Tag Archives: bridal shower favors

A Spa Day Bachelorette + Tea Party Bridal Shower in North Carolina

The first week in August, I traveled to North Carolina for my friend Jae’s wedding. Jae got engaged in April and pulled off an amazing wedding in only four months (and on a budget too)! Now, she has specifically asked me to clarify that a four-month engagement does not mean the bride is pregnant!! Since both she and her now-husband Jason are teachers, she really wanted to get married during summer vacation when she would have a lot of time to devote to planning and could just enjoy the event. And waiting over a year just didn’t seem right for her. Planning a wedding in four months seemed impossible to me, but Jae absolutely made it look easy. I was blown away with how easily she pulled everything together. But I shouldn’t have been—Jae is like the most organized, proactive person in the universe. Her wedding was beautiful and everything came together perfectly.

But Jae’s short engagement did mean that we didn’t have time to dedicate a full weekend to bachelorette festivities…so we decided to pack everything into her wedding weekend! That meant a bachelorette on Saturday, a bridal shower on Sunday, and the wedding on Monday! (One of Jae’s pro tips for getting married on a budget: Have a Monday or Friday wedding!) At first I was nervous about trying to do so much in one weekend. Honestly, I was worried that I would be totally burned out by the wedding reception. But it turned out to be fantastic! I think the key was that each of our events had a very different energy: we had relaxing spa time, a high-energy bachelorette night, a classy tea party. All of the events were so different and I thought we had the perfect balance of relaxing, socializing and fun!

I started the weekend with a plane delay that made me about an hour late for our bachelorette spa day. I have to give credit to the amazing team at Balance Day Spa in Greensboro. I had basically missed my massage time slot, but they were able to move some of their appointments around to make sure I got a 30-minute massage. And after a rough morning of air travel, I SO needed it! The spa is lovely and relaxing, with a peaceful lounge area in the women’s locker room where we set up a mimosa bar and other refreshments. After our massages and manicures, Jae surprised us with thoughtful bridesmaid gift bags. Each bag included a monogrammed silk robe to wear on the morning of the wedding, monogrammed clutches and (my favorite) a personalized framed memento of our friendship, in which she shared some of her favorite memories with each of us. The gifts were so thoughtful—there were definitely a few tears shed!

Afterward, we headed to dinner in downtown Greensboro at Liberty Oak, then back to the hotel for a bachelorette slumber party. Jae wanted a low-key night with her girlfriends with lots of laughing. We tried to incorporate a lot of Jae’s favorite things into the weekend—for instance, Harry Potter and FRIENDS. For her bachelorette favors, I found these awesome House Bride Harry Potter themed tank tops. Not only did they look great, they were also super comfortable—and the seller even rushed the order to get them to me on time. They were perfect. We started up a marathon of FRIENDS wedding episodes (half of the wedding party can quote FRIENDS on command) and played a few bachelorette games, including the fiance quiz, a bridal mad lib and a wedding version of 5 Second Rule (stay tuned for more on that).

The next morning, we hosted a tea party shower in the lobby of the O.Henry Hotel, which was also the venue for Jae’s wedding and where we were all staying. I cannot compliment this hotel enough. The service was superb. The night before, I must have called the front desk 10 times for different things—could we have a DVD player brought up, could we have a wine opener, oh no one of us is locked out of our room, oh no we can’t figure out how to make the DVD player work! Seriously, if I had any problem, I just called the front desk…and they fixed it for me. They were so generous, thoughtful and helpful. They really made our stay perfect.

For the shower, we served an afternoon tea for Jae’s friends and relatives, and played a “how well do you know the bride” game. Each guest left with a sprinkle party favor with a handmade tag you can download here. We also asked all the guests to bring Jae a recipe on a personalized recipe card and it was so fun to see the different recipes she got. They completely matched the personalities and tastes of the senders, from quinoa salad to ice cream bar cake. (My own contribution was a spice blend I use on everything…and yes, it’s Whole30.)

Finally, I’ll share a little peek of us getting ready on wedding day in our monogrammed robes!!

Congratulations, Jae!!!

Best of Etsy: Pastel Pretties

Take a look out the window. See snow? Again? Or it’s just really freaking cold? Girl, you are not alone. As a little pick-you-up, here are my fav recent Etsy finds, all in cheerful pastel hues to make you feel like springtime is already here. Whether you’re a bride searching for the perfect gift for your bridesmaids or a party planner on the hunt for bridal shower favors, these pretty accessories and thoughtful pieces are perfect for bringing a little sunshine into the mix.

I’m a little bit obsessed with the blend of delicate pastels and a modern geometric triangle pattern on this cotton pendant necklace from The Fox and Fig.

You can seriously never have too many vases—they’re stylish and useful. I especially love the organic feeling of this teardrop shape from The Object Enthusiast, with the modern pop of metallic dots to add color and shine.

Wouldn’t this be perfect for a “Will You Be My Bridesmaid” gift? The gem-shaped soaps from Vice and Velvet are crafted through a cold-process method the uses at least 50% olive oil, plus organic rice milk, macadamia nut oil and Australian pink clay. The prism necklace gets a whole new look, cast in concrete that gives an almost industrial vibe and offset with delicate lilac and sunshine yellow. (Similar here.)Artwork is one of my favorite unexpected gifts. For a unique bridesmaid favor, ask Milk Foam to create a perfume watercolor for each of your ladies, showing her signature scent. The resulting piece will be personal and totally one of a kind.

Bath and Beauty Favors

I recently finished moving, so after all that packing and unpacking I’ve been seriously considered a spa day complete with a massage. Next best thing to an expensive appointment? One of these spa gift sets! These would be perfect for bridal shower party favors, or to incorporate into an at-home spa party. They’d also make great bridesmaid favors. Your maids are going to want to relax after the wedding too—and they don’t have a honeymoon to look forward to!

The graphic ombre lines on this spa gift set box remind me of sunset over the ocean. The kit has everything you need for a perfectly rejuvenating bath: salts, body oil, a clay facial mask and lip balm.

Hello, darling little owl soap. Yes, I must have you! Oh, you arrive with a lip balm and nourishing serum? How lovely!

This sugar scrub, exfoliating goat’s milk soap and natural lip balm will leave you and your maids glowing. There are tons of scents to choose from here.

In scents like lavender lemongrass, orange patchouli walnut, and rosewood, these organic soaps are not only gorgeous—they give back. For each bar you purchase, Poppy Soap Co. donates a bar to a local women’s shelter.

This at-home facial kit is perfect for a spa party in your living room. Set up stations for manicures, pedicures and facials and then have girls switch off.

Bridal Shower Favors from ModCloth

Uhm, you guys, I am so freaking excited. And may I tell you why? ModCloth has started a line of home goods! When did this happen and why did I not know about it before Christmas?? They are clearly selling everything like hotcakes as new items are appearing daily and sold-out items reappearing due to demand. We’ll soon be rolling in delightfully cute elephant salt shakers and world-shaped cork boards. I’ve brought together some charming little creatures that would be perfect as bridal shower favors. All work out to less than $15 a guest, and sometimes much less. The mini mason jars are $50 for a set of 12, including straws! My personal favorite? The vintage-style birdcage hooks.