For this glam take on a fiesta bridal shower, design studio Modern Pulp channeled bride Claudette’s love of pink and gold into a backyard fiesta filled with color and style. Guests selected one of three different flavors from the sangria bar and topped their vintage pink goblet or copper mug with a selection of fresh fruits. A stunning dessert spread, including cactus cookies and dessert tacos, offered plenty of sweet treats. My favorite detail? The unique rock cactus bar that allowed guests to create their own party favor. Plus, you now have the perfect hashtag for your event: #tacoboutashower! Photographer Christy Swanberg beautifully captured the joy on bride Claudette’s face as she rounded the corner to find this pretty little shower waiting.
Tea parties remain one of the most popular bridal shower themes, but that doesn’t mean every tea party shower must look the same as the last. We crafted four tea party shower inspiration boards to show you how you can customize a tea party theme to suit the bride’s personality. Choose from a classic English high tea with pastel hues and floral patterned plates, or go modern with a vibrant color palette and bold patterns. Go for over-the-top opulence with a Marie Antoinette French tea party, or get wacky (or bookish) with an Alice in Wonderland tea.
To create a classic high tea, you’ll need pretty patterned china and a few traditional tea snacks, like this honey pound cake or soft angel food cake cut into hearts and covered with layers of creamy frosting. Soft colors should run throughout the decor, from the flowers to the table settings. An English tea dress code will give your guests a change to wear springtime sundresses, feathered hats, flower crowns or even lace gloves.
To throw a modern tea party, change up the color palette. While a traditional tea incorporates soft pastels and vintage florals, go with bold, vibrant colors and patterns for a modern twist. We love the orange accents in this tea party or the abstract patterned tablecloth in a modern navy motif. And don’t be afraid of black! The letter board at this modern tea party gives the perfect updated twist. You can also look beyond Europe for inspiration and explore other tea cultures. What about serving a Moroccan tea or having a Japanese tea service?
A Marie Antoinette tea holds on to the elegance of a traditional English tea, but turns the fancy up to 10! The traditional palette is pink, blue and white, but we love accents of gold to channel French rococo glam. Host your shower at a cute French cafe and serve pink floral teas and French macarons. Marie’s classic catch phrase (“Let them eat cake”) must be on display, and the aforementioned cake should make an appearance too. This type of tea party also screams for the addition of alcohol—we love this pink champagne granita as a finish to your meal.
Alice in Wonderland is a versatile theme, as there are two parties in the book you can take inspiration from: the Mad Hatter’s wacky tea party or the Queen of Hearts’ croquet lawn party. If you’re going Mad Hatter, incorporate whimsical colors with mismatched vintage china. A grouping of clocks or vintage glass bottles makes for simple yet stunning table decor. Color chaos is your goal. You can use vintage wallpaper samples to create a shabby chic photo backdrop that completes the look. For the Queen’s garden party, your palette is black, white and red. And if you’ve got a hedge, use it! This one is dotted with red roses and oversized playing cards. Fancy hats will add an element of fun and whimsy to a party that’s fit for a queen. And don’t forget these DIY flamingo croquet sticks!
This backyard bridal shower got a splash of 70s style with flower crowns and bell-sleeved dresses in the dreamy California sunshine. Bride Kelsey and her bridesmaids popped a few bottles of champagne to get the party started while each guest donned a delicate baby’s breath flower crown. An adorable bunting banner displayed pictures of the bride and groom over the years for a twist on the “guess their ages” game. Mini succulents in copper pots served as a party favor, encouraging guests to “let love grow.” Dulcet Creative was there to capture the beautiful event.
It may seem as though this bridal shower was set in Charleston—and that’s exactly what the hosts wanted you to think! A stunning private residence in Pennsylvania was transformed into a Southern garden party set in the Holy City, complete with plenty of sun hats and bright Lily Pulitzer dresses. Bride Caitlin and groom Jake got some outfit assistance from Trousseau Style, a wardrobe stylist who outfits couples for all the wedding events, from the bridal shower to the rehearsal dinner. (As a bride-to-be, I can tell you that finding like seven white outfits and all the accompanying accessories can be super stressful—this seems like a great service!) Caitlin and Jake took a few minutes to capture some stunning portraits with photographer Brittani Elizabeth before joining their guests for a glass of rosé in the sun.
Fashion blogger Elyse of Leather and Lace wanted to transport her guests to a secret garden in the city, so she asked GLDN Events to transform New York’s Gramercy Hotel into a flower-filled wonderland for her spring bridal shower. Soft pink and white streamers hanging from the ceiling gave the space a whimsical vibe and Elyse’s stunning pleated floral dress with a strappy open back completed the feeling of Alice gone through the looking glass. The white and pink anenome flower statement wall shows that a simple DIY can add instant impact. Black and white stripes on the table runner and cake added a modern touch to this festive floral shower, completing the urban garden party vibe.
Kori and Sam’s bridal shower took full advantage of a glorious garden setting where the peonies were in full bloom. Guests were encouraged to wander through the gardens and keep an eye out for hidden raffle tickets that could be used to win gift baskets. As Kori is a partner at Styled For Love event design studio, a flower crown station was the perfect activity for this artistic bride. The guests’ flowing floral ensembles, flower crowns and the pillow lounge seating area gave this event a bohemian flair. Photographer Chelo Keys beautifully captured the joy shining out from this couple as their family and friends came together to celebrate their love.
Though Marie Antoinette has cornered the market on famous cake saying for awhile, we’ll gladly take this cheerful update from Kate Spade: “Eat cake for breakfast”…and your bridal shower, of course! Bride Sara’s Kate Spade bridal shower incorporated iconic black and white stripes with pops of neon pink and metallic gold. Showstopping details like hand-decorated cookies and macarons and vibrant arrangements of peonies and garden roses set the perfect tone for this fun-filled afternoon.