Floridian Citrus Bridal Shower

This past weekend I joyously celebrated my childhood best friend at her Winter Park, FL Citrus Bridal Shower! I honestly can’t even string all the right words together to express how magical it was. And not because the weather was beautiful or the tables looked perfect – but because I was celebrating my bestie! As young girls, we used to talk and dream about this special time in both our lives – the showers, the ceremony, the groom, all of it. She stood by me through my wedding process 4 years ago {as she has through so many life happenings over the years}, so finally being able to do the same for her was extra special. Standing beside her as her Maid of Honor hosting a Floridian Citrus themed Bridal Shower, surrounded by all her people…que the waterworks.

One of Amanda’s family friend’s was able to secure their private resident’s club for our use. The venue and weather ended up being absolute perfection. Having a beautiful canvas to work with made elevating the space even easier! I hadn’t been able to actually see the space in person prior to the shower {which, I’ll admit, was a little nerve wracking and contributed to my overpacking haha}, but it ended up being even more stunning in person. The clubhouse {complete with pool + gazebo} overlooked a lake, surrounded by palm trees and oaks covered in Spanish moss. I’m a serious sucker for Spanish moss – the romantic vibe is adds to a space is just dreamy. That, paired with the crisp air, birds chirping + the smell of citrus in the air, I couldn’t have asked for a better backdrop to celebrate my girl.

THE THEME

I was asked a few times at the shower how I came up with the Citrus Bridal Shower theme. I would say it’s two-fold. For starters, Amanda has always been a fan of Rifle Paper Co. I’m sure you’re all familiar with their colorful designs, as they’re been picked up nationwide for retailers like Anthropologie and Nordstrom. Funny enough, the company is actually based in Winter Park, FL {where Amanda has lived since college}, so she’s visited + supported their flagship store for years. I wanted to make sure that essence/vibe {which is very much ‘Amanda’} was incorporated throughout her shower. Originally inspired by Rifle Paper Co’s citrus theme, I partnered with the talented Meredith Hanson to commission the invitation + artistic elements! Secondly, she lives in Florida, and nothing says Florida more then citrus! It just made sense.

THE GARLAND

Citrus is one of my favorite {and dare I say, one of the easiest} themes to execute. Typically you can get away with less florals, which always helps on your hard cost. And I adore the pops of natural color the fruit itself brings to a space. Plus, you can actually USE/enjoy the fruit post-event! The bride-to-be told me she juiced her leftovers a couples days after the shower. Yum!

I’ve loved working with The Garland Guy {for the second time now} when it comes to beautiful, fresh, hand-ties garlands. They make for the perfect base for you to fill in with citrus, flowers, candlesticks – whatever your heart desires! For this space, I wanted the entry to be a main focal point. So {with the help of my amazingly supportive and non-complaining husband}, we hung this 25ft salal + seeded eucalyptus garland above the archway with command hooks. There was a little trial + error involved, possibly a garland fall or two, but we did it! While I had originally thought I would fill it in with citrus and white florals, but once it was up I really loved the simplicity of the garland itself. It spoke to the bride’s style, and held its own with a few tiny white flowers {that acted as orange blossoms} tucked in.

DESIGN in the DETAILS

I’m a firm believer in the saying ‘it’s all in the details’. Some may overlook the little aspects of a special event, however I think they make all the difference when done properly. The key to making details worth investing in, is to determine which aspects are the easiest to execute that will provide the most visual appeal. You don’t have to incorporate ALL the details, ALL over the place {that’s too much}. But distinguishing 3-4 special touches will really stand out.

For example, the individual tres leches desserts I ordered from Black Bean Deli arrived with cherry toppers. The red accents didn’t quite fit my vision for the citrus bridal shower theme. So, {with the help of our sweet photographer Amalie + fellow bridesmaids} we quickly sliced a few clementine segments to replace them. Voila – a sweet little detail, which took two minutes, that completely transformed the dessert table look + feel.

Furthermore, incorporating Meredith Hanson’s custom watercolor citrus artwork from start to finish of the shower was perfection. She created the most beautiful citrus + greenery motif, along with a gorgeous patterned liner paper for the initial invitations. From there, Mer provided me with smaller elements of the invitation {single orange, leaf, blossom, etc}, which I used for signage, name cards + other paper goods. My favorite being the ‘celebrating the future Mrs. Valle’ napkins I printed via Zazzle! These details were definitely not lost on the guests.

FOOD + FAVORS

While decor + ambiance are most important {in my book}, it’s not a successful gathering without a satisfying food spread. You can’t have hungry guests on your hands. Having only visited Orlando, I relied on the Bride for catering/food suggestions. She raved about local favorite Black Bean Deli, and after looking over the menu, I loved the Cuba food tie-in. Not to mention, it’s a cuisine I’ve miss dearly since our move to Charleston. This made for the perfect excuse to indulge in a few of my favorites like croquettes + empanadas! I ordered all the proper pairings for a Cuba style luncheon: yellow rice, black beans, plantains, pulled meats, etc.

For dessert, I incorporated Black Bean’s signature tres leches mini desserts. In addition, I enlisted Charleston native Bullfish Cookie Company for custom cookies, featuring a motif from the party invitation! Alison created these stunning pink doors for my friend Jillian‘s cookie party during the holidays. After seeing her uber creative The entire food spread was the perfect Floridian feel I was hoping for.

In conclusion, each guest received a gift bag of Greenleaf Gifts goodness! I selected the orange + honey fragrance, not only for the perfect aroma pairing, but for their packaging! I’ve worked with Greenleaf several time now {also for my sweet Galentine’s Brunch last year}, and their packaging gets me every time. It’s beautifully designed and meticulously crafted to match each of their artful fragrances. The signature candles, reed diffusers, and sachets made for the perfect favors and a way for guests to remember the afternoon. What a treat?! I myself have a few extra candles currently sprinkled around the house, subsequently making me wish for spring all the more!