Category Archives: Bridal Shower

Spa Bridal Shower Inspiration

Is there any group of people in more desperate need of relaxation than brides-to-be? A spa bridal shower is the perfect way to help her take a deep breath, relax and treat herself before the big day. Book a party at a local spa or set up DIY beauty treatments at home, depending on your budget and preferences. Consider starting the day off with an invigorating activity like a yoga class (make sure it’s at a beginner level so all guests feel comfortable). Working out together will make you feel good about yourself, especially if cocktails find their way into later phases of the day—now the party is guilt-free! Choose a few beauty treatments, like facials, manicures or body scrubs, and take turns playing spa attendant or teach guests how to mix up the concoctions and apply themselves. In need of at-home spa treatment ideas? We have tons on our Spa Bridal Shower Pinterest board. Serve refreshing sparkling fruit and mint-infused water and cooling dishes like this cucumber salad to keep with the theme of fresh and wholesome living. The finishing touch? Send guests away with a take-home beauty treatment like this homemade peppermint foot scrub in a colorful Treat Yourself bag.

Image credits: Renew Yourself invite, beauty bar, homemade peppermint foot scrub, mango sushi bites, strawberry cucumber mint water, cilantro lime cucumber salad, yoga bridal shower, chia smoothie, Treat Yourself favor bags

A Fresh Floral Backyard Tea Party Shower

This tea party shower was a true work of love by matron of honor Ashley and maid of honor Christianne. The two carefully planned every detail, from the floral arrangements designed by Christianne to the tea bag–shaped cookies monogrammed with bride Holly’s future last initial. The backyard was transformed with elegant tables set with gold chargers and purple linens. The effect is regal yet relaxed, as the guests sipped sparkling wine and mingled in the Houston sunshine. After tea, treats and a few shower games, the guests gathered in a circle around Holly and each shared what they love most about the bride-to-be. A few of the memories (especially the words from Holly’s mother) led to tearful hugs. Finally, the women prayed over Holly, sending their love and best wishes for her upcoming marriage and new life. What a perfect, beautiful way to share support and love for the bride before her big day!

Photography: Michelle Able Photography | Event Planning: Ashley Appling, Matron of Honor | Florals: Christianne Taylor, Maid of Honor | Catering: Swift + Company | Linens: What’s the Occassion Linens and Decor

Around the Clock Shower Gift Guide

If you’ve happened upon this post, you’ve probably already been invited to an Around the Clock Shower. For this popular shower theme, each guest is assigned a time of day and asked to bring a gift that can be used at that time. Though the concept is cute, it often leads to scratching of heads when guests are assigned a time that doesn’t immediately correspond to an activity. Common outcry of “but you’ll just be sleeping between 1 and 5am” or “what exactly does one do at 3 in the afternoon?” can be heard from party guests around the globe. Though it can take a bit of creative thinking, you can find a present for any time of day. Here, I’ve given you a bit of help. Remember to consider both weekday and weekend activities when brainstorming. Don’t like my suggestions for your exact hour? Look at the ones right before or after—I bet you they’d work for your time too.

Also, make sure to affix a tag with your time of day to the outside of your present (some hosts may provide this with your invitation). Often the gifts are opened in chronological order. Feel free to include a little note on why you chose the gift for that hour, or just share with the group as the bride is opening.

6am: Rise and shine! Does the bride like to work out in the morning? Gift her a new yoga mat, your personal favorite workout clothes, or passes to a new class she might enjoy (barre, body pump, spinning, whatever the cool kids are doing now). Is she more likely to hit the snooze button than the gym? Go for a fancy coffee maker, your favorite brand of fair-trade brew, or a cute coffee mug like this one. Andrew and I have a tradition of gifting each other mugs each Christmas printed with the funniest pictures we’ve taken of each other that year. Feel free to start that tradition for the bride.

7am: Getting ready. Gift her with your favorite beauty products or a subscription to Birchbox so she can try new products each month. She’ll need a beautiful mirror in the hallway to check her hair, right? Or how about a handy coat rack, mail holder or jewelry box—she’ll have to make a stop there before she heads out the door.

8am: Time to head to work. A nice leather tote that can fit all her work essentials would be a stellar gift. Help her hide Monday morning hangovers with a pair of sunglasses. Does she take public transportation? A monogrammed Kindle case or some of your favorite recent reads make a nice gift. Drive to work? Would she like Sirius radio or a Garmin GPS?

9am: Breakfast is served! If it’s a lazy weekend, she’s going to need a great pair of slippers and a fuzzy robe to match. Stock her kitchen with everything she’ll need for a gourmet breakfast: silver grapefruit spoons, a crepe pan, muffin tins, a juicer, whatever. Personalize a kitchen gift with your favorite breakfast recipe handwritten on a recipe card.

10am: 10am is like the perfect time to catch a flight, right? (Sure it is. Just go with it.) A set of luggage is a generous and long-lasting gift (I’m still using a set that was gifted to me over a decade ago—god, now I feel old) or opt for smaller travel accessories, like a monogrammed passport carrier, leather luggage tags, makeup pouches (great for stashing all kinds of little things) or packing bags like these to separate your dirty clothes from the clean while on the trip—so clever!

11am: Weekend brunch begins. And brunch makes me think of two things: Eggs Benedict and mimosas. Provide the gear necessary for these classic brunch staples, or present the couple with a gift certificate to a fancy local spot. You could also stock their pantry with fancy jams, designer pancake mixes and Bloody Mary mix.

12pm: Create a whimsical lunchtime picnic in the park with a picnic set and blanket. Want to get away from kitchen/food gifts? Decorate her home so that she has something to gaze at while she enjoys a sandwich at the kitchen table or on the couch. Artfully Walls and Minted both have very affordable prints in all different styles and allow you to create groupings for instant gallery walls.

1pm: A Saturday afternoon is the perfect time for an outing. Get the couple a membership to a local museum or zoo, or buy them tickets to a nearby attraction, like a theme park. Sessions at a rock climbing gym, a cooking class, a deep-sea fishing excursion or kayak trip could be the perfect thing to help the couple de-stress or connect over sharing a new activity.

2pm: Commence weekend lounging hour. Get her ready for an afternoon by the pool or at the shore with a cute beach tote, pretty patterned beach towels, a flirty coverup or useful sun hat. Add high-quality sun protection for her skin and hair or a ridiculously awesome pool float.

3pm: She works hard for the money…especially at 3pm when she’ll start to glance at the clock, waiting for quitting time. Poppin carries basic office supplies in very non-basic colors, or check out Knock Knock for clever, cheeky paper products. A cheerful terrarium would certainly brighten up her space. Or how about a snappy little business card holder to step up her business-lady game?

4pm: Sun’s out, grill’s on, time to head to the backyard for a BBQ. Does she need some lawn games like corn hole or croquet? How about a fun hammock, pretty planters or twinkly outdoor lighting? Find her the perfect crystal pitcher for lemonade (or sangria). Plus, cute serving platters and bowls will be appreciated for entertaining. Girl’s gotta have something to serve guac in!

5pm: As the saying goes, it’s always 5 o’clock somewhere. Stock her bar for the quintessential happiest of hours with glassware and cocktail accessories, like a shaker or muddler. Splurge on top-shelf liquor or mixers she might not normally pick up—here’s a great guide to stocking her bar cart.

6pm: The couple who cooks together stays together. There’s a whole range of special and long-lasting gifts you can pick out for the kitchen. A Dutch oven, grill pan, immersion blender, high-quality sheet pans and baking dishes will all last and get lots of use over the years. A word on gifting knives: I recently found out there is a superstition that giving people knives is bad luck, but I got a set of chef’s knives for my high school graduation and they are to this day one of the best presents I’ve ever gotten.

7pm: Dinner is served. Time to break out those cute novelty plates, wine glasses, and other much-needed serving ware. Provide dinner inspiration with your favorite cookbooks as well, or a copy of your go-to simple dinner party menu.

8pm: Board games for two are great. I mean, party games are great too, but games for two are better because she has a built-in opponent now, so she’ll be able to play them more often. Some of our favorites are Carcassone, Forbidden Island, Ticket to Ride, and this version of Trivial Pursuit (which adds a betting element that’s fun and includes fairly modern categories to pick from). Classics like Scrabble, Monopoly and Clue also work for two people.

9pm: Send the couple out for a night on the town with tickets to a Broadway show, a concert they’ll love or a local comedy club. What about a gift certificate to a fancy restaurant? Slip the tickets into a cute clutch or wallet that she can carry on her hot date.

10pm: Movie night in. If she does not have a Roku, may I suggest one? I love ours to bits. A popcorn maker really does make superior popcorn to the microwave kind and she’ll need a warm throw to snuggle up with her hubby on the couch.

11pm: Bedtime. Perfect for sheets, pillows, comforters and other items to make up a comfy cozy bed for her to rest her head. Let me tell you, sheets may sound like a boring present, but nice sheets are expensive. As I’ve gotten older, they have become like the king of gifts. That and socks. I’m not kidding. Sheets and socks, for the prematurely elderly woman in us all.

12am: Cheers! While most days she’ll be sleeping by 12am, there’s at least one night a year she’ll be awake—New Year’s! Celebrate with champagne flutes, a fancy silver ice bucket and a nice bottle to toast their first year of marriage.

1am: Sexy time. Judge your audience on this one. You can be subtle with massage oils and scented candles or go wild with sex toys and skimpy lingerie.

2am: She’s fast asleep, but gift her something that can be working for her while she’s catching some zzz’s. A slow cooker, a bread maker, a sous vide machine or an ice cream maker can all can be turned on overnight and provide a welcome surprise in the morning.

3am: Can’t sleep? Maybe she needs some soothing decaffeinated teas and a fancy teapot. Or a gift certificate to a local spa so that she can relax and ultimately rest better at night.

4am: Does anyone else always wake up at 4am after a night of drinking with a terrible hangover? I can’t be the only one. Stock her medicine cabinet for this and all other ailments. And while you’re at it, maybe she needs a cute soap dispenser and toothbrush holder, plus a cleansing face wash to help her feel refreshed.

5am: For the super early riser, create the perfect bath or shower. Opt for fancy shampoos and soaps, a high-power shower head (seems silly, but it’s such a luxury!), a new patterned shower curtain or soft fluffy towels.

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Win Custom Bachelorette Favors from Flhair Accessories!

Looking for the perfect custom favor to add to a bachelorette survival kit? Emma from Flhair Accessories and Ultimate Bridesmaid are giving away one set of 12 custom bachelorette favors from Flhair’s new collection. Adorable and handy, these would be the perfect party favor before a night out on the town—you know you’re gonna need to throw your hair up on the dance floor! The winner will be able to choose from four just debuted designs—an engagement ring, a diamond, lips or a cocktail glass—then select the perfect colored or patterned hair tie to match the bachelorette theme. Emma will create a custom tag with the bride’s name and the saying of your choice. It’s hard to pick a favorite, but I particular love the “To Have and To Hold Your Hair Back” ones—too clever and cute. How do you enter? There’s seven ways below (each counts as its own entry, so share the love!). May the odds be ever in your (bachelorette) favor!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Terms and conditions apply. The winner will be randomly selected using Rafflecopter. Valid for residents of the U.S. and Canada only. The winner may choose from the designs shown in the following links: Option 1, option 2, option 3, and option 4.

A Lovely Peacock Blue Bridal Shower

Sometimes you have to take a moment to honor style—and this bride has it in spades. At first, you’re smitten with the floaty tulle skirt of her dress, accented with vibrant peacock feathers…and then she turns around and you’re like oooohh, lace back with buttons! And though her cobalt blue suede pumps might threaten to steal the show, it’s bride Rekha’s absolutely radiant energy that makes these snaps by Kimberly Photography so special. In every photo you see beaming faces—in fact, the theme of the shower could be love. Well, love and peacock feathers, of course. The vibrant blues, greens and purples used throughout the decor give an almost royal vibe to this beachfront shower in sunny Brandenton, FL.

Photography: Kimberly Photography | Gown: Olga’s Bridal | Hair and Makeup: Jessica Harjani with Michele Renee the Studio | Cake: Cakes by Ron

An Urban Chic Same-Sex Bridal Shower

I cannot tell you how long I’ve been looking for a same-sex bridal shower to feature here. I try to show all different kinds of parties and people, so finding a shower for two brides has been on my list for some time. So when this gorgeous styled shoot by Laura Dee Photography hit my inbox, I maybe freaked out a litttttle bit. Inspired by the idea that “Carrie Bradshaw fell in love with Charlotte York,” this shower is a dream come true of urban chic styling with pops of color and plenty of fun. Just check out the stylish ombre pink and purple hair, stunning jewelry from TheNOTCH, moonshine mixology bar by Onyx and the one-eyed pug named Tater Tot. But what really stopped me in my tracks? The stunning portraits of the couple sharing a few quiet moments together. So perfect and sweet.

In terms of the etiquette behind throwing a gay wedding shower, the “rules” are still very fluid (i.e., who needs rules?). Many gay couples may choose to have a joint couples shower and may even celebrate their bachelorette party together. Others will want separate parties, especially if they have different groups of close friends or family in far-flung parts of the country. Follow the brides’ leads—they will discuss what they want and then share the plan with their bridesmaids and friends.

A London Garden Tea Party Shower

Bright colors, a pretty garden setting, lots of laughter, a candy-covered cake…what’s not to love about this thoroughly modern London tea party shower, captured by Ronnie and Rose Photography? The formal table set in the vibrant green back garden gave the occasion a Mad Hatter feel, as the ladies enjoyed tea and cake and mugged it up a bit with tiny hats and neon sunglasses. And though the toilet paper wedding dress tradition can be a bit silly, sometimes silliness must be embraced! Bride Nicky and her friends took paper fashion to a whole new level, creating flowy designs to model on their makeshift runway.