Seeing as we’ve already introduced you to The Everygirl co-founder, Alaina (a.k.a. beaming bride-to-be), we felt it was only fitting to dive right into Part II. Alaina’s oh-so-smart and totally creative bridal shower that doubled as a cooking class! From cocktails to crudité, we’ve got the entire celebration as well as every delicious bit captured by Hallie Duesenberg Photography waiting for you below!
From Alaina… My mom generously kept offering to host a bridal shower along with my sister and sister-in-law, and for a number of reasons it took me a while to get on board. Namely, my fiance and I had a fairly short engagement so it was difficult to orchestrate around busy summer schedules on short notice, and second, we are having a destination wedding and I really didn’t want to inconvenience any of my guests more than the three days they were already giving us by flying out to California)!
But after some convincing, she and I came up with an idea we thought would be really fun and kind of different for guests. The food scene is just as much a part of Sonoma as the wine (that’s where our wedding will be in two weeks–you can check out all the inspiration here. So we decided that instead of a traditional brunch or luncheon, it would be fun to host a farm-to-table cooking class complete with endless wine flowing and some pretty great favors.
I requested it be in the city since all of my bridesmaids and friends live downtown, and after looking up a few places that all seemed to be on the outskirts of the city, she ended up working with a friend of mine’s company: Boutique Bites Catering and having it in their new event space in the West Loop: Brique.
I shared my wedding inspiration Pinterest board with my mom so she could pull ideas from in terms of design and I think they really nailed it. The reclaimed farmhouse tables, the delicious, healthy menu, the herb-inspired flower boxes from my favorite florist, Fleur–it was really everything and more I could have hoped for! Elaina Vasquez, the owner and head chef of Boutique Bites did a cooking demo for everyone, and the guests all said it was the most fun they’d ever had at a bridal shower. If you’re reading this, thank you, mom! :)
Meet the Bride | Behind the Blog
Photography: Hallie Duesenberg | Floral Design: Fleur Inc | Dress: Shopbop | Catering: Boutique Bites | Favors: Staub | Event Space: Brique | Paper Goods: Minted