Best Bridal Shower Ideas by NJ Bridal Shower Photographer, Keri Calabrese.
If you have been following my work, you know that I love to photograph bridal showers. So if you are looking for the best NJ Bridal Shower Photographer, you are in the right place. I am truly blessed to photograph dozens of amazing events each year, and since I have such a soft spot in my heart for weddings and wedding related events, you KNOW bridal showers are up there on the favorites list.
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Bridal Shower Themes
White Bridal Shower Dress / Blush Dress
A bridal shower is always better with a theme! Here is a list of some of the most popular shower themes I get to see!
1. Garden Party
2. Tea Party
3. Bridgerton
4. Lemon
5. Private Club (Yacht Club / Country Club / Tennis Club / Golf Club, etc)
6. Tented
Most of the bridal shower themes I photograph is Garden Party. In my opinion, its the perfect theme! It’s light, bright and feminine. Who doesn’t love to get all dolled up and drink mimosas in a beautiful, light filled greenhouse?
Brides: Get 15% off your Island to East Side Bag w/ code KERICALABRESE
Here are some of the best bridal showers I have photographed:
Garden Party Bridal Showers
1. Kaitlin’s Upper Montclair Country Club Bridal Shower
Bride to Be Cake Topper / Pink Bud Vase
Kaitlin’s Upper Montclair Country Club bridal shower was a photographer’s dream come true. It was probably also a dream come true for Kaitlin! I have been photographing Kaitlin for years. And it all started with this very bridal shower. Truthfully, she probably deserves her own page on this site. For now, I will link you to her incredible Madison Hotel baby shower and stunning gender reveal announcement photos.
Anyway, back to her bridal shower. Highlights included the DIY flower bar, super chic photo op for guests and stunning dessert table.
Flower Bar
Read More: Best Bridal Shower Signs
Photo Booth with Friends
Stunning Dessert Table
2. Deanna’s Madison Hotel Bridal Shower
Blush Jumpsuit / Blush Dress / White Bridal Shower Dress / Island to East Side Bag (use code KERICALABRESE for 15% off) / Bridal Shower Invitation
3. Mia’s Madison Hotel Bridal Shower
Gold Louboutins / Island to East Side Bag / Embellished Dress
4. Taylor’s Madison Hotel Garden Party Bridal Shower
5. Lucy’s Revel Garden City Bridal Shower
I also love that some of my clients were also guests at other bridal showers I’ve photographed. I love making connections with so many wonderful people!
Related Read: The Best Bridal Shower Games
Tea Party Bridal Shower Ideas
Related Read : Rita’s Madison Hotel Tea Party Bridal Shower
Read More : Raven’s Bridgerton Tea Party Bridal Shower
Related Read: Marlee’s Orange Lawn and Tennis Club BRIDER-ton Tea Party Bridal Shower
Read More: Mia’s Shabby Chic Tea Party Bridal Shower
Lemon Bridal Shower Theme
Read More: Amanda’s Lemon Themed Bridal Shower at The Garrison in New York
Okay, now for the fun stuff! Here are my tips to plan the best bridal shower ever.
4 Bridal Shower Favors Ideas
- Rose
A nice bottle of rose goes a long way. Little or large, you cannot go wrong gifting your guests a bottle of this pink drink. My person favorite brand is Whispering Angel, but there are lots to choose from.
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Champagne
Mini Moet all the way! Or any bottle of your favorite champagne is the perfect way to celebrate AND say thank you!
- Cookies/Cookie Bar/Dessert Table
Another great way to say thank you at the end of the day is with sweets! Almost all of the events that I do feature some sort of dessert table or cookie bar.
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Flower Bar
If you are looking to avoid food/drink- flowers are the perfect way to make any guest smile. Allow them to create their own bouquet, and provide a cute vase for them to make sure the flowers make it home alive. Pro-Tip: Add a cute little tag like Kaitlin did to remind your guests where the vase came from. Click here for more flower bar inspiration- Taylor’s Bridal Shower Flower Bar / Kaitlin’s Bridal Shower Flower Bar / Lauren’s Baby Shower Flower Bar.
5. Dress Code
Katie asked all her bridesmaids to wear white which made for the perfect photo opportunity!
Bridal Shower DressRead More: Katie’s Blue & White Bayhead Yacht Club Bridal Shower
4 Bridal Shower Ideas
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Panty Line
Deanna’s bridesmaids surprised her by creating a cute poem along with a string of dozens of underwear all for different occasions!
- How Well Do You Know the Bride Game
This is a cute a popular way to get the guests chatting about how they know the bride to be. Big bottles of rose were given to the winners. - Chic PhotoBooth
I love when there is a chic Photo Booth set up for me and guests to take the photos in front of. I’ve seen this done with a flower wall, flower installation or balloon installation!
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Comedian
Parissa’s mom and bridesmaids surprised her by hiring a comedian to keep her friends laughing and having fun the entire day.
3 Gifts for the Bride to Be
- Custom Jacket
Leather or Denim. My favorites are the Custom Leather Jacket by Bash Calligraphy (as seen on Deanna) and Mia’s Custom Denim Jacket by Oh Sarah Jean.
- Custom Bag
My favorite is a custom bag from Island to East Side, a fan favorite of many of my clients!
- Designer Shoes
Mia was gifted these Christian Louboutins by her aunt, so of course we had to make sure we captured them perfectly at her bridal shower. And Kaitlin’s Dad wrote her the sweetest letter that made her cry along with (of course) a pair of Christian Louboutins.
4 Chic Bridal Shower Outfits
Whether your style is chic or glam, you will need the perfect outfit
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Pink Jumpsuit
This jumpsuit is chic and sophisticated and its on sale for just $17. And it comes in a ton of different colors. You can buy one for yourself, here at Asos! As seen on Chrissy, the first bridesmaid on the left!
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Glam Long Sleeved Dress
Mia found her stunning bridal shower dress at (where else?) Asos! But it recently sold out of stock! But I am in love with this similar glam option.
- White & Tight
Deanna’s white bridal shower dress is from Revolve. I couldn’t find the exact link but there are a ton of really similar dresses that are perfect for your next event!
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Lacey & Affordable
Lucy ordered several bridal shower dresses and ultimately decided on this super affordable one from Shein!
Trend Alert: Dress Code for Guests
Next, let’s talk trend alerts! Another big trend I am seeing (other than things I’ve already mentioned like dessert tables, cookie bars, flower bars, etc.) is a dress code. I love it when I arrive and there is a clear dress code for the day. Deanna did this well by dressing in white while her bridesmaids wore blush. It provided a cohesive and chic look for the photos. Mia followed suit by wearing a gorgeous glam number, while her bridesmaids all more a more toned down nude. I’ve also seen this done really well at a baby shower I photographed. The mama to be, Katherine, wore a beautiful floral dress, while asking all of her guests to wear white. This resulted in beautiful photos, and allows the hostess of the day to stand out!
Bridal Shower Games
The Ultimate List of Bridal Shower Games
Bridal Shower Signs
Whew. Well, I think that’s it. Are there any other bridal shower ideas you want to know? Leave a comment or slide into my DMs on Instagram let me know what questions you have, or what else you want to see!
If you love these bridal shower ideas by, NJ bridal shower photographer, Keri Calabrese, pin this image!
Finally, don’t forget to play Bridal Shower Games! This post gives you everything you need to know!
Related Read: Looking for the perfect bridal shower gift for your sister?
2 Comments
Hi there! May I ask what preset you used for these photos?
Hi Alaina! Email me! hello (@) kericalabresephotography .com
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