A Pretty little purple bridal shower luncheon

It doesn't get any more girly than this!  Lauren loved purple, every shade of it.  And she is also one of the girliest girls I have ever met. Putting this bridal shower &n luncheon together for her was so much fun for us.  Lauren & Joe's photographer, Ashley Brockinton came to snap these great photos of the pre-wedding celebration.When you're done be sure have a look at her wedding featured on the Every Last Detail Blog and watch the directors cut by AMC Video from her wedding a few months later at LaPlaya Beach & Golf Resort in Naples.

The beautiful centerpieces by Signature Floral were so perfect.  Using so many shade of purple helped to make sure that the flowers provided  the perfect contrast to the lavender tables and chairs.

 Lauren was becoming Mrs. Ciancimino - Italian!  Her future mother n law brought dozens and dozens of fresh homeade Italian cookies.

 How sweet is this petite cake cake topper on the polka dot cake?

Want to see the details from the wedding?

Champagne Cocktails on the fly

Bellini: Champagne & Peach Schnapps
Blood Orange Mimosa: Champagne & Blood Orange Juice
My thought: Delicious
Use them for: Wedding or farewell Brunch, bridal showers, welcome bags,
Present them in: White tissue papers (at least 4 pieces) tied with double faced satin ribbon in your wedding colors.
Cost: $10-$13 each. Have to love that.

Bridal Shower idea (this post is for bridesmaids)

I keep coming across this place setting by Amy Butler. It's anything but typical, and so of course- love it. While I can't say that I would register for it as my "good china", but its too special for "everyday", and I still want it.
I had a V8 moment (you know, that smack on the head from the commercials? I think those are so funny). This is a great place setting for small dinner parties, luncheons, or breakfasts! A set of 6-8 would be perfect.
So here's how the bridal shower part fits right in. Each bridesmaid contributes one setting, as her gift. Only, you don't wrap the gifts. Use them as the settings on the table for the shower you're hosting! Have your bride sit down at the table and let her unwrap one of the empty place setting boxes, with a note inside that explains what she's received. How lucky is your friend? So lucky.
By the way, did you know Amy Butler has free pdf designs you can download? How cool is that? Thank you Amy.

Featured in Brides Florida Magazine

One of the perks of being engaged are the pre-wedding celebrations. Oh how I love to plan these as well! Take advantage of your engagement and enjoy all the excitement that goes along with it.Wedding planners are great to hire for consultation to get the scoop on the best locations, ideas, and ways to make all of your events that much more special than you could have even imagined. No, you do not have to have your wedding shower at Aunt Sue's and your bachelorette party can be swanky without being, ummmm, well, you know.


Look for some of our favorite places in the newest issue of Brides Florida magazine (Page 122). The editors came to Weddings by Socialites for all the great places to host your "other wedding parties". Namely, showers, rehearsal dinners, and bachelorette parties.
Oh, and isn't the cover gorgeous?

Wedding Decor from a non-wedding source

I try very hard to include unique details in each of the weddings I design. Many times that means finding pieces that aren't labeled "wedding" and placing them in a strategic places.
One of my favorite places to go for inspiration is Homegoods. I made a stop there today as I'm planning a dinner party that is going to allow me to truly step outside the box. During my visit I found all these items that I easily found use for, whether it be wedding decor related, or wedding planning related; even wedding gift related.
I found all these fantastic inspiration books on the end cap (love the red clearance sticker!). I picked up a few Williams-Sonoma books for the library. They 're great for finding menu ideas when you're looking to kick your wedding menu up a notch.
These all make great and inexpensive gifts for your bridesmaids. I confess to buying one of each for myself. The iStand has to be the coolest under $10 gift I've come across in ages. The monogrammed book of note sheets is sitting on my desk right now, and the cute little journal is in my bag, ready for jotting down ideas I get while I'm out and about.roll in my purse.
I adore all these details I found. The album is perfect for collecting written well wishes at the cocktail hour and then inserting all the digital prints your guests send you after the wedding. The 3 lanterns would make a perfect escort card display centerpiece at any kind of outdoor celebration. I found 6 of these beautiful green vases throughout the store. I can just see them filled with big bushy Peonies or Hydrangeas. And this board- so perfect I bought it. The frame on it is gorgeous and the corkboard makes it perfect for a seating chart (cover with giftwrap, wallpaper or fabric first).
Look at this collection of chairs! I can just see this eclectic mix at a massive rehearsal dinner or bridal luncheon table.

Showcase #6 "Ummmm cookies...."

From: Michelle Tortuya of Charning Events

"Here is my favor entry for your showcase. I am in love with Cakesters by Oreo - soooo good. And i'm a number one fan of edible favors. To top it all off, I think the Black/White wedding color combo. is so elegant, and this treat would go so well with that scheme!"



So, I put two cakesters in a cellophane bag, wrapped with ribbon and a black/white tag with a monogram. Yummy!"



From : Danielle at Oh Happy Blog! (One of my favorite reads by the way)

"A friend of mine was having a bridal shower earlier this month. Many of the members of her bridal party are mothers or well into their marital bliss... as she is the baby in her family. She wanted to share in this special occasion with EVERYONE and didn't want to leave any of her loved ones out due to their lack of a babysitter... so she asked if I would come in and save the day. She was having a "Midsummers Night" theme to her wedding and so we created this "fairy tea" tablescape for the younger guests to indulge on cookies and punch at the shower...



We went wild at the local JUSTICE for GIRLS and Target- buying dress-up jewelry and lipglosses... the overall result was so positive - the bridal party was able to relax and enjoy themselves without the worry of rushing home to relieve the sitter... I suppose that I chose to share this because too often I am confronted with brides that do not take the demands of parenthood into account... if it is known that children will be a part of the wedding- be sure to put aside funds to keep them busy ... this will ensure that your guests stay well into the evening and enjoy themselves to the fullest."