kb - No Place Like OME Bridal-shower hostesses nix restaurant and synagogue parties in favor of in-house get-togethers. BY SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN U mbrella-and-raindrops wrap- ping paper, an assortment of tiny sandwiches, petit fours and gushing women — there's bound to be a future bride in the center of it all. And for reasons that aim toward a more intimate gathering, curbing costs or just something different, showering the bride-to-be at home is finding its way onto the list of pre-wedding celebrations. Mirjam Gunz Schwarcz, for example, estimates she has hosted 15-20 bridal showers in her Oak Park home over the last eight years after friends and neigh- bors discovered her ongoing offer of hos- pitality. "There is something about the privacy and coziness of a home shower," Schwarcz says. "Having everything you 16 • JUNE 2006 • JNPLATINUM need — from a nearby lemon for your tea to easy access to the powder room — is a nice convenience." Most of the showers that Schwarcz has helped plan have been what she terms "hostess showers" — parties where nearly everyone is a hostess — held among her Orthodox neighbors. "Anywhere from 15-30 women get together, share the expenses and really set up the husband and wife with as many of the major things they'll need," she explains. "A lot of the girls do not register, so we look to get them what is popular in linens, cutlery, cookware, baking items and small appliances." The group involved in these show- ers has charted a system that puts each hostess' monetary input to its best use. "Saving money for gifts is the reason we plan the showers at home, menu and all," Schwarcz says. Another innovative way to allow for more quality gift items is through advance shopping. "There is a woman in our community who, whenever she hears about a sale, jumps into her car and shops for toasters and telephones and other things needed to set up a home," Schwarcz says. "Then we choose shower items from what has already been pur- chased at great prices." Over the years, Schwarcz has acquired stacks of chairs and table linens to help expedite shower set-up. "The food is set up as a buffet in the kitchen, and everyone eats roaming around the den, dining room, living room, wherever," she explains. Decorating is also a breeze since Schwarcz has accumulated shower- themed items like candles, candlesticks, pillows and small bride-and-groom figu- rines. She also shares the collection with other would-be hostesses, asking only for a security deposit and the promise of a donation to the Zichron Foundation, an Oak Park—based organization that helps brides with wedding expenses. For Barbara Dworin of Bloomfield Hills, the decision to host a summer 2005 bridal shower in her home came after an unsuccess- ful search for a kosher location large enough to fit 50 women but small enough to keep things intimate and more personal Because all guests could gather in one room on the main level of the house, Dworin's home was deemed a fit for Tracye Burnstein's party, after discus- sion among hostesses that also included Davida Robinson of Franklin and Linda Jacobson, Robin Pappas and Betsy Wolf, all of West Bloomfield. "All the hostesses are friends of Tracye's mom," says Dworin of her friend Tobye Bello of West Bloomfield. "Tracye is the oldest of the group of family friends and the first to get married, so hopefully this was the first of many showers we'll plan together in our homes." And according to the bride, the set- ting for the late-Sunday-morning shower was ideal. "A room with large windows looks out to the lake and woods behind Barbara's beautiful home — it was per- fect," says Tracye, who settled in Ferndale with her new husband, Jeremy Burnstein, after their November nuptials. On shower day, the furniture was moved out of Dworins' family room and round tables and chairs were set up to accommodate guests. "The tables were colorful, with lots of purples and pinks," Dworin says. "We used linen cloths and napkins and silver serving pieces. And each table had different coordinating flowers that Davida arranged in porcelain vases." A wait staff served the kosher lun- cheon, prepared entirely by the hostesses, that included poached salmon, salad and sweets. "They are all fabulous cooks, and the fact that they each made something made it more special," Tracye says. Her mom also was touched by her friends' generosity of time and involve- ment and was delighted with their choice of venue. "It's a warm and cozy feeling to be in someone's home," Bello says. "But they also made it very elegant." Adds Tracye, "Everybody raved about each part of the shower. Many of them commented that they had not been to a shower in a home before, and they thought it was such a unique and creative idea." ❑ Clockwise from top left: Bring out your best china and silver to set a pretty table for an intimate gathering at home. Tracye Burnstein was the recipient of an at-home bridal shower. Hostesses Betsy Wolf, Linda Jacobson, Robin Pappas and Davida Robinson are friends of the bride's mother, Tobye Bello.