How to Throw a Bridgerton Bridal Shower
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Alert Lady Whistledown: there’s a Bridgerton-obsessed bride in the house! Premiering nearly three short years ago, this regency love series took Netflix (and its viewers) by storm. Filled with stunning fashion pieces, elegant scenery, harmonious music, and incredible design details, it’s easy to see why a Bridgerton bridal shower has become all the talk of the ton.
A true regency-themed celebration requires consistent details and a well thought out design. Most wedding-related parties center around color palettes and overarching details. Creating a show-stopping 1800’s-themed bridal shower is all about putting your focus into all the small details: the style of the bride-to-be’s dress, gloves, candles and dining ware, and a time-relevant menu.
Whether you are planning the bridal shower for the Bridgerton-loving bride or you’re the betrothed in question seeking ideas for your own party, we’ve got you covered for all things Bridgerton. Simply follow these eight steps below and you’ll create a bridal shower your social connections will never forget.
1. Select the Bridal Shower Location
English Heritage
When planning a bridal shower, your first and most essential step is choosing a venue location. Nearly any location can be transformed into a magical space with carefully chosen details and decorations.
This can be a local restaurant or simply at a family member's home to optimize your budget. Remember that a location is important, but details are even more essential.
A simple home or outdoor setting can be taken back in time with well-chosen décor, flower arrangements, and mood-setting details. You can create a regency-esque space while maintaining a budget. But there are some locations that speak Bridgerton before you place any items for those looking for “the space”.
To achieve a true regency feel, look for a space that feels magical, historic, or has detailed architecture design. This can span various types of venues, such as a vineyard, an elevated garden, a pristine historic building, or an elegant art location.
Throughout the Bridgerton series, we see elegance, art, unique architecture, well-preserved historic buildings, gardens and outdoor spaces, romantic settings, floral arrangements, and whimsical design. Keep these elements in mind when viewing possible bridal shower locations.
Indoor elements to look for could include venues with grand staircases, murals, stone elements, sconces and chandeliers, artwork, indoor greenery, large windows, curtains and draperies, a large foyer, and plush seating.
Outdoor elements to look for include a venue with gardens, flower bushes or whimsical greenery, brick or stone exteriors, benches and outdoor seating, paved pathways, and a multi-story building.
For more inspiration on a Bridgerton-esque venue, browse some photos of 1800’s London or take a look at a few stills of a Bridgerton episode.
2. Establish Your Regency Dress Code
Netflix and Shondaland
A Bridgerton bridal shower wouldn’t quite be the same without guests dressed in their best. After all, one of the most memorable parts of any given season is the breath-taking fashion pieces.
Balanced somewhere between modest and show-stopping, this particular style of fashion screams “classy” while still preserving personal style.
To establish your bridal shower dress code effectively, it is best to recommend you or the bride’s wishes on your bridal shower invitation. This gives your guests enough time to find an appropriate outfit while also ensuring everyone receives the request.
Simply save one line in the bridal shower invitation for “attire”. Bridgerton-themed outfits would be best described as “semi-formal”.
Some descriptive phrases you can use are “ankle or three-quarter length dresses”, “Bridgerton-themed attire”, “Tea time attire”, “Elegant Chic”, or “1800’s London tea time attire”.
No matter what phrasing you choose in the bridal shower invitation, ensure it gives clear context to guests. The more descriptive and clear the attire request is, the more likely your guests will choose the perfect chic outfit to celebrate the esteemed betrothed in question.
For inspiration on guest or bride outfits, check out Shondaland’s inside look into how Bridgerton costume designers created the regency outfit designs.
3. Choose a Color Theme
Luxe Mountain Weddings
Once you’ve chosen the bridal shower venue and established the desired dress code, it’s time to choose an overall color theme! While this doesn’t have to be as precise as choosing wedding day colors, it’s still a good idea to have some on-brand colors in mind. These colors will help during the decision process for centerpieces, invitations, decor, and more.
Throughout the Bridgerton series, there’s an array of colors and hues used, but pastel colors are the most highly recognized. Shades of dusty blue, pastel pink, lavender, pale yellow, and soft mint green are prevalent through the entirety of the series.
Choosing colors along the line of these will create the most whimsical and accurate representation of the series. These colors also create a bright and stunning atmosphere.
It’s important to remember that, although intrinsic, you don’t want too many soft colors without any contrast. This can lead to color washout and make your colors blend together instead of providing individual unique elements.
To provide some healthy contrast, try incorporating some lemon yellows, tangerines, and taupe colors. These colors will provide a nice contrast to their pastel counterparts without outshining them.
4. Select & Send Bridgerton Bridal Shower Invitations
Youngatheartparties on Etsy
Once you’ve locked in your theme, color palettes, venue location, and date and time, it’s time to invite your endearing members of the ton!
First, select the bridal shower invitations you would like to use. Invitations are the first sneak peek at your bridal shower style, so it’s a great opportunity to excite your guests by choosing an invitation with the Bridgerton theme.
Similarly styled to the one above, there are a variety of Bridgerton bridal shower invitations to choose from! They typically range from $1.50 - $4.00 per invitation if you buy them outright.
But, if you’re looking for a savvy, budget-friendly option, Etsy is your place to go. There are a variety of Bridgerton bridal shower invitation downloadable templates on Etsy that range from $5 - $10.
The advantage to this is you pay less than $10, fill in all your bridal shower details, and download the template for any number of invitations. Once you have the completed template, you can simply print the invitations yourself, have a local print shop print them, or submit the template to an online printing company.
With a pre-purchased template, a printing company will print your bridal shower invitations at a much cheaper rate than using one of their templates or purchasing the invitations outright. Similarly, if you purchase the template and print them yourself, the cost of each invitation drops drastically.
Once you’ve purchased and received your respective invitations, it’s time for the guests to be wooed! Ensure you have a list of all guests, along with their address. After you have all the information you need for the invited guests, fill in your return address information and the guest’s sender information on the envelopes. Now we’re in business!
5. Plan Your Menu
The perfect touch to a Bridgerton bridal shower is a truly regent tea party menu. While you can craft a Bridgerton-themed menu several different ways, an afternoon tea menu is the most accurate version of the time period itself and the show.
Afternoon tea menus typically involve a range of finger foods, desserts, hors d'oeuvres, and specialty drinks.
For your main food options, consider options like small finger sandwiches, fruit platters, light soups, and hors d'oeuvres. Dessert options could include macaroons, scones, light pastries, cupcakes, and British biscuits.
For your specialty drinks, think about serving a mixture of teas and light alcohols, like champagne or mimosas.
You can also set up a “tea bar” where guests can choose their favorite teas (such as green, black, chamomile, or fruit teas) and add in their most cherished tea additions, such as sugar, honey, and milk.
Evaluate the atmosphere of your venue and your guests to decide on specific food choices. Before deciding, be sure to check with all the future attendees for any food allergies. Not only do you not want a guest to have an allergic reaction, but you also want to ensure they have plenty of options to choose from despite their allergies.
6. Purchase Decorations
Decorations and decor is the cherry on top for a perfect Bridgerton bridal shower. In true regency fashion, there are three main elements that create an elegant atmosphere: candles, lots of flowers and floral arrangements, and plush seating.
Throughout the Bridgerton series, nearly any scene you come across is filled with plush seating. Ottomans, dining chairs, sitting room seating, and more are always upholstered in thick layers of velvet. Every piece of sitting furniture always looks supremely comfortable (and for good reason).
As someone with tons of cash in the 1800s, there was no reason to have uncomfortable or non-supportive seating. Consider this design element when renting your tables and chairs for the bridal shower venue (or ask your venue if they have anything similar if the venue provides tables and chairs).
If your budget allows, opt for upholstered seating over plastic or wood to set the mood and provide your guests ultra-comfort. Most rental companies have several different seating and dining options available.
Next, the candles. Bridgerton scenes always entailed tens of tall, stick candles in their respective holders. Not only are candles on-brand with Bridgerton, but they create a romantic and intimate atmosphere.
Candle holders are also a product rental companies have readily available. If you want to stay on the affordable side without blowing your whole budget on candles, consider shopping at the dollar store or a thrift store.
Most dollar stores and thrift stores have candles at prices considerably less than normal retail stores.
Lastly, the floral arrangements. There are no picture-esque scenes in Bridgerton without breathtaking arrangements of flowers. Floral arrangements can transform an everyday venue into a stunning indoor garden.
Floral arrangements are also very diverse. If your budget allows, you can hire and design floral arrangements with a professional florist. You’re also able to purchase pre-designed or custom design fake floral arrangements like these.
For the most budget-friendly (and fun if you’re crafty) option, you can design centerpieces and other floral arrangements yourself with just a few supplies from a craft store. These typically only involve floral wire, fake flowers of your choice, wire cutters, and some ribbon or bows.
Other bridal shower decoration items to not be forgotten include table runners, silverware, drinkware, plates, a card box, relevant signage (such as “Place Gifts Here”), and any photo props.
7. Select Bridgerton Bridal Shower Games
Youngatheartparties on Etsy
Every party needs games - but a Bridgerton bridal shower needs Bridgerton-themed bridal shower games! (Yes, I’m obsessed too!)
Everyone loves celebrating their bride-to-be by playing party games centered around her and her betrothed. Etsy has a large selection of pre-printed and downloadable template (like the one above) bridal shower games.
Some contain all the normal bridal shower games with Bridgerton-themed cards while others have a few Bridgerton specific games involved. If you’re not fully into the Bridgerton-themed games, there’s thousands of templates and pre-printed party games available for purchase online as well.
Consider also incorporating some fun bridal jeopardy questions to add a competitive element to the bridal shower. Just remember: the goal of the games is to have fun, get to know the bride’s closest friends and family, and celebrate the bride’s upcoming special day.
8. Take Whistledown-Worthy Photos
Photos last forever: it’s a fact. There’s no better way to remember the second most memorable (after the wedding, of course) moment in the bride’s life than creating and taking photos even Whistledown would be jealous of.
To create a memorable scene, consider purchasing or renting some whimsical or floral photo props or signage. Additionally, if your budget allows, consider renting a photobooth for a few hours for guests and the bride alike to enjoy.
Bridgerton-Themed Bridal Shower Décor Ideas
Bridgerton Bridal Shower Dress
Regency Flowers & Table Decor
Bridgerton Party Favors
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