It feels like all at once… the parties start!
Graduations, bridal showers, baby showers… all the moments you’ve waited for. And suddenly…you’re the one hosting them for your child.
I recently hosted my daughter’s bridal shower, and I wanted it to feel beautiful, meaningful, and special… but also simple enough that I could actually enjoy it too.
So I’m sharing everything that worked…..from the food to the setup to a few easy hosting tips that made the whole day come together without feeling overwhelming.
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The Theme: Love Is in Bloom
My daughter picked the “Love Is in Bloom” theme, and I absolutely loved it!!! The mix of beautiful flowers was just perfect for a spring/summer shower. Her maid-of honor put fresh tulips on a backdrop we ordered from Amazon as a photo backdrop and it was just perfect!!! She pinned the tulips on with safety pins and it was so beautiful. These are great… we used it my sisters baby shower too and put balloons around it.
We hosted the day at a venue, which made things easier from a setup and space perspective…but everything we did could easily be recreated at home too.
The goal was simple: fresh, welcoming, nothing overcomplicated … just a space where people could gather, celebrate, and just enjoy the moment spending time together.
What I Used for the Shower (Shop My Setup)
If you’re planning something similar, these are the items that made everything come together:
Serving + Display
- Charcuterie boards
- Charcuterie accessory kit (this makes SUCH a difference!! This was my favorite purchase that I will use a ton)
- Tiered serving stands
- Display risers (these elevate everything—literally)
- Wooden Food Chalkboard Signs – LOVE THESE! I reuse them for every party I have
Food + Drink Setup
- Clear yogurt cups with spoons (so easy + looked so pretty lined up)
- Clear Drink Jugs
- Juice Containers for Mimosas (we made with orange juice and sparkling water or prosecco)
Table Setting
- Gold disposable dinnerware set (came with everything you need from plates to wrapped silverware to cups… this was great!)
- Matching gold plastic silverware
- Our party favors were little jars of honey… They were so cute. They were handmade by a local friend of my daughters who makes them and her own honey.
- We used Mason jars for centerpeices with fresh babies breath… we have used these same Mason jars for many parties…. they are great and we just love their aesthetic.
I’ll link everything here so you can easily recreate the look.
My Simple Hosting Tips (that make everything feel elevated)
I always like to say…. hosting is in the details. Nothing crazy… just small little touches. These are the things I always come back to when hosting anything:
1. Don’t overcomplicate the food
You don’t need a huge menu…just a few things done well.
2. Get help and Pre-order what you can
We had croissant sandwiches that were pre-ordered, and it took so much pressure off. We also made it happen with teamwork! We had my daughters maid-of-honor and soon to be mother, and grandmas helping too… and that made everything so much easier. People want to help. Don’t be afraid to ask. 🙂
3. Elevate! Use height to your advantage… it makes such a difference.
I looove tiered stands and risers because they instantly make everything look more styled and intentional.
5. Focus on how it feels, not perfection
People remember the atmosphere… not whether every detail was perfect. We also had light music playing in the background, and candles lit throughout.
What We Served (and what people LOVED)
This menu ended up being the perfect mix of light, easy + crowd-pleasing:
- Croissant sandwiches (pre-ordered from Giant Eagle)
- Gluten-free cucumber sandwiches (these were a HIT)
- Yogurt parfaits with granola + raspberries
- Pasta salad
- Veggie tray
- Charcuterie boards (my daughter and I made these… more below on how do them)
- Cupcakes + cake for dessert (Cupcakes were from Walmart and were great… Our cake we had made by a friend. Ohhhhh, and the gluten free cupcakes were from Walmart too and got RAVE reviews…. If you’re gluten free, these are a great option! They keep them near the bakery in the refrigerator. The best gluten free cupcakes.
Keep it light, fresh, and easy to grab. Especially for events for primarily ladies… finger foods and light foods are the best.
My 3 Tips for a Beautiful Charcuterie Board
This is one of those things that looks complicated—but really isn’t once you know what to do:
My 3 Tips for DIY Charcuterie Boards…
- Design – I put some “salami roses” on the boards this time… and they are so easy to make and add such a cool pop of design. I truly think this helped elevate the boards. I used 4 pieces of salami for each rose, along with mozzarella balls… you could cherry tomatoes, a basil leaf… whatever you like! I made a bigger rose out of salami from a glass too. There’s lot of little tutorials online if you look them up. So easy, and adds so much!
- Elevation – You need a few things on the board that are elevated… bowls with fruit, olives, or honey for example. (I love these little white ramekin bowls with honey stirs… it’s such a nice touch.) BTW – this set came with all the gold spoons, forks, tongs, white ramekin, honey stirs…. I was so perfect!!! I will use this a ton when putting these together. This accessory set is so worth it!
- Color – When you’re building a board cheese will have a lot of the same color, so you need some color with grapes, but I also love blueberries for that pop of color, I like dried fruit for the color and texture, and olives are great too… just think about adding color as your building too.
I watched so many Tik Tok and Youtube video tutorials… and this is what I felt like I learned.
This Ohio shaped board is my favorite…. they make every other state too! The back can be used as a cutting board, or you can hang as a wall display when you’re not using. It’s only $30 too. Everyone loves it.
At the end of the day… no one remembers if everything was perfect….
They remember how it felt. Truly.
And this season….. celebrating our kids, watching them step into new chapters…it’s one of the sweetest there is.
If you’re heading into a season of hosting… just know it doesn’t have to be complicated to be beautiful.
I hope this helps any other mamas out there hosting events for their kids too!
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