It’s so much fun to celebrate love and weddings; especially bridal showers, which are one of my favorite event types. There’s something so special about gathering the ladies together to spoil a deserving bride-to-be with love and gifts, as she prepares for the most important day of her life. I loved creating this beautiful Vintage Romantic Bridal Shower for a very special friend of mine, and her lovely bridesmaids.
Planning your Party Decor Vintage style plays a large part in the décor I already have in my home; naturally, I turned to my own shelves and cupboards to furnish this party. I pulled out several pretty dessert serving trays on pedestals, and sourced a delicate lace tablecloth from my closet of vintage linens, that I've built over several years from scouring flea markets and vintage specialty stores. I also collect old silver tea pots, which I never polish, because I love the tarnished patina that they develop over time; I decided these would be lovely, repurposed as vases. My china was a gift from my mother-in-law; the pink pattern featuring a peony bouquet was the perfect choice for place settings, along with gold flatware and embroidered napkins.
Creating a focal point A whimsical and creative paper fan backdrop was created using circular fans with vintage flower patterns, as well as handheld fans, made from lace patterned paper and wood. This was situated vertically on a mantle above the head of the table, and created a high-impact focal point for the table. This piece of art is easy to construct with just a few basic supplies, and can be made in many sizes. We're honored that our bride requested we make a wall-sized backdrop like this one for the wedding day.
Adding floral elements Peonies and hydrangeas are my favorite flowers, so they were added to the look in both fresh and silk arrangements. It was great fun to create a beautiful floral accent for the room using a ruffled pink parasol, moss and silk flowers. 
You can learn how to make this yourself by clicking here. Fresh peonies in pink and white, with white hydrangeas and snowberries were placed in the silver teapots, and lined up down center of the table.
Signs Banners, buntings, chalkboards and signs are a fabulous way to add texture and pattern to any party, and this event was no exception. The button embellished chalkboard frame was easily crafted using just a few supplies, and a little ingenuity. I hand lettered the phrase, "Life is Sweet, Have a Treat," onto the blackboard, and placed the pretty frame on an easel to identify the dessert table, which is actually an old piano from the 1800's, repurposed as a sideboard. From this, I also hung a banner that read, "Bride to Be". It was handcrafted from paper, burlap, and premade letters in a pretty font.
Have you tried your hand at paper crafting your own signs? It's easier than you think! Here's a tutorial I created to help you learn to create the look you see here. Treats and Party Favors A variety of desserts were offered, including delicious golden vanilla cupcakes with fluffy pink and white frosting, tangy miniature lemon bundt cakes, decadent crème horns, a tasty cake, and fresh raspberries, blueberries and red cherries. I love making homemade jam, so I created a recipe for Perfectly Peach and Cherry Jam, then ladled it into pretty miniature mason jars, and decorated them with burlap, lace, and chalkboard labels that were inscribed with the phrase, "Spread the Love", using a white chalk pen. Our guests were delighted to take home such a sweet and thoughtful treat.
Our jam recipe only has four ingredients, can you believe it? Try making it yourself, it's simple! Special elements and details A scattering of unique candlesticks, lace doilies, a vintage wedding cake topper, and some extra pieces of silver to display flowers and fruits were added to create the look of this party. The brown craft paper table runner featured beautiful illustrations of antique flatware; this was sourced from Nordstrom, in the Home department, and made for very simple cleanup after the party.
We were fortunate to have beautiful weather on the day of the shower, and enjoyed treating our guests to sweets, coffee and tea as we celebrated the bride and her friends. Be sure to check out my Romantic Style Floral Embellished Parasol, Perfectly Peach-Cherry Jam Party Favors Recipe, Spread the Love Decorated Jam Jars, Vintage Inspired, Button Embellished Chalkboard Frame Tutorial, DIY Vintage Romantic Papercraft Backdrop and Bride-to-Be Paper Crafted Bunting Design, Styling and Creation: Christie Troxell, Ritzy Parties Photography: to Pepper, With Love Flowers: arrangements by Ritzy Parties, blooms from Orange County Wholesale Flowers China: Royal Albert, Pattern: Lady Carlyle Desserts: Kimberly's Bake Shoppe
