Last weekend, I got to host a bridal beach luncheon for a very special friend who had to postpone her wedding THREE times. I wanted to share a few of the little touches that made the event so memorable. Bridal event or not, I hope you get some inspiration as we head into the summer!
#1 PICNIC SETUP
I wanted to host something outside so all our guests would feel comfortable but also wanted it to feel elevated and special. I found a local picnic-scape company that created this gorgeous setup for us (and that did all the heavy labor of set up/breakdown!)
#2 FOOD & DRINKS
Because I sprung on the picnic setup, I decided to cater the lunch myself, and pull Chris in as our rosé-pouring-greeter.
On the menu:
Cabbage and Mandarin Asian Salad (recipe below)
Strawberries and Mint
Chicken, Pesto, Mozzarella, Pickled Onion Sandwich on Local Mini Baguette
Kettle Chips
Salted Caramel Cupcakes
Rosé (poured by my rosé guy 😂)
#3 PAPER PRODUCTS
We created custom menus, stickers, and velum sandwich wraps to make the picnic lunch just a pinch more fancy. I also revamped our FOOD LA LA kit boxes with a custom sticker so they matched the floral/palm vibe. Custom watercolors of the bride/groom added the final personal touch!
#4 HATS
It’s fun to gift something that helps the bride standout, but I also didn’t want our guests stuck with “over-branded” swag they wouldn’t be able to use in the future. These cute hats (off Etsy) were a great balance of useable but super cute!
#5 THE BEST PART
My friend Lindsey LOVES photos, so I hired her wedding photographer (and one of my personal favorite humans, Jodee Debes ) to surprise her with photos of the shower. Sometimes the best gifts are memories :)
FOOD LA LA RECIPE: CABBAGE AND MANDARIN ASIAN SALAD
SERVES: 4
SALAD INGREDIENTS:
½ purple cabbage, thinly sliced
1 large orange, segmented
1 TBS black sesame seeds
1 small handful chives, sliced on angle
¼ cup sliced almonds, toasted
DRESSING:
2 tsp mustard
2 tsp honey
½ lime, squeezed
2 TBS rice wine vinegar
6 TBS sesame oil (or olive)
¼ tsp sea salt
STEPS:
Toss all salad ingredients together and set aside (reserve a few piece of orange, almond, and chive to use as garnishes).
In a small bowl whisk together mustard, rice wine vinegar, honey, lime juice, and salt. Slowly drizzle in oil and whisk vigorously.
Pour dressing over salad and toss to evenly coat. Salad is gets even better after it sits (chilled)!