Breadsticks. ...
  6. Salted Soft Pretzels. ...
  7. Whipped Ricotta Crostini. ...
  8. Vietnamese Spring Rolls.
3 days ago

What do you serve at a 2 pm bridal shower? ›

For bridal showers that take place in the morning or early afternoon, Hammond suggests choosing buffet-style or co*cktail services with lighter fare and finger foods. If the celebration has a later start time, around dinner, the caterer recommends going for a heavier, more nourishing meal.

What food should you have at a bridal shower? ›

The bridal shower food you serve should reflect the bride's personality and preferences, whether she loves goat cheese, fresh fruit, sweet treats, or savory bite-size appetizers and snacks. You may serve a sit-down meal or opt for an assortment of hors d'oeuvres and finger sandwiches for a casual atmosphere.

How much finger food for 25 guests? ›

Quantity. A good rule of thumb when working with your caterer on just how many hors d'oeuvres to choose is as follows: for 10 – 12 guests a minimum of 5 selections, 25 guests a minimum of 9 selections and for 50 guests, a minimum of 13 selections.

What are the five finger food groups? ›

Enjoy food from each of the five food groups and you'll be getting a fantastic mix of the best nutrients and vitamins.
  • 1 Carbohydrates. Carbohydrates give you energy, calcium and B vitamins. ...
  • 2 Protein. ...
  • 3 Dairy products. ...
  • 4 Fruit and vegetables. ...
  • 5 Fats and sugars.

What is a cheap food for a bridal shower? ›

BRUNCH BLISS

Consider serving classic favorites like fluffy pancakes, croissants, crispy bacon, eggs Benedict, fresh fruit platters, and assorted pastries. Yogurt parfaits are also super easy and cheap to put together!

What is the best dessert for a bridal shower? ›

French favorites like macarons and eclairs are beloved options for bridal showers, as are classic sweets like brownies, cupcakes, and cookies. For a brunch, try muffins, scones, or crêpes, and for a warm-weather soirée, consider frozen desserts like ice cream or sorbet.

What is a good number of guests for a bridal shower? ›

Bridal Shower Guest List Size. An intimate bridal shower for 15 people is perfectly normal, as is a 50-person coed shower that feels more like a co*cktail party. A variety of factors can influence the size of the guest list, such as: the shower location.

Who pays for food at bridal shower? ›

The food and drinks

A potluck-themed bridal shower will ensure you and your guests enjoy an undoubtedly tasty variety of foods to sample and savor, all while reducing your catering costs. However, many showers rely on the host to take care of the spread of delectable delights for bridal shower guests.

How do I make my bride feel special in the shower? ›

For example, you could serve up her favorite foods and signature drink, decorate in (or wear) her favorite color or reference a film or book she loves in the theme and décor. It's a fun way to make the bride feel extra special on her big day.

How much should you spend on food for a bridal shower? ›

A bridal shower with simple refreshments at the host's home, for example, can cost $10 to $15 or less per person, according to CostHelper.com. You just need to employ some creative tips for budget bridal showers to make the event more affordable.

Do you have to give favors at a bridal shower? ›

Giving out wedding shower favors isn't necessary, but it's a (really) nice gesture.

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