Location: Oxford Exchange is a place that I absolutely love. Most of the time that I’ve spent there has been in the form of brunch and tea talks with my friend Haley. The aesthetic is just perfect. From the checkered floors, to the string lights inside, and their very own library – it’s certainly a Tampa treat. I knew I had to have my shower there as soon as my mom started talking about location plans.
Food: Brunch was an absolute MUST given it’s my favorite meal of the day. From biscuits and honey, to petite chicken salad sandwiches – all of the bases were covered. Coffee and mimosas were available the entire time #brunchmusthaves.
My dress: The dress I wore to my bridal brunch was one that I found in Nashville during my Nashlorette Weekend. Crazy, right? It’s a little Alanis Morissette ironic that after shopping so hard for white dresses, tops, etc. for that weekend that this beauty was waiting for me in Nash all along. The fact that it’s backless, and the flowy feel are two of my favorite details about this dress.
Ben sticks: Although I was involved with some of the planning for this bridal shower (which I was told is untraditional, but I’m too much of a control freak to care), there were some surprises my mom and grandma had that even I didn’t know about. My favorite one was that they printed pictures of Ben, and glued them onto sticks that people received when they walked in. If anyone said the words “Ben”, or “Bride” they lost their Ben. It was actually hilarious.
Wine instead of gifts: For this shower, I had friends and family bring their favorite wines for me to try in lieu of a gift. Some stuck with wines they knew I would like, while others branched out and bought me ones that I would never buy myself. Not only does this stock up my wine cabinet, but now I’ll get to try different wines that I wouldn’t normally buy. Cheers!
Succulents: OK, I am SUPER into succulents right now. I can’t even help it. They’re adorable, and a type of plant that I can actually SUCCeed (get it?) at keeping alive. We used succulents as centerpieces for the large table that Oxford Exchange supplied. After the brunch was over, we told guests to take one home with them as their favor. This idea definitely didn’t succ (ok, I’ll stop now).
Family + Friends: This bridal brunch would not have been anything without having my family and friends there to celebrate with me. Many thanks to all that could be a part of this special day. I can’t wait to have everyone together again in November (a month to go!).
Watch my bridal brunch video here:
Loooove your dress!
Thank you so much! xo
I love love love Oxford Exchange! And what a great idea to have your girlfriends bring wine instead of a gift. That's my kinda party!
It is the BEST. PLACE. Major design inspo. Girl, I'm sayin'. Wine nights, every night.
Hey, this post about your favorite thing from your bridal brunch was truly amazing. Those centerpieces are so cute. My sister hosted a surprise bridal shower for me at some local San Francisco event venues and she also used DIY crafts for decorations. Truly, she made the day extremely special for me.