The most important thing to remember when throwing a bridal shower is to pick a bride who has at least 10 close girlfriends who are all incredibly talented and willing to work their asses off for the cause.
This rag tag group of girls will be very easy to meld into a team of Bridal Shower Planning Badasses.
(Note to self: write script about rag tag group of girls who are melded into a team of Bridal Shower Planning Badasses.)
FOOD
Look at the colorful food we made. The matchy-ness wasn’t even planned.
We apparently thought we were going to be feeding about 200 people with all this food. Overindulgence such as this is the reason The Taliban hates us.
And look how happy I am to be holding this bouquet of tomatoes.
You know what makes gorgeous accessories for your party table? Preserved roses that look exactly like fresh roses and last for years. So after your party you can display them in your house and not have to go to the Flower Mart until 2016. It’s a good way to save money, time and effort.
They can be found at Save-On-Crafts. Despite the terribly unimaginative name of the company, they have fantastic stuff. I dare you not to click on that link and get so lost in their offerings that, before you know it, it’s 3 days later and you’ve been fired from your job and all your plants have died due to gross negligence.
I highly recommend Baby Cakes vegan and gluten free donuts for any and every occasion. Like to celebrate Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and/or Sunday. Salted Caramel, Coconut, Coffee Crunch. Those donuts are so good they could broker world peace. And make a vegan-donut-eater out of even the toughest meat-eating cynic (who is most definitely my dad).
And cake pops are trending right now.
Photos by Bethany Nauert.
DRINKS
It’s also super trendy to feature something called a “Signature Cocktail.”
And, with a little imagination, having a Signature Cocktail can make you feel like you are the purveyor of a secret underground club with no sign outside.
We featured a “St. George Gin & Fever Tree Tonic”.
It’s also a good idea to choose your tallest friend to bartend, so attendees can spot her and the bar from across the room.
Photos by Bethany Nauert.
ACTIVITIES
It’s a good idea to make sure no one gets bored, or you will quickly become known around town as a “Failure.” So plan a few interactive activities for your guests.
LASH BAR
If one of the bridesmaids is a make-up artist, you should set up a lash bar for her to (wo)man.
Photos by Bethany Nauert.
COCKTAIL RINGS & PARTY FAVORS
If they can tear themselves away from the donuts, your girlie guests will enjoy making their own cocktail rings. Scenic view optional.
And little ring dishes to house said cocktail rings make excellent party favors. Look how beautifully these dishes were wrapped in kraft paper & pages from a book adorned with buttons. I wish I could take credit for these but they were made by another Badass Team Member.
DRESS UP
Ask your guests to dress for a daytime cocktail party.
Yes, I am 100% certain that at least one guest did not show up because she did not want to dress up. But, MORE FOOD FOR ME, I say.
Many of the dresses that were worn were purchased from Shareen Vintage in downtown LA. Otherwise known as ‘Store I Am Obsessed With.’
Photos by Bethany Nauert.
PHOTO BOOTH
Photo Booths have become de rigueur for parties these days.
I highly recommend Incredibooth for your iPad. It’s only $9.99.
Design Sponge turned me on to it right here.
One Bridal Shower Planning Badass contributed a boat-load of props – her dad’s vintage hat collection, princess hats, pirate eye patches, feather boas, etc.
I contributed my trusty gold faux handgun. It looks like it’s right out of “End Of Watch”, right?
Photo by Bethany Nauert.
And some of us had absolutely no shame and acted out scenes we made up. Scenes in which the hostess is shot by an old timey scoundrel she obviously thought was her friend.
It was also discovered that, along with your jaunty vintage hats, it is sometimes a good idea to use an amicable cat as a Photo Booth prop. Look at him hamming it up.
Right after this, he scratched her eyes out.
Just kidding.
He is so amicable.
MISC TOUCHES
Have a really good photographer (ME) take Engagement photos of the happy couple.
Guests will be impressed by your technological savviness when you feature shuffling photos from the shoot on your tv. You may or may not reveal that it was actually all your tech-savvy husband’s doing because you’re kind of a boob about stuff like that.
Photos by Bethany Nauert.
You can also use photos from the Engagement Shoot to make signs directing attendees to the party.
Engagement photo by Julie Maigret.
Also, take a group shot. True, hardly anyone ever really looks good in a group shot, and at least 20% of the people will have their eyes shut, but take one anyway because they are nice to have around. And you never know when one of the attendees will become famous and you can sell the photo on Ebay for millions.
Photo by Bethany Nauert.
Finally, marry an awesome man who will stick around for the entirety of the shower and replenish cocktails and wash all the dishes for you. This really happened…. I know, right??
Thanks, Handsome Rob, Captain to my (Bandita) Tennille.
And thanks to the Bridal Shower Planning Badasses for making it such a pleasure to honor our beloved friend.
xoj
Julie Townsend Maigret is a Los Angeles-based interior designer focused on creating distinct, modern, livable spaces for her clients. She started her business in 2007 after attending UCLA’s interior design program. She has since developed a portfolio of thoughtful, comfortable, and often quirky residential and commercial interiors.
Leave a Reply