REAL PARTIES: Retro Chic Bridal Shower
categories: bridal shower ideas, real parties
This super-stylish bridal shower was designed/hosted by Alison Donahue and features the always-fabulous color palette of chocolate and blue, plus tons of pretty details like parasols, retro-chic coasters, paper-wrapped vases, and polka dots. Read on for tons of photos and a full recap, in Alison’s own words…
“I wanted to host a beautiful bridal shower for my dear friend Merritt. Merritt is sassy and fun so no ordinary shower was going to do it for her. A lingerie themed shower was in order!
Since her wedding colors were blue and chocolate brown I decided to incorporate them into the shower.
The invitations were made by using supplies from Paper Source and asked everyone to bring a piece of lingerie for her to open.
The party was located at my house in Santa Clara, California. I hung paper parasols from Luna Bazaar from the ceiling in shades of blue, brown and white.
My mom was a life-saver and helped me prepare for the party! She made two amazing table runners with fabric from JoAnn’s Fabrics.
We picked up flowers at Costco and grass from the Safeway floral section. We wrapped paper from Paper Source around the base of each vase and tied off the ribbon with rings from Michael’s. We tied the same rings around the napkins used for lunch.
The afternoon started off with blue martini cocktails, lemonade, and a homemade pesto and sun dried tomato torta. We used coasters from Hello Lucky (pictured in top image) to hold our drinks.
Lunch was almost all homemade and consisted of fruit skewers, spinach and mushroom salad, salt and pepper shrimp skewers, zucchini Madeleine’s, sausage and black olive roll, meatballs from Trader Joe’s, cucumber and chive butter sandwiches, homemade cheese puffs, cream cheese and salmon toasts and quiche.
After lunch the ladies chatted, worked on a scrapbook page for Merritt by taking Polaroid photos
with her, and prepared to play some games. We played 20 questions about Merritt, the “What’s In Your Purse?” game, and the “Pass the Teddy” game which is fun for a lingerie shower.
The ladies played for various prizes that I wrapped in boxes from Packaging Specialties and wrapped with paper and stamped and embossed stickers from Paper Source.
We wrapped up the day with desserts. We snacked on homemade heart shaped brownies, lemon macaroon tartlets, and mini cheesecakes topped with personalized flags from Notepolish.
As everyone left they picked up a goodie bag that contained a votive candle, and personalized matches saying “Merritt & Joe, a perfect match.”
All in all it was a very fun party and we sent Merritt off right for her honeymoon!“
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That is just beautiful! I love the color choice!
Nov 10, 2008 at 9:16 am -
This shower is AMAZING! Great job!!
Nov 10, 2008 at 9:23 am -
This was such a well put together shower theme. Not overdone and remained sophisticated yet with a fun flair to it. Absolutely loved your use of ribbons for just the right touch on your favors, noticed no bow just a great grograin ribbon and a knot with some paper shred and a label….great job!
Nov 10, 2008 at 10:09 am -
I love the retro chic theme throughout every detail. Love it!
Nov 10, 2008 at 10:16 am -
Wow, this is so amazing! Especially the food. I always struggle with what to serve at a shower. Since there is never a table big enough for everyone, it has to be something easy to eat. I really LOVE everything about this shower!
Nov 10, 2008 at 10:43 am -
This is so great! I LOVE the parasols. Such a great idea. =)
Nov 10, 2008 at 10:45 am -
Wow! This is so great down to every last detail! I love the goody bags with the personalized votives.
Nov 10, 2008 at 11:43 am -
Sorry
Nov 10, 2008 at 11:44 am
personalized matches! -
So cool! The umbrellas are my favorite!
Nov 10, 2008 at 12:13 pm -
Beautiful! How did you hang the parasols from the ceiling???
Nov 10, 2008 at 12:42 pm -
Truly a work of LOVE! Done to a tee with an artistic flair. She left nothing out.
Nov 11, 2008 at 4:23 pm -
Thanks so much for the nice comments! I bought sticky hooks at bed bath and beyond and hung fishing wire from them to the umbrella handles!
Nov 11, 2008 at 9:11 pm -
[...] stumbled across this post about a lovely bridal shower hosted by Alison Donahue, a photographer, in honor of her close [...]
Nov 12, 2008 at 9:08 am -
Wow what a great job. everything look very nice and very creative. I want the recipes.
Nov 12, 2008 at 2:54 pm
Hope to see you Thanksgiving. -
Do you have the recipies for what you made at this party? Everything sounds so delicious!
May 11, 2009 at 9:43 am -
I think the little dessert flags are my favorite touch! Love how different this is from typical frilly pink-ish showers!
May 15, 2009 at 9:57 am -
Oh that cake stand is the cutest thing i have ever seen! great post, Bridal showers can tend to be a little dull (from my experience) but this one looks awesome!
Eve
May 17, 2009 at 9:10 am -
I love it! Everything looks perfect and ties together so well. And your mom did a great job on the table runner!
Jun 22, 2009 at 8:53 pm
